Houston: After Catastrophe Comes Collaboration

Houston: After Catastrophe Comes Collaboration

In 2013, Boulder, Denver and communities north and east were hit by a storm that broke all records for rainfall. City planners had a 100-year flood plan. They had prepared for a “worst case scenario” that would strike every 100 years. The 2013 catastrophe was called the 1000-year flood. And in the days, weeks, and months that followed everyone who lived along Colorado’s front range or who planned to visit for business or pleasure was impacted. It took months and in some cases over a year for roads to be repaired. The town of Lyons, one of the hardest hit communities, received close to $100 million dollars in Federal funding to rebuild. While waiting for funds, cleanup crews and reconstruction to begin, the community organized potlucks, neighborhood work teams, and music festivals to rethink the future of their small town. The Lyons community knew what it had been, but the larger question facing these forward-facing citizens was this: What COULD it become? Everyone became engaged in rethinking “Our Town” and in thousands of different ways, everyone took on some type of leadership role. Even speaking up about what they had suffered, took personal courage, and in a town where everyone had been impacted in some way, the ability for those who suffered to ask for what they needed, helped guide community vision. Could Houston, still reeling from an unfolding catastrophe, tap the creative vision of civic leaders and residents living in   distinct neighborhoods and districts within its meta-city to reimagine its future?  Could the restoration of this sunbelt city include rebuilding as green, resilient, solar powered communities? Could Houston’s catastrophe become an opportunity to showcase how communities can...
The FIX: Bridging the Great Divide Between Men and Women

The FIX: Bridging the Great Divide Between Men and Women

Boulder, CO:  The exponential growth of technology demands that not just Google, but the entire tech industry in the U.S. rapidly embrace gender TRAIT balance or fall behind to tech innovators in other countries. For starters, the biggest mistake anti-diversity”workforce disruptors are making is to underestimate the value of women’s natural skill sets. Science now shows that keys traits found in the female brain just so happen to be the critical “missing link” needed to manage the complexities of the coming Fourth Industrial Revolution. To accelerate human performance and ultimately corporate profits organizations will need to create a structured, balanced, dynamic synergy between 10 powerful gender based traits found in both men and women. This corporate culture FIX doesn’t require long term training programs, a team of psychologists, or in depth report. It can be applied immediately using a situational awareness (SA) process – that I refer to as the 10TRAITS directive – that bypasses the traditional defensive stance of  so-called “resistors.” It engages the whole system of an organization at its most vulnerable point. The most vulnerable point? The lack of respect by some employees of the high value of women’s skill sets. These natural skills, however, just so happen to be exactly what is needed to manage the exponential growth of an organization. Google is not the only corporation facing this problem. Firing disruptors such as Google’s James Damore offers a temporary, quick-fix “Band-Aid” approach to a long-standing problem in the tech industry. The long-lasting solution is structural and transcends traditional training processes by shifting the focus from gender diversity to balancing gender traits. When team building and decision making...
Fearless Girl Faces Down Critics And Wins!

Fearless Girl Faces Down Critics And Wins!

Everyone who has seen the statue of the fearless girl standing strong and confident in full view of the raging bull statue , understand the importance of women and girls becoming more confident and fearless. And almost tourist who has visited the Wall Street District in New York City to have their photo taken with fearless girl amplify the power of her message. She has faced down critics and city policy regarding art on public art, and won. In the end, it’s her IMAGE that resonates with us. We feel her power at GUT level. We become more powerful and more fearless because we have seen her, perhaps placed a hand on her, or been photographed with her. She invites all of us, people of all ages – regardless of gender – to become more fearless. We are moved by her pose. It reminds us stand up and speak up about what we value most in life. It connects us to each other, as one human community. Look at the image of raging bull, wearing a pink scarf. Does “he” really look that fierce? To me, his look conveys an image of equal power. Like fearless girl, he is showing the power and energy of life. And her PINK hat? In this photo, it serves as a reminder that on January 21, 2017 the power of the Women’s March resonated with both men and women around the world. In fact, one of her strongest supporters is a man. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says, “Fearless Girl Statue is Staying...
Sustainability2020: A Global Collaboration On Our Energy Future

Sustainability2020: A Global Collaboration On Our Energy Future

Sustainability2020 is a GLOBAL collaboration – a global thinkery – bringing ideas and actions, tools and technology together with images and policies together at the LOCAL level. It takes the untapped power of the human mind and spirit and maps out a path to a world beyond OIL. A community is a network of skills and talents.What is your key skill or talent that you would like to share? It takes millions and millions of small incremental actions, developed into HABITS and taken each day, to create smart, green, resilient communities. It takes a global brain – thinking together on behalf of ALL life on Earth to create an energy future that is beneficial to all. Here is an urban Vertical Forest in China which cleans oxygen and also serves as an urban BIRD sanctuary. Here is the way the UK is changing human behavior, one person at a time. Who are we? Alexia Parks 10TRAITS Leadership is home to the Sustainability2020.org environmental leadership tool. It is designed to be used to guide school children and adults to take money saving, energy smart actions at home. Online, it aggregates data to help guide communities to focus resources, skills and talents on those most in need. We welcome partnerships with organizations seeking common cause, including Avaaz.org, The Women’s March, 350.org, and GREEN organizations around the world. Alexia Parks, a United Nations mentor an expert in Gender Equality, and founder of 10TRAITS Leadership is an author, speaker and futurist. In 1980, as Executive Director of the Energy Conservation Center of Boulder, Colorado, she organized a Community Energy Futures Conference for the city in 1980. It led...
Can Gender Diversity Solve A World of Problems?

Can Gender Diversity Solve A World of Problems?

Imagine what Gender Diversity would look like in government, politics, business, and the workplace. Imagine leaders in business, economics, politics and the workplace looked like the people they serve. Can gender diversity: 50/50 by 2020 solve a world of problems simply by creating a gender balance in policy and decision-making? Imagine a world in which men and women work together, creating a balance of power sharing to accelerate creativity, innovation and our rapid evolution to a fair, just, and sustainable world that works for everyone; animals, plants, and things that creep, crawl, and slither along, included! For a starting point, start at the LOCAL level. Who has a data base of city councils and their gender balance? School boards and their gender balance? What is the gender balance in every state legislature and Congress. Is it 50/50? If not, do the math! What is the balance point for gender equality in a policy and decision-making committee or board? Think GENDER. Why? Women think differently than men. If the committee, board, council, team, or Congress is out of balance, do the math. How many, of which gender, would it take to equal 50/50. If it is male dominant, then invite MORE women to step into leadership roles, or run for public office. How many, enough to bring it into balance. Do you see yourself in this role? Stepping out of your comfort zone is a first step toward creating the future you want to see in the world. In other words, becoming a leader offers you a “Be the change you want to see in the world” opportunity. It automatically helps you focus your mind...
How To Handle A Shallow Breathing Day

How To Handle A Shallow Breathing Day

Get up. Get moving. Take a one-minute walk outdoors. Breathe deeply. Release and Repeat. This One-Minute MINI Massage has many benefits when you turn it into a daily habit. To START: Breathe deeply. Watch your belly rise and fall. Deep breathing fills up your lungs and pushes your diaphragm down against your GUT. Your good friend, your brain, needs more oxygen, your heart needs more blood, AND, deep breathing also massages your GUT. Get up. Get moving. Take a one-minute walk outdoors. Breathe deeply. Release and Repeat. Alexia Parks, Founder of 10TRAITS.org is an Adjunct Professor, an expert on gender equality, and a UN Mentor. She has created a new, unified, Evolutionary Model of Leadership based on 10 traits found in the male and female...