The entire Empire Health Team set aside three full days to invest in learning how to be a more effective in our communication, to work better as an integrated team, and to help design key components necessary to be a high performing team.  We are so impatient to be collaborating with partners to make a measurable impact in our community, that it's easy to forget we are a start-up organization and to take the time to get to the next level internally.  Another way to think about it is:  the more effective we are as a team, the more impact we can have.

One of the amazing reflections was to stop and think that just little over a year ago, this team did not exist, and none of us was doing the type of complex impactful work that we are doing today.  The fact that the team is performing at the level they are, is a testament to their passion and dedication to the foundation's mission no matter their role within the foundation.  

One of the key deliverables we will be sharing on the website soon is a summary of our key "vitals" for 2011 (our dashboard of metrics that we will be using as both our goals and keeping track of our progress).  

Our deep felt thanks to Beroz Ferrell for her energy, wisdom, and talent.  For any organization looking for a master facilitator, she is the best I have seen (and believe me when I say I have seen many many facilitators).