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#WorkTrends Recap: Kicking Off the You Matter Marathon

As Cheryl Rice, founder of the You Matter Marathon, shared with me before today’s show, the roots of her campaign to spread kindness and empathy started in childhood, where she felt an absence of belonging.

We have all been there, where we felt excluded by choice or by chance, struggling to fit in and feel we matter.

When Cheryl established the You Matter Marathon (which, by the way, has nothing to do with running!) years later, she channeled that childhood experience to make a difference for others. The idea came to her when a colleague gave her a simple card that said, “You Matter.” Cheryl herself became inspired by how one simple act transformed her outlook and started handing out her own You Matter cards.

When Cheryl decided to expand the kindness initiative by creating the You Matter Marathon last year, 14,000 people in 50 states and 59 countries shared almost half-a-million cards. Many companies, schools, and community organizations benefited from participating. This brief video highlights some of the people involved.

In this #WorkTrends chat, we talked about empathy and how relationships can improve by infusing an compassionate approach to interactions.

We also discussed the fact that doing positive things, even simple ones, is good for us as individuals (physically and emotionally). It’s also good for our organizations, with the potential to improve morale and productivity.

“We’re living in a world where people crave connection, yet feel more isolated than ever. Every one of us is here for a reason. We are all essential. We need, and are needed by, each other,” says Cheryl.

To get involved, go to the You Matter Marathon site to order your own You Matter cards. There’s also a Facebook group available at this link.

Here are a few key points Cheryl shared:

  • A feeling of belonging is critical to preventing conflict and tragedy
  • Face to face interactions matter, even though social media is so pervasive
  • People want, badly, to know that they matter
  • The benefits of giving, empathizing, volunteering are physical and psychological

Did you miss the show? You can listen to the #WorkTrends podcast on our BlogTalk Radio channel here: http://bit.ly/2zpnbxR

You can also check out the highlights of the conversation from our Storify here:

Didn’t make it to this week’s #WorkTrends show? Don’t worry, you can tune in and participate in the podcast and chat with us every Wednesday from 1-2pm ET (10-11am PT).

Remember, the TalentCulture #WorkTrends conversation continues every day across several social media channels. Stay up-to-date by following our #WorkTrends Twitter stream; pop into our LinkedIn group to interact with other members. Engage with us any time on our social networks, or stay current with trending World of Work topics on our website or through our weekly email newsletter.

#WorkTrends Preview: Kicking Off the You Matter Marathon

If you have ever felt isolated at work or in life, you know what a difference it can make to be reminded that you matter.

That’s exactly what Cheryl Rice wants to do through the 2nd annual You Matter Marathon, which starts today.

Cheryl started the You Matter Marathon (which, by the way, does not involve running) when a colleague gave her a simple card that said, “You Matter.” Cheryl herself became inspired by how one simple act transformed her outlook and started handing out her own You Matter cards.

When Cheryl decided to expand the kindness initiative by creating the You Matter Marathon last year, 14,000 people in 50 states and 59 countries shared almost half-a-million cards. Many companies, schools, and community organizations benefited from participating. This brief video highlights some of the people (and animals!) involved.

In this #WorkTrends chat, we will talk about how you can be involved in the You Matter Marathon. In addition, we’ll talk about empathy in general and how relationships can improve by infusing an empathetic approach to interactions.

“We’re living in a world where people crave connection, yet feel more isolated than ever. Every one of us is here for a reason. We are all essential. We need, and are needed by, each other,” says Cheryl.

She is right, and after today’s conversation I think we’ll all be inspired to make sure someone in our orbit knows “you matter.”

Join #WorkTrends host Meghan R. Biro and guest Cheryl Rice, Founder of the You Matter Marathon, on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, at 1 pm ET as they discuss how empathy can make a difference in the workplace and how simple actions — even two simple words — can make a difference.

Kicking Off the You Matter Marathon

#WorkTrends Preview: Kicking Off the You Matter MarathonJoin Meghan and Cheryl on our LIVE online podcast Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 1 pm ET | 10 am PT.

Immediately following the podcast, the team invites the TalentCulture community over to the #WorkTrends Twitter stream to continue the discussion. We encourage everyone with a Twitter account to participate as we gather for a live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: How can showing empathy with co-workers improve the culture? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q2: What are the benefits of a kindness initiative within a company? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q3: How does improving positive connections impact business and community?#WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Don’t want to wait until next Wednesday to join the conversation? You don’t have to. I invite you to check out the #WorkTrends Twitter feed and our TalentCulture World of Work Community LinkedIn group. Share your questions, ideas and opinions with our awesome community.

Photo Credit: neilfrazerhallam Flickr via Compfight cc