Creatively Bringing People Together

Are you well equipped and empowered to thrive in the new normal? Join host Todd and guests Melissa Lopez and Ryan Shortill as they discuss what a healthy corporate culture looks like, the new opportunities that have arisen from the remote work environment, how to adjust to working from home in the face of burnout and different schedules, attracting top talent employees to your company, and the importance of empathy in every context.

Melissa Lopez currently serves as the CEO of Positive Adventures and CEO and Co-Founder of Onyx Offsites & Trainings, a new corporate concierge team building company designed to create meaningful culture, connection and change in corporations of all sizes. With more than 25 years of industry and leadership experience in marketing, advertising and entrepreneurship, Lopez successfully navigated Positive Adventures through the COVID-19 pandemic and launched Onyx in early 2021 to address the new needs of the corporate landscape. Lopez currently sits on the Board of Directors for Entrepreneur’s Organization San Diego Chapter as Integration Chair as well as serves on the Board of Directors for Pegasus Building Services, where her board role is centralized on marketing, operational and visionary guidance for the institution.

As the Founder of Onyx Offsites & Trainings and Positive Adventures, Ryan Shortill is the driving force behind the brand’s mission. Passionate about helping communities, organizations, teams, and individuals realize their productive power, for more than 15 years, Shortill has provided counsel for companies and communities through unique, purpose-driven techniques. Shortill has taught a variety of curriculum to every level of academia as well as large organizations and senior management teams and is accustomed to speaking to a variety of audiences.

TODD-TAKES

1. I loved the birds chirping in the background of Ryan. It was such a great example of embracing this new normal and allowing the flexibility and empowerment for people to work from where they can thrive the most.
2. Melissa and Ryan provided so many great examples of thinking outside the box in order to connect people across departments, for example the Run Club or serving together. I also loved the idea of switching things up in meetings and brainstorming to meet at a park. Recently, I was able to bring my entire team together for the first time in 2 years and we incorporated that advice into our meeting. It was fantastic to enjoy being outside together.
3. Construction workers are athletes that must take time to focus on Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual health. As part of this, it is incumbent on leaders to know the person behind the employee. Take the time to know what drives and fulfills your team members so you can as Ryan said, “relate as a human rather than an item that needs to be accomplished.” Ryan also provided some powerful examples of this in action with purchasing concert tickets and plane tickets for his employees.