LEVEL UP in 2020

Today’s monthly CHAMBER UPDATE in the Wichita Eagle includes a brief bio about our 2020 Chair, Junetta Everett. An executive with Delta Dental who has been involved with the Chamber for a number of years, Junetta shares her latest accomplishment, what inspires her and her best advice in that communication piece which you can also find by following this link. Everett also took the time to share additional thoughts about her plans for 2020 in today’s blog post.

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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started representing my company on the Wichita Regional Chamber Board of Directors. Since taking on those responsibilities I’ve served on the Executive Committee and participated in activities like the annual City to City trip and the Washington DC fly-in. I’ve also led the Chamber’s Diversity and Inclusion priority. And I’ve come to realize that the only way you REALLY know what is going on is to intentionally insert yourself and be at the table with an open mind.

 As I look forward to being your 2020 Chamber Board Chair, I want to share my vision to Level Up!There is no way to Level Up without improving your current status in a way that results in a positive shift. And, it starts with a change in thought, a shift in mindset, followed by BOLD, FEARLESS action all driven by passion and leading from the heart. While I will continue the momentum started by the previous Chairs, focusing on working with the staff and Board to execute and ensure a smooth implementation of the 3-year Chamber Strategic Plan, I will do everything possible with intentionality. In order to Level Up, we must achieve measurable results of our 6 priorities: Advocacy, Diversity & Inclusion, Pride-in-Place, Small Business, Sustainability and Talent.

What works well?
As I look to the future I’m envisioning the Chamber not as it was, not as it is, but as it should be. Within our membership base, I will personally seek feedback on what is working well, what could use improvement and what are the perceived benefits of being a member with a focus on the unusual voice. It is so easy to keep going down the same path, listening to the same people while leaving brilliant talent and diverse ideas behind. By directly connecting with various leaders, we are better able to understand and address their needs. This includes seeking specific engagement from our Board, thus increasing their experience and utilizing their talents and skills for the purpose of achieving our goals while we Level Up. 

Opportunities
“Giving people a little more than they expect is a good way to get back a lot more than you expect.” (Robert Half)
I believe that the Chamber has the ability to provide opportunities and it is up to the members, community, employers and others to take advantage of them. We need to promote economic prosperity throughout the region with continued communication, networking, enhancement of community projects and development of new programs such as a Minority Supplier Diversity program and an educational talent retention program collaborating with colleges and universities so that graduates can launch their careers right here in Wichita. Providing these opportunities increases the visibility of diverse industries and individuals while at the same time allowing the Chamber to garner success for businesses---all businesses.

One Voice
“It is better to debate a decision without settling it than settling a decision without debating it” (Liz Wiseman).
In order to demonstrate leadership for our community while strengthening and increasing the Chamber’s impact in the business climate, the workforce and the community, it is imperative that members of the Chamber speak in a unified voice when it comes to the decisions that are made. That is not to say that we will agree on everything, because we should and will have constructive debate. Realizing that decisions made at different levels will impact generations to come, once a decision is made we should work on speaking with one voice thus collaborating and becoming ambassadors for the Chamber, the city, the county, the community and for the region. We learned an important lesson from one of our City to City trips. “Yes the cheese may move…so move with the cheese.” Level Up!

Please plan to join Junetta on January 30 as she hosts the annual Chair’s Lunch at INTRUST Bank Arena. Reservations for you and your team are available by following this link.