Speaker: Ryan Francis, Associate General Counsel, The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Introduce yourself by sharing your name, organization, and title.
Ryan Francis: Hello, my name is Ryan Francis and I'm Associate General counsel at the David and Lucille Packard Foundation.
Why did you engage Tracey and Indigo Innovation Group, and what were the critical areas that I helped you focus on?
Ryan Francis: I engaged with Tracey and the Innovation Group for two primary reasons. One, as a young leader at a large Global foundation in a previous role, I was challenged and needed some additional insight and leadership skills coaching from someone who had been a tried and tested leader over the years. That's when I found Tracey's programming online on linkedin. Upon meeting with Tracey, I immediately felt a deep, deep appreciation for her approach to tackling very critical areas of leadership to make sure that you are aligned with your own values within the context of your organization's mission and values. And so the second thing that I engaged Tracey and the Innovation group around was helping me to build a road map for my own leadership skills within the organization so that I could add value to that organization. And that's exactly what we did over the course of several years working together.
What expertise did I bring, and what was unique about working with me?
Ryan Francis: What was unique about working with Tracey and the Innovation Group and what did they bring? Well, for starters, I started working with Tracey during the pandemic. And as we all know, that was a very challenging time because there were poly crisises taking place at the same time. We had the global pandemic, then we also had the racial reckoning and uprising. At the time, I was living in Minneapolis and was experiencing all of these simultaneous life changing career changing experiences. At the same time, Tracey's unique skills and experience within the philanthropic and nonprofit sector made her a great partner for me. And I think she brings a wonderful background as an experienced leader at multiple levels. From grass roots all the way up to executive level that will add value to anybody she's coaching, and not only that, to any organization that she's working with. Tracey was able to give me practical examples that she has experienced over the course of her career and then apply that to an organizational approach that provided a return on investment, not only for myself, but for the organization. I think that's one of the unique things about Tracey and the Innovation Group is her experience. Her background and her approach to leadership development, but also strategy, and innovation, because within the nonprofit sector and the philanthropic sector, innovation looks different and it requires the heart and the mind and courage to be able to step into that type of innovative leadership.
Highlight specific achievements, challenges overcome, and our collaboration's value to you and your organization.
Ryan Francis: The two main things that are the achievements that I look back on. During my time with Tracey and the Innovation Group is one, the development of my own leadership style as a young attorney. New to philanthropy, I engaged with Tracey at a time when there was multiple crises facing the world and my organization. During that time with Tracey's coaching, thought, partnership, strategy, leadership, and collaboration, we were able to take inventory of my unique skills and my unique leadership style and find a road map to developing an authentic leadership approach to those challenges that I was facing, but also the organization. And so Tracey and I worked together over the course of several months and years to not only put together a plan, but implement it. And that brings me to the second thing that I feel we achieved was the creation of structures that still exists within that previous organization that I was with. Tracey and I worked hard collaborating, sharing thoughts and ideas, and building something that will outlast our work together and the time and space that we shared on those projects. That created a large return on investment, not only for myself, but for the organization that I was a part of. It changed the way they looked at unique problems and challenges and reframe the narrative as opportunities to step in with courage, love and innovation.
Ryan Francis: There are two things that I'm most proud of as achievements while working with Tracey and the innovation group. One is developing my own leadership style that is authentic and aligned with my values over the course of several months and years. When the previous organization that I was with was facing some very deep cultural and social challenges around its programming, I was able to work with Tracey to develop my own leadership style. And that required using my heart, my mind, and putting together a lot of different strategies that were not only innovative, but effective with Tracey's support and thought leadership and coaching. We developed a road map to not only put together a plan, but implement it and that brings me to my second achievement that I'm most proud of with Tracey. We were able to provide a large return on investment for the organization by creating structures that were innovative and met the needs of the grantees and the partners that we were working with. By using all of Tracey's experience and the practical leadership skills that she developed over the years, we put together a very innovative path to deepening our understanding around the problem and putting action towards solving it.
Provide inspirational words you would like to share to invite others to work with me and Indigo Innovation Group.
Ryan Francis: If I could leave you with one last word on my time with Tracey and the Innovation Group, it would be, it is worth the investment, not only for you personally as a leader, but also for your organization. Working with Tracey will provide you the skills and coaching necessary to change your own view about your leadership style and how you can be innovative as a leader with the unique skills and abilities that you have for your organization. It will provide a sizable return on investment because you will be able to leverage your leadership and influence to add value to not only your team but across the organization. And so the last thing I will leave you with is work with Tracey and the Innovation Group, it is worth your time and energy and lean into it. You will get everything that you put in back out on a multiplied level. All right, take care and I wish you all the best.
