Minnesota Rising Initial Conversation Reportback and Next Steps!

One year after this blog was born and many, many years after I first considered the power of building networks early on in hopes of more effectively tackling our generation's most pressing challenges, I have an overwhelming sense that the time is now right to come together and move forward. This past Saturday's conversation was both inspiring and fruitful, and reaffirmed to me that there is much potential in the work ahead. See below for a summary of the conversation and connect in the comments if you've got suggestions or want in on what's next!

1. We engaged in discussion about the importance of developing leadership, particularly amongst the Millennial and emerging generations, in order to maintain our proud history of a thriving arts community, successful business and Fortune 500 sector, the strong civic tradition of Minnesota, and so much more.

2. Through a mapping process, we realized that the list of community groups focused on emerging leadership or young professionals is quite extensive (also attached and likely not exhaustive). From issue- and sector-specific organizations to those focused on civic engagement or politics, many may not be aware of each others' existence. Additionally, though emerging professionals just entering into the workplace might benefit from involvement in any one of these groups, there does not appear to be any coordinating conversation amongst these bodies nor a well-maintained and public directory.

3. There needs not be duplication of current efforts to engage and support the emerging professional population. There is a significant amount of meetings and programming already taking place, and that work is being done well by very smart people. Rather, Minnesota Rising is focused on identifying any gaps and whether or not there is anything our groups can do better together than we can apart.

As such, a few of the outcomes that those in attendance decided may be useful next steps in response to our discussion:

• Development of a living public directory of emerging leader focused organizations, including contact information (To be posted on www.minnesotarising.blogspot.com)
  
  
• Creation of a communications infrastructure or coordinating forum for young professionals organizations to share best practices, conduct collaborative work, etc. (Please save the date for Saturday, July 10 from 10:30AM-12:30PM for the next Minnesota Rising conversation on this topic)
  
  
• Launch of an Emerging Leaders Un/Conference in Fall 2010 (Please email me if you are interested in serving on this sub-committee to plan an event to engage emerging leader focused organizations and individual members of the rising generation in Minnesota; first meeting slated for the first week of June)

All these efforts should help to support current organizations and individual emerging leaders and drive us closer to building more relationships, networks, and trust, for the purposes of a common agenda or principles about the type of Minnesota we wish to help shape and lead as our generation continues to rise.

PARALLEL || POSTS

• @MinnesotaRising Conversation: You're Invited!
• Minnesota's number one rankings: More to the story
• The @MinnesotaRising Story
• Community: Here, There, Everywhere
  
• We are the ones Minnesota has been waiting for