All Companies Picnic - 2014

The rain didn't get in the way of us taking time to enjoy some good food, games, and raffle prizes on Friday. We had a blast!  Thanks to the Picnic Planning Committee for all their hard work with the details; from the bags/ladder games, to the water blasters, to the plentiful spread of yummy food, to the highly coveted gift baskets, we ended our summer on a great note!

Golf Outing... past and present!

Each summer, employees have the chance to grab their golf clubs and head to the course for a company golf outing!  No experience required, just a desire to eat good food, have a good time, and hit a few golf balls (if luck is on your side...).  Below are some pictures from past and present... you can tell we have some serious fun!

Learning Opportunities for our Leaders

Last week, our mid-level managers spent a few days away from their busy schedules to sharpen their skills in a Situational Leadership course.  This interactive event combined employees from across all companies as they worked together to better understand the benefits of adjusting leadership style to those they lead.  Based on the situation, that style should change continually to meet the needs of others in the organization.  According to one participant, "With a new department, new tasks/new role, new people this will help me to have a much more organized way of moving around tasks and providing support to my team.  This was a very relevant training topic at this time.”  As you can see from the pictures below, the learning was also fun!

Having Fun with Accounting at Throwback Thursdays

ETA hand2mind team members took a break this past week for Throwback Thursday - a monthly activity hosted by a select department with the sole purpose of adding a little fun to the work day.  July's event was led by the Accounting department and featured ice cream sundaes and a fun quiz about little known accounting facts.  For instance, did you know that an accountant invented bubble gum?  Huh... who knew?

What does bungee jumping have to do with leadership?

A lot!  Move out of your comfort zone, even just a few inches, and you may plunge off a tiny platform with a long elastic cord tied to your feet.  With any luck, you'll also learn a little more about yourself and the leadership you can bring to your team.  Our very own Rick Woldenberg, CEO of Learning Resources got to experience this first hand.  Besides a great vacation story, Rick also shared his insight.  "Bungee jumping makes you confront your fears and not let them define you.  That's an important skill as a manager," he said.
Okay, Leaders... jump!

Continuing to Make a Difference - Volunteer Event

This week, members of our team spent some time giving back at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a non-profit organization in Libertyville, IL.  During their two hour shift, our volunteers helped package a whopping 33,696 meals that will feed 93 hungry kids for a year!  Way to go team!

Fox News Chicago Features Learning Resources in Four (count 'em!) Four Morning Segments!

Check out the video below for a peek at one of four interviews conducted on site this week by Joanie Lum of Fox News Chicago.  During her visit, she chatted with our CEO Rick Woldenberg and also spent some time with our Learning Resources founder, Jane Woldenberg as well as Tom Runtz from our product development team.  They even talked about our Tent Sale this weekend!  For all four segments and the full story, see http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/25759262/made-in-chicago-learning-resources

FOX 32 News Chicago