Tina Says...

Curiosity:

No, it probably wasn’t Walt Whitman who said “Be Curious, not Judgmental.”  I don’t suppose it matters who said it, but I like to think about it. We judge everything, from the marketing of an adult beverage to the lyrics of a new country song, and then we take sides. And then we separate. 

Martin Luther King once said “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other and they don’t know each other because they don’t communicate with each other, and they don’t communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.”

We judge and separate ourselves in the workplace and in the community. And when that happens, so many opportunities are lost to learn new things. If we can be curious in the workplace, we can find solutions together, we can help customers and partners get what they need. Think about the last time you made a big purchase, like a vehicle. Did you buy from the salesperson who just pushed the deal, or who asked you questions about yourself and what you needed and succeeded in making a connection?

How can we become less judgmental and more curious? We can be willing to listen to other’s opinions and ideas and ask lots of questions. If at first you don’t think you agree, ask the other person if they can share some of the experiences that moved them into the position they’re in. Be present when you get those answers. Explore the things you do have in common, even if you voted for different people. Be willing to be wrong.

Judging without asking questions, in the words of Ted Lasso, means we may be underestimating the people around us. Being curious helps us avoid stereotyping people and making decisions based on our own biases. Curiosity is closely related to empathy – when we can see the world through the perspectives of others, we can achieve our mutual goals more readily.  “Why” is not a dirty word.

We were notified by the Centers for Disease Control in February that Cattaraugus County was selected as one of 36 communities across the nation to receive a major CDC grant to improve health outcomes for our residents.

Since then, a 12-member team – the Healthy Cattaraugus NY Partnership – has been meeting regularly to develop a plan for how we can most effectively reduce food insecurity and improve access to care, two critical Social Determinants of Health. That plan will be submitted to the CDC by the end of August.

We wanted to make you aware of our work because of the critical role you play in our community. We will provide periodic updates throughout this process and welcome any feedback you might have.

Below is our “Statement of Intent,” which outlines clearly what we are attempting to do and why. Also attached is a list of the members of the Healthy Cattaraugus NY Partnership. We encourage you to reach out to any of these individuals should you have questions or concerns.

Thank you for all that you do to improve the quality of life for Cattaraugus County residents.

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THE HEALTHY CATTARAUGUS NY PARTNERSHIP

STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Healthy Cattaraugus NY Partnership is a collaborative of organizations working to improve the physical and emotional health of Cattaraugus County residents, particularly those living in poverty.

We have two goals: reduce food insecurity and improve access to care.

We’re focused on people who do not have enough to eat because we know that poor nutrition contributes to poor health and that, even if residents can afford food, the options available too often are not the best.

We’re committed to improving access to health care, both physical and mental, because people should be able to get the help they need when they need it and because access can reduce more serious injuries and illnesses.

Education and increased public awareness will be critical to our success, as will our ability to develop an effective collaborative that can connect people to what they need.

We will reach out to people where they live and gather -- in the schools, houses of worship, and community meeting spaces within our towns and villages, Indigenous territories, and rural areas.

Finally, we will measure and evaluate everything we do, recognizing that, if we can demonstrate improved outcomes, we will attract the public and private funding required to sustain our work.

On July 26th, members of CCA's Leadership & Management Teams attended a full-day retreat and work session at the Swann Business Center at St. Bonaventure University. Discussion revolved around team and committee charters and communication across committees/teams. The day also included sessions focusing on Trauma-Informed Leadership.