It's hard to believe that 2021 is coming to a close and the New Year is on the horizon. We have so much to celebrate in 2021—and even more to look forward to in 2022!
We want to help you ring the New Year in with excitement and enthusiasm—so here are just a few of the things our team is looking forward to:
Seeing you in-person! Put this at the very top of the list of things we're absolutely giddy about in 2022. Though our travel will remain limited, Lynne and the DRG team will be back on the road in 2022 hosting in-person conferences and workshops, speaking at industry events, and consulting with clients. Virtual conferences and webinars are so important to how we do our work, but there is nothing like being in a room with a bunch of colleagues from all across the country talking about the important work of our industry. Y'all, we can't wait!
Helping you find top talent. We're looking forward to connecting you with the talent you need to fill the gaps from the great resignation—and if we can't find you the right person—expanding our services to do the work ourselves. In 2022, our team is stepping up and stepping in to outsourcing roles to help you keep pushing forward.
Continuing our work in DEI. We have been buoyed with the work you all are doing to have tough conversations in diversity, equity, and inclusion—and we're honored to help you have them. Remember it is a journey and requires dedicated efforts in order to move forward in true dedication.
Watching innovative ideas come to life. Many of your shops have been reinventing, evaluating, and tweaking these past two years, and along the way, we've witnessed an increasing comfort with risk and willingness to shed parts of our work that simply were not effective. With loads of new talent infused into our teams, as well, the industry is poised offer up some powerful next-level engagement for donors. It's a thrilling time to be working in a mission-driven profession! There are incredible opportunities for change, growth, betterment, and strategic development in our shops—our industry is ripe with innovation and ideas right now! Embrace this exciting time and push yourself and your team to try new programs and initiatives, rework a dying event, or just reprioritize your workloads for the benefit of your donors.
Experiencing the ways in which old meets new. Everywhere we look right now, we see potential! As the return of some pre-pandemic activities meets the lasting imprint of hybrid work environments and unique virtual experiences, we're hopeful that sparks of positivity will fly. From creating sustainable work-life balance to opening new channels of engagement with our donors, the coming year is filled with opportunity for the investments made in rethinking the how and what we do to pay off in establishing a more meaningful experience for all.
Settling in to the "new normal". While 2021 seemed to be entirely dedicated to finding and defining the new norm, we're hoping we can now all take some deep breaths and settle in—no matter what it may look like. It’s going to take continued grace and patience, but we're excited to feel more steady and even keel.
Setting parameters and and defining expectations. Between the aforementioned worldwide unsettledness, major life changes, and challenging work places, personal and professional boundaries have become blurry. We're focused on balance and wellness in all aspects of life heading into 2022—and that feels great!
Coaching and training new talent. For some of you the thought of hiring and onboarding new people is just one more thing you have to do, but for us it's this lovely infusion of new. New hires come with fresh ideas. They ask why and make us rethink old systems, processes and events. New employees are on fire to learn and grow and this enthusiasm can reinvigorate existing team members and change the dynamic for the entire team. We love that feeling of finding the right person at the right time—and we'll be here to help you find them, coach them, and train them if you need us!
The unexpected. In the 11 years since DRG began, no year has been the same. Heck, no two months have even been the same! From consulting to training, online courses to webinars, conferences and workshops, job advertising and executive coaching—and now filling empty roles on teams—and even creating new software, like ODDER, our workflow has been vibrant and dynamic as we strive to meet all of our clients where they are and where they hope to go. So, bring it on, 2022! We got this!
We hope you take some time over the holiday break to acknowledge all you have accomplished this year—you rocked it—so, spend some time celebrating you. As you reflect, consider what awaits you in 2022 and get excited! What are you most looking forward to in the New Year? We'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments.
Cheers,
The DRG Group
