work with purpose and live on mission.
The Workmatters Institute is for anyone who is looking for that next step and looking to grow. The digital institute was particularly beneficial because I was able to meet and learn from people all across the country.
Details & Outcomes.
Official WMI-Online Sponsor
Your Guides and Speakers
As a participant in the Workmatters Institute – Online, you will have the opportunity to interact with three of these leaders. You will also be taught and led by either our Workmatters Institute Director or Workmatters Institute co-founder.
Cheryl Bachelder
Former CEO of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen
Biography
Cheryl is the author of, “Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others”—a reflection of her passion for servant leadership as the path to outstanding performance.
Donnie Smith
Former CEO of Tyson Foods
Biography
Darrel Harvey
Director, Workmatters Institute
Biography
Sue Warnke
Sr Director of Content & Communications Experience at Salesforce
Biography
Sue is the Senior Director of Content Experience at Salesforce and part of the founding team of Faithforce, the fastest-growing employee resource group in Salesforce’s history. She is also the founder of Leanership, an organization that advocates for faith inclusion in the workplace and equips people to represent their faith in the real world.
After converting to Christianity in 2017, Sue helped launch faith groups at various companies and has become a sought after speaker and advocate for faith inclusion in the workplace.
Her personal mission is to make faith practical by offering real-world strategies.
Sheerah Davis
Global HR Lead at dentsu Sports International
Biography
She has over 20 years of experience across various industries including PR, advertising and marketing, healthcare, and distribution. Sheerah enjoys solving problems, building long-lasting relationships and strengthening fun and positive workplace cultures.
Sheerah is passionate about investing in young leaders and is also a Workmatters Institute mentor.
Ben Kirksey
COO, Workmatters; Co-Founder of Workmatters Institute
Biography
What You’ll Learn
Every session in the 8-week Workmatters Institute-Online experience features live facilitation and teaching from our expert Workmatters staff, live executive speakers, and group discussion with like-minded peer community. See below a more detailed outline of what you’ll learn and experience, and feel free to reach out to Darrel Harvey, Workmatters Institute Director, for more information (dharvey@workmatters.org).
Week 1: WHO AM I AND WHAT HAS SHAPED ME?
Objectives
- Participants will understand where WMI is heading and how we will get there.
- Participants will learn how to share and interpret their story.
- Participants will experience a practice that will help them probe their stories in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion on articles provided
- Teaching
- Group Processing
- Personal Reflection
- Wrap-up
Assignment
- The Prayer of Examen is outlined in the Workmatters Institute Guide. Choose at least two days to incorporate this practice into your devotional routine.
- Read the article in your Workmatters Institute Guide, “Where Are We and How Did We Get Here?,” and be prepared to discuss.
- Do the reflection questions that follow the article in your the Workmatters Institute Guide.
Week 2: WHERE ARE WE AND HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Objectives
- Participants will learn how culture has evolved over time.
- Participants will be able to identify the driving narratives our culture offers.
- Participants will understand the implications of culture as a formational power.
- Participants will introduced to the four-chapter gospel.
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion of the article provided and reflection quesions
- Teaching
- Group processing
- Teaching
- Small group application conversation
- Teaching
- Personal reflection
- Wrap-up
Assignment
- Read the article in your Workmatters Institute Guide titled “Living and Working in God’s Story”, and be prepared to discuss.
- Respond to the reflection questions in your Workmatters Institute Guide.
- The Prayer of Examen is outlined in the Workmatters Institute Guide. Choose at least two days to incorporate this practice into your devotional routine.
Practical Application
Our lives are often driven by half stories – narratives that we are not even aware of. Half stories also leave room for other competing half stories that fall short of God’s glorious full story.
The Examen is organized to slow us down and in the presence of the Holy Spirit, probe the stories and modes that sit beneath the surface. It helps cultivate a posture that says, “Open my eyes. Show me what you see and do in me what you want to do.”
God has purpose for your work.
The virtues of work that we see in the Garden of Eden are present in your work.
The fall has misaligned our work with the Kingdom of God.
Week 3: LIVING AND WORKING IN GOD'S STORY
Key questions to answer in this session:
- How should the Lord’s Prayer be answered (“thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”) through your industry?
- How can we reimagine work in light of the Kingdom of God?
- How can I develop a vision for how my industry will function in Jesus intent to renew all things?
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion of the article provided and reflection questions
- Teaching
- Group processing
- Teaching
- Large group discussion
- Teaching
- Personal reflection
- Wrap-up
Assignment
- Practice your daily liturgy; pay attention to your experience and noting what changes you may need to make.
- Pay attention to the level of connection to God that you experience throughout the day.
- Prepare a response to this statement: I would be more effective, and the organization would be more successful if there was more or less of ___________.
Practical Application
God has ordained seven spheres of culture, each with its own unique and distinct responsibility toward human flourishing.
Just as individuals are drawn to half stories, so are industries.
It is critical that we understand where the culture – and our industry – aligns with God’s story and where it breaks.
Week 4: IDENTIFYING BROKENNESS IN & AROUND ME
Key questions to answer in this session:
- Where do I have an opportunity to make a difference?
- What is keeping me from doing that?
- What will I commit to doing?
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion
- The impact of our instincts
- From complaint to commitment
- Partner processing
- Crafting an empowerment and value statement
- Partner processing
- Getting to root causes
- Identifying competing commitments
- Group processing
- Completing our Faith & Leadership Roadmap
Assignment
- Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
- Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
- Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.
Practical Application
Test our fears and assumptions around why we hesitate or resist stepping into opportunities where we can initiate positive change.
Week 5: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER
One of the great values of the Wormatters Institute is having access to world class leaders. These leaders share their personal faith stories, give us insight on their vocational journey, address one of the 7 Pillars of Faith & Work, and they field questions with wisdom and transparency.
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion
- Executive Speaker Presentation
- Q & A
Assignment
- Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
- Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
- Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.
Week 6: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion
- Executive Speaker Presentation
- Q & A
Assignment
- Read the article provided in the Workmatters Intitute Guide and be prepared to discuss.
- Do the devotionals and reflection questions for next week’s topics.
- Get to know our Executive Speaker for next week and prepare 2-3 questions to ask.
Week 7: EXECUTIVE SPEAKER
Class Flow
- Mindfulness
- Small group discussion
- Executive Speaker Presentation
- Q & A
Assignment
Prepare for your Faith & Leadership Action Plan Presentation.
- Create your presentation in Power Point. This will keep you on topic and on time.
- The Workmatters Institute Director is available if you would like to walk through your presentation before next week.
Week 8: FAITH & LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN PRESENTATIONS
- Define the brokenness you feel called to address.
- Reimagine what it looks like for this brokenness to be renewed in God’s Kingdom.
- Plan for action – What steps are necessary to carry out your plan?
- What personal habits and practices will you have to commit to in order to pursue your plan?
Watch a Sneak Peek
- Faith & Leadership Action Plan Presentations – 2021 Spring Class
What Participants Are Saying
Apply/Next Steps
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