Surfacing Gems from the Archives of the Independent Voice

By the Editor of the Independent Voice

The Independent Voice provides a channel to communicate happenings within the IOA, as well as insights on timely topics and practice reflections from members. This year, the Independent Voice expanded access to the blog so the public can benefit from this channel as well. As the current editor of this blog, I’ve gone through the archived posts to make sure links are still live and to assess the various topics discussed throughout the years. A result of this effort allowed me to experience the great wisdom shared throughout the years related to topics of discussion in our field, pathways for professional development, and practical skills shared to build our capacity for success in our role. This post is meant to highlight some of the archived posts as a means to share the wisdom conveyed with those that may be newly accessing this blog.

A Meatball by Any Other Name (originally posted 12-14-2018)

This post touches on an issue that I’ve seen surface as of late in social media chatter. It is an introduction to a greater JIOA article on the need for reflection on the title we assign for our work in this profession. After you read through this short article, I invite you to share your thoughts and reflections on where we can bring this conversation. [READ MORE]

Mentors Matter, by Ronnie Thomson (originally posted 9-19-2018)

This post wonderfully articulates the important role of mentors in our professional development. Especially in this work where the role of an ombuds can be lonely at times. Take the time to read through this post and reflect upon how you may benefit from a mentor or contribute your experience and expertise to mentor those aspiring to refine their ombuds skills. [READ MORE]

Power: Questions and Stories, by Jim Huegerich (originally posted 12-15-2017)

This post shares an insight about the skills ombuds bring to the table when interacting with our visitors. Specifically, the post speaks to the power we have in helping our visitors recognize the importance of stories and questions in the conflict engagement process. As Ombuds, we may either use this insight to help draw out the important stories and relevant questions to help visitors process the conflict and empower the visitor to utilize questions and stories to improve their interactions within their teams or with those that they may experience conflict. Enjoy this short read and reflect on how you take your knowledge of the power of questions and stories within your practice. [READ MORE]

I hope you enjoyed this small taste of some of the gems discovered in the archives. I will continue to review and share from time to time. I also invite you to spend some time reviewing the past blog posts deep in the archives to reflect how the posts resonate with you, engage in further conversation, or simply gain from the wisdom shared by your colleagues. I also invite you to reach out and share your reflections, insights, or practical guidance in future posts. It is a wonderful way to share your voice within this profession in a way that we can truly build on the work we are doing to expand the value we bring to our constituents.

If you have ombuds related content you would like to share, please submit a proposal through our online form so our blog editors can review it and post it. Be sure to read the submission requirements before submitting your proposal. Thanks for reading!

Submit a Proposal

Share this post:

Comments on "Surfacing Gems from the Archives of the Independent Voice"

Comments 0-15 of 0

Please login to comment