​LHENA Talks Speaker Series

LHENA Talks is a monthly speaker series that takes place on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 7 to 8 p.m. Each talk features a guest speaker and focuses on community issues of interest and is sponsored by a local business. LHENA Talks strives to bring together residents, businesses, and community members alike to foster a space for fruitful discussions while highlighting the amazing work being done in our communities. Interested in being a speaker or sponsor? Take a moment to fill out this form. ​​

LHENA Talks No. 6: Leadership and Civic Transformation with Eric Won

This talk focused on developing a new generation of leaders and the tools that we need to offer, so that they can be successful in a rapidly changing world. Eric talked about his work as the executive managing director of The Leadership Praxis, a leadership consortium in Washington, D.C., that advises people in government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. He shared his experiences working with Minneapolis community members as an economic development consultant at First Avenue Productions and Lake Street Latino Business Association, and what action steps Minneapolis residents in our communities (the Wedge, Uptown and elsewhere in Minneapolis) can take now to support organizational change in our city. How can community members in Minneapolis support a new generation of leaders so our community can grow and be successful? How can our community be positive change agents and help Minneapolis become a model for positive civic transformation? Eric also took questions from the community.

Speaker: Eric Won 

The speaker for this LHENA Talk is Eric Won, a community organizer and retired leadership consultant with over 35 years of experience guiding government, corporate, nonprofit and community leaders. Eric has counseled and mentored federal senior executives in Cabinet agencies, including the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Social Security Administration and Small Business Administration. He has expertise in entrepreneurship and small business development, information technology, cybersecurity, business process engineering and risk management.

Sponsor

The local sponsor for the talk is Minueteman Press in Uptown. Minuteman provides printing services for businesses, nonprofits and anyone in the community who has communication needs. Minuteman Press Uptown's vision is to produce quality print products in an ethical manner. As a company, they also support racial, social and economic justice. Half of the sponsorship from Minuteman Press Uptown for this talk will go to A Mother's Love Initiative (the nonprofit of Eric Won's choice), and half will go to LHENA.

More About This LHENA Talk

Other talking points in Eric Won's LHENA Talk include:  ​
  • In Eric's experience, what makes an effective leader in an organization and an effective community leader? Are they the same skills? What skills do all successful leaders need to have in any environment?  
  • What has Eric learned from working with business and community leaders in Minneapolis?
  • What encouraging signs has Eric seen in Minneapolis the past year with regard to strengthening the community? How have community members made a positive impact?
  • How can we bring people together to work together for the common good? How can we get people and organizations outside their silos to embrace a truly collaborative approach to social change?
  • What can be done to start improving morale within the city? How can we start promoting good news and good work in the community instead of just focusing on all of the negatives?
  • What changes in the city would Eric like to in the short term (next 100 days), medium term (next year) and long term (two-plus years)?
  • What would a short- medium- and long-term plan for civic transformation in Minneapolis look like? How can the community support civic transformation? 
  • Are there any business processes from Eric's past experiences that have worked and could be applied to some of the current challenges facing Minneapolis communities?
  • What are creative ways communities have raised money in the past that could work today? What are the keys to starting and building successful businesses?
  • How can community members hold leaders more accountable and ensure they follow through on what the community wants and needs? How do we make sure local leaders meet deliverables? How do we get less talk and more action in our communities?
  • What are some community-based organizations that Eric has seen doing good work in Minneapolis but don't get enough public attention and recognition?
  • What are the fundamental building blocks for systemic change and societal growth you would recommend? How can people inside and outside communities advance real social change that benefits everyone in the community? What steps can we take now to spur community growth and development? 
  • What are some ways we could build more community trust and power in Minneapolis communities? What are some practical things citizens can start doing today to be part of solutions in their community? 
  • What gives Eric hope about the future of Minneapolis? Where do we go from here?