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“Do you care?” A simple phrase and I am sure many people would say, “Yes, I do care!”…some might say, “Care for what?”. When I say, “Do you CARE?”, I mean this in a different way. For me, CARE is about Collaboration, Adaptability, Resilience and Empathy. I find those four words to be so important because I feel we are lacking this in society. There is a need to remember them. CARE supports an individual, team, organization, educational institutions and non-profits. The words just make sense and while four words can stand alone and we can understand what each means, let’s dissect those words and show how important they are when strung together. Each word supports each other. When we collaborate, it allows us to be adaptable because we are supported. Those two words combined can help us build resilience because we are supported and we are able to shift our thinking. With all three combined, we can support and help others by showing empathy because we have a community of people working together who can care. Let’s break down each word:

Collaboration – We can not do it all by our self. We may feel that it is difficult to ask for help but the idea of collaboration is that we pull our resources and experiences together to support each other. For example, I may not be able to really design and build a website…so I hired someone who has the experience but at the same time, that person looks to me for support on their own projects that I am familiar with. Here are some ways you can collaborate:
• Realize what you hold and can offer
• How you can help and how can you be helped. We might shy away from asking for help but don’t
• Pull in your key people. Do an inventory of skills and seek alignment of the individual skills and abilities
• Conversations and opportunities are important to establish the norms of how the group will function and can start considering opportunities
• Be open and upfront by having a space for conversations
• Build relationships…even virtually because that is how you find great people

Adaptability – Do not fear change, embrace change. When we have collaboration, we feel supported and then can move forward with more confidence. Adaptability means that you can look at a problem and come up with a solution that can change the present state. The process of adaptability allows us to move forward and react to the environmental change in place. How to be adaptable:
• Related to collaboration because then you have support and confidence moving forward
• Improvise mindset is very important because that means you are willing to be open to things that might not be an easy solution
• You must be reactive and proactive. The environment will change on you and you can respond right away or equally forecast and prepare
• Accept and embrace change is critical because without a change or adaptability mindset, nothing will happen
• Carry a learning mindset
• Be supportive of others
• Resourcefulness is key

Resilience – As we go through life, it is going to be a marathon. There will be challenges and how do you sustain yourself so you can move forward in life? How to build resilience:
• Acceptance of the environment because it is going to throw you curve balls that are going to make you change
• Defining self – taking control of how to react because when the environment changes, you can let it consume you or you decide how you will respond
• Lessons learned – a learning mindset because learning from any setbacks will build your resilience
• Demonstrate gratitude for what is around you and appreciate the people and things you get to do
• Be proactive and not just reactive because both are going to be at play

Empathy – There is a need for us to show more care and compassion to each other because you don’t know what people are going through. In a world where things can be difficult, a kind word or showing support can go a long way.
• Be present as people are sharing
• Be an active listener, be present and acknowledge what they are saying
• Hear them out and don’t make any assessments and judgements
• Emotions might be at play so acknowledge them and you don’t have to agree with them but try and appreciate their situation

So let me ask you again…”Do you CARE?” It is a simple way for you to say yes I do care but I do CARE because I can have the tools to Collaborate, be Adaptable, demonstrate Resilience and show Empathy. By helping you, you can help others to CARE. What a better world this would be if we all CARE’d.