Hey There! I’m Megan Joy.
I am a Kansas girl at heart, full of Midwest optimism and hope. In 2021 I earned a Master’s in Organization Development Psychology with a concentration in Executive Leadership Coaching from Avila University. Following graduation, I started JoyWorks LLC in order to share my knowledge, enthusiasm, and hopes for the future of business and entrepreneurship. This includes business and personal development consulting, coaching, and education
As a bookworm, I am dedicated to sharing research-based methods of growth and change. In working with me, you will find your sessions filled with science-backed methods, information, and support for long-lasting change.
Connection // Compassion // Curiosity
In every interaction, I focus on the Three C's - Connection, Compassion, and Curiosity. I believe that these three are the foundation for all personal and organization growth.
I look forward to joining you in your work in identifying what is most important and making the progress that you desire.
Joy Matters
Many years ago I came across the work of Dr. Jim Wilder (author, educator, PhD in clinical psychology). His work revealed truths about Joy I have dedicated myself to ever since. In his book Rare Leadership, Wilder and co-author Marcus Warner write,
“We have found in our study…that joy, that feeling of well-being in the deepest part of our soul, is primarily relational. To the human brain, joy is always relational…Joy is a relational experience that is amplified by right-hemisphere-to-right-hemisphere communication that is largely nonverbal except for voice tone. Joy is the life-giving feeling of mutual care.”
Joy is a 'together' experience. We find joy when we walk into a room and feel happy to be with the people we see AND we believe that those people are equally happy to be with us. This connection with others is the building block of growing, healthy individual and organizations.
I believe deeply that this joyful connection with others is the foundation. It is an essential component of all growth, both business and personal. Joy Works when we are connected, happy to be together, and committed to ourselves and to others. In Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown writes,
Researcher Matthew Kaun Johnson…shares that while experiencing joy, we don’t lose ourselves, we become more truly ourselves.
Joy Works because it calls us into who we really are. And who we really are is a gift to our families, communities, and work places.
Connection
Authentic human connection is one of our foundational human needs. We need each other and we need quality connection with other human beings. Connection is created between people when they feel seen, heard, understood, and valued. When we come together in our work - whatever that work is - it increases our depth and meaning. Joy, an indicator of connection, enriches and strengthens us. Connection helps us become the people we wish to be.
Compassion
Compassion can be defined as "a virtuous response that seeks to address the suffering and needs of a person through relational understanding and action." It is a pillar because reaching out with human understanding is essential to healthy organizations, relationships, and self. Brené Brown identifies that compassion is not an inborn trait, but a skill that can be learned and practiced. Whether for business or personal development, compassion is a building-block for change.
Curiosity
Harsh judgement of self and others disrupts growth, whether personal or business. The key to navigating yourself and your business through judgement's negative effects is curiosity. Curiosity averts judgement by opening our hearts and minds to consider other perspectives, other truths. When we have a desire to understand all facets of a person or situation, it crowds out our propensity to be dedicated to our first judgements.
Research
The foundation of JoyWorks process is research. Every tool and insight offered through the business and personal services are based on scientifically-backed research. The work you will encounter here is an amalgam of neurology, psychology, and business theory.
What is
Organization
Development?
Organization Development (OD) is an emerging discipline that aims to improve the effectiveness and health of businesses, organizations, and leaders. It is a goal-based change process with a humanistic orientation that educates and supports leaders, implements full-system changes, and uses scientific approaches to increase the organization’s growth.
Organization Development (OD) focuses on improving an organization through the alignment of management processes, strategy, structure, metrics, and people. It is science-backed, interdisciplinary field with roots in social sciences, adult education, human resource management, psychology, organization behavior, and research analysis and design. OD processes are proven to increase the quality of training and retention, increase productivity, and improve the life/work balance of all individuals involved.
Management theorists have noted that an effective organization is one where both the organization and the individuals involved are free to grow, change, and develop. It is about the the human beings doing the work and how they function within the organization. These concepts apply to organizations of all types and sizes, including churches, military forces, governments, schools, and businesses.
Business Development
Strategic Planning
Businesses thrive when they have a unified vision and plan for growth. Strategic Planning is a process where organizations can define and communicate the business roadmap. A Strategic Plan includes mission, vision, values, and mid- and long-term goals, as well as specific steps being taken that are in alignment with these.
A strategic plan document is the result of the Strategic Planning work and serves as a means to communicate these goals and objectives to all stakeholders, both within and outside of the organization. Every business, large and small, benefits from having a Strategic Planning document
Team Building
Team building is the process of helping a work group become more effective in accomplishing its tasks and in satisfying the need of the group members. The goal of Team Building is to help a work group connect as human beings, increasing empathy and understanding toward each other. Team Building can also help uncover strengths and weaknesses of participants, build trust, inspire collaboration, and improve moral. Team Building actives can also be important to help all stakeholders be on the same page about policies, values, and goals. Team Building activities can range anywhere from an hour training to several days retreat.
Executive Leadership Coaching
Executive leadership coaching is a learning tool that encourages self-awareness, creates opportunity for transformational change, and provides leaders with the type of challenge and support they need to reach their goals. An Executive Leadership Coaching session is typically one-on-one or small group, and sessions can last an hour. Through regular coaching, leaders can increase their understanding of their own strengths and weakness and put new skills into practice. This kind of support and insight can greatly accelerate growth for the leader and the organization.
Personal Development
“It takes courage...to endure the sharp pains of self discovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.”
Marianne Williamson
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
We all have goals we aspire to, challenges we strive to overcome, and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can set you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.
Developmental Coaching creates a supportive and connected environment where individuals can assess their strengths and weaknesses. Coaching Session typically are one-on-one and last for an hour.
Personal Development Coaching is led by the individual receiving the service. The JoyWorks coaching process has six steps. You can find these steps in the following diagram.
Goal Setting. Accountability. Accelerated Growth.
Using the Scientific Method in our business and personal life creates opportunities for us to see things in a new light. When a scientist is doing an experiment, there is not a right outcome and a wrong one - there is simply more data that will be used to decide next steps. When we are able to view our personal and professional development through this lens of experimentation, we are able to be more curious and more compassionate about our experiences.
This kind of thinking helps us creatively problem solve, deal with uncertainty, adjust to changes, and assimilate new information. It is also a key in self-regulation and healthy connection with others.
"Thinking like a scientist does not mean you need to own a telescope or a microscope. It just means that you favor humility over pride and curiosity over conviction. You know what you don’t know, and you’re eager to discover new things. You don’t let your ideas become your identity. You look for reasons why you might be wrong, not just reasons why you must be right. You listen to ideas that make you think hard, not just the ones that make you feel good. And you surround yourself with people who can challenge your process, not just the ones who agree with your conclusion."
-Adam Grant, author of Think Again: The Power of
Knowing What You Don't Know
Other Projects
Connect with
Megan Joy
Uplifting marginalized musicians and providing a platform for them to tell their stories and share their art. Lawrence Listening Room strives to introduce attendees to their new favorite musician, their new favorite venue, and their new favorite local business partner.
Go to the WEBSITE.
Lawrence Songwriter Showcase is a closed mic competition and project studio founded to "push local music outside the city limits". Local songwriters who have no released music compete for free time in the studio with Matthew Mulnix, local musician, educator, and producer.
Go to the WEBSITE.