Resources

My words and favorite other people's words

Rada's Writings

I’m always reading into new spaces, going to trainings about modalities that are just outside my practice, and listening to people who see the world differently from me. As I integrate the things I pick up along the way, I like to share my evolving perspective in short writings.

Zoomed Out

You're not the only one feeling burnt out.

Announcing the Launch of “Virtually Perfect Hosting”

Need to host an engaging and seamless virtual event? I can help!

Your Intentional Commute

Join me and two collaborators for a daily 30-minute opportunity for transition, reflection, and connection.

MORE THOUGHTS

Recommended Reads

Nonviolent Communication is perhaps the book that has had the biggest impact on how I connect and communicate.

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This book is one part theory, one part poetry, one part super-helpful instruction manual. It gives a clear framework to think about how to express needs, hear compassionately, and find mutually beneficial resolutions for conflict.

You don't need to read it start-to-finish; I read it in chunks, and keep it on-hand for when I need it. It's also one of the books I loan out to friends the most frequently!

The Art of Gathering is indeed artful in its lessons on designing and executing any type of gathering, ranging from birthday parties to negotiations.

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The magic of a good gathering is in the details. This book helped me break free of routine and conventions and instead think creatively about how to make events transformational and human-centered.

How should people enter the space to signal what the event means? How should people introduce themselves to one another? What should the rules of engagement be? These are all opportunities to create an artful gathering!

In many ways, Reinventing Organizations has become an aspirational model for how I want the organizations I work in and with to operate.

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Laloux describes an evolutionary model, mapping developmental leaps in individual cognitive ability, to leaps in our ability to collaborate with one another and new ways of innovating in groups, to resulting organizational structures.

In this framework, our organizations evolve from a command-and-control approach toward empowerment at all levels, and to a new non-hierarchical model where members of a group contribute according to ability, interest, and willingness, rather than by virtue of titular authority. The theory relies heavily on a release of individual ego, toward truly prioritizing the success of the organization, that gives me a lot of energy and optimism.

Please, take a read, and let me know your reactions! I'd love to discuss it with you 🙂

I'm not a total astrology nut (let me be clear: I truly admire those who are), but it's a powerful system for facilitating introspection and self-awareness. And Chani Nicholas does it RIGHT in You Were Born for This.

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The first line of the introduction is "The first time I encountered astrology was the first time I remember feeling seen." There's a reason that so many people love astrology -- it is an excellent framework to see and be seen. And it's so much more than just the day you were born. You have a whole constellation to explore! Different planets are explained as governing different aspects of your personality and experience. If nothing else, breaking down who you are into the parts that are offered by astrology is a worthwhile process!

True Purpose is another one that I'm not certain I completely agree with, persay, but I do love the approach! It's full of very helpful perspective and excellent exercises.

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Kelley brings inspiration and methodology together in this book, with a nourishing blend of eloquent description of what it will be like to find your true purpose and a series of exercises as a way to get there.

You'll identify what drives you, work with your fears and "inner protectors" (and that jerk the Inner Critic), do inner journey work, learn how to interpret important information, and then make a path forward with what you've learned. Who couldn't benefit from all that?!

If you work your way through it, I'd love to hear what you learn about yourself!

I don't yet know how we'll fix our broken systems, but Winners Take All is definitely going to help us figure it out. While sometimes Anand's message is a bit hopeless, he points to valuable insights to avoid power traps from old failed approaches to societal change.

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So much of the work being done to upend problematic structures ends up reinforcing and preserving status quo by HOW the work is being done. "The rich and powerful fight for equality and justice any way they can -- except ways that threaten the social order and their position atop it."

Anand challenges us to make the HOW of the work align with the WHAT of the impact we want to see in the world. It's a bold call to action, and I want us all to be playing by these rules!

Recommended Listens

Food 4 Thot is "roundtable discussion podcast wherein a multiracial mix of queer writers talk sex, relationships, race, identity, what we like to read, and who we like to read," and let me tell you: it gives me life.

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There are so many things that I love about this podcast. First, it represents voices that are so familiar from my queer spaces, but that I don't get to hear in public arenas nearly often enough. They're all writers, and as such often naturally speak in poetry. Theirs is a language that's music to my ears -- so queer, so artistic, so authentic, and so articulate.

The structure of the podcast is fun, with different length segments (modeled after a multi-course meal), that range from short silly games where they critique art and politics to longer deep-diving explorations of cultural phenomena and lived experience.

I can't recommend podcasts without mentioning the one I co-host! I love making this podcast with my brilliant co-host Chanté Thurmond. The mission of The Darkest Horse Podcast is to spotlight women, minorities and underrepresented leaders in tech who are beating the odds.

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Season One highlights individuals -- some of our own favorite Darkest Horses -- sharing what makes them unexpected winners, and what that means about how the rest of us can win.

Season Two dives into our four domains (Radical Inclusion, Emerging Technology, The Future of Work, and Health Wellbeing and Human Potential), still bringing amazing people on for interviews, but mixing up the format to explore the ideas.

The Darkest Horse isn't just a podcast, it's a movement! Come join us!

I found Still Processing when I needed it -- the first episode I listened to was after/about Charlottesville in August 2017, and it really helped me process the tragedy. The hosts, two culture writers from The New York Times, "try to understand the pleasures and pathologies of America."

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Virtually Perfect Hosting: I am working with individuals and organizations to host powerful and seamless virtual events. Click here for more information!

Rada Yovovich

Resources

My words and favorite other people's words

Rada's Writings

Zoomed Out

Announcing the Launch of “Virtually Perfect Hosting”

Your Intentional Commute

Recommended Reads

Recommended Listens