Director’s Log | March 2023

Shaping public policy by listening to the community

Multiple philosophers have been credited with the quote, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” No matter who said it, the sentiment is relevant to our work in the community. The stories from across North Carolina have the potential to shape public policy for the greater good, but only if we listen. 

At this year’s forum, we listened to North Carolinians who shared the unique challenges and barriers they face to securing employment. We are now updating the recommendations that were developed by our Talent First Task Force and incorporating this important feedback. I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate in this process. We will release the latest version of the recommendations in the coming weeks, but the work doesn’t stop there. 

Over the next several months, recent graduates of our inaugural Workforce Development Leadership Initiative will start implementing some of these recommendations in their communities. These cohort members have spent the last six months developing the skills and knowledge necessary to work more effectively across workforce and economic development. Additionally, they are the first in the nation to earn the designation of Certified Workforce Developer. I’m incredibly proud of the work that they have done so far, and look forward to seeing them move these recommendations from ideas to action on the local level!

Talent First Economics wasn’t the only opportunity we’ve had lately to listen to the community. In late February, our Faith and Community Team (formerly known as RFCAI) held their annual statewide faith and community conference in Greensboro—the first in-person gathering of this program since 2020. In many communities across our state, faith-based organizations also serve as a place for local residents to seek information and resources on a wide variety of topics. Approximately 80 faith and community leaders gathered at this year’s conference to network, listen and learn from each other to address common issues facing their communities. Several members of team IEI were in attendance to listen to their experiences and seek out ways to foster connections.

I want to wrap this up by highlighting an exciting event we held in partnership with NC State’s School of Public and International Affairs. On March 20, IEI was honored to host Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and his former chief of staff, Steve Kadish, to discuss their new book, Results: Getting Beyond Politics to Get Important Work Done, and the framework they developed to bridge the political divide in public service. If you weren’t able to attend, I encourage you to read more about the discussion and check out the event recordings. During the discussion, Baker shared how he first learned about the commonwealth’s opioid problem. It wasn’t from meetings, reports or a task force—it was by listening to residents who came up to him well after the meeting ended to share stories of their loved ones who suffered from addiction. These stories ultimately led to policies and reforms by his administration to fight the epidemic. 

Listening to the needs of our communities is a great place to start when crafting effective public policy, but if we’re going to ask for their stories, we need to be prepared to respond with action. I hope you will join us in engaging in a listening-first approach as we all work towards supporting North Carolina’s economic future.