In the Spotlight

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This month we connected with Kim Hyshka to talk to her about her career in P2, being a CP3 and more. Below is some of what she had to share.

If you could switch jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be, and why?

I would be an old-time milk delivery person who had a start time and end time. There are days where I love this work and I can't imagine doing anything else. There are also days where I’m holding organizational, community and my own team's needs - there are so many needs! Every once in a while, I long for the simple task in a job.

Do you have a favourite work-related tool or gadget that you can’t live without?

Our project management tool. I regularly joke that all engagement people in many ways are project managers who happen to specialize in engagement. We use a tool called ClickUp. I can't imagine not having that tool. 

As far as facilitation tools, a good name tag. I have a lanyard that was a gift from an Indigenous Elder. In addition to it being beautiful, there's a story behind the lanyard and name tag, and it's often an early connection point. Names matter so much when we are interacting and we are engaging. It’s often the very first thing that we say when we meet. I will always remember being at an event where someone drew two pictures on their nametag that portrayed how to correctly pronounce their name. That has always stuck with me, using a nametag as a place to start to create a connection. 

What’s one skill you’ve learned at work that surprised you?

How much internal support and coaching happens with subject matter experts. There are often significantly fewer engagement people than subject matter experts at  engagement events. I’ve been saying to my team recently that we really need to develop a mini-module outlining the best way for subject matter experts to show up in an engagement process. 

What’s the best work advice you’ve ever received?

I had a coach I worked with for a long time and when he was preparing for sessions, he’d say, “a person is going to be sitting in these chairs and they matter. I don't know who they are, or where they come from, or what their story is, but they matter.” He would touch the back of every chair as a moment to hold that intention about the experience he wanted people to have. The design can go sideways or the agenda can get changed, but I always think about that Maya Angelou quote that says “people might forget what you said, forget what you did, but  they will never forget the way that you made them feel.” So before I facilitate a session, I take a moment to look at the list of attendees, I put my finger on each one and remember that this is a person with hopes and cares and fears and beliefs and needs and they’re coming because they care about something. 

If I was going to give a light-hearted one I would go with the Parks and Recreation quote, “it’s just people caring loudly." Both are a shift in the way that you see people, the way that you see the moment and the way that you see a responsibility.  

What does it mean to you to have your CP3 designation? Do you have any advice for people who might be thinking of applying?

The CP3 is an investment and for me, it was a really powerful self-reflection exercise. As far as growth as a practitioner, if this is a thing that you care about, and it's a thing that you want to do, it is a robust comprehensive process. 

There is a pretty cool community within IAP2 and you have to invest in it. Becoming a CP3 and actively getting involved in IAP2 means that you’re part of a community of like-minded people. It doesn’t just materialize on its own. Like everything else that’s good in the world, you have to put good stuff in to get good stuff back. 

Do you know someone in the field of public participation who you think should be our next member in the spotlight? Email your suggestions to info@iap2wildrose.ca