Session Summaries
October 2025 | Returning to our foundational goal: building stronger and more resilient organizations.
What We Learned Together
In October 2025, nonprofit leaders joined us for three conversations about team wellness and AI adoption. We discovered something surprising: the leadership work required to build resilient teams is the same work needed to adopt technology with confidence. Both start with psychological safety, permission to experiment, and shared responsibility.
Three Conversations, One Framework
Here is what we explored together. Each session includes the full video recording, a transcript for your own analysis, and practical resources you can use this week.
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Session #1 | The Same Leadership Moves for Team Wellness and Tech Adoption
Kevin Matsui and Jodi Lynn Morris joined us to explore a surprising truth: supporting team wellness and adopting AI actually require the same leadership approach. We learned about shadow AI (when teams use tools without telling you), the power of asking “what do you need?” instead of problem-solving, and why both challenges start with psychological safety and shared responsibility. The conversation revealed that culture-first change beats technology-first every time. Whether you’re building resilient teams or embracing new technology, the leadership work is remarkably similar – and it starts with permission to experiment, learn, and ask better questions.
Session #2 | Culture, Communication, and Care: The Three Pillars That Actually Work
Jodi Lynn Morris from Compass took us deep into what workplace wellness really means beyond the perks and policies. We explored the equation “suffering equals stress times resistance” and discovered where leaders actually have influence. The session unpacked three essential components: culture (psychological safety, role modeling, aligned policies), communication (listening to understand instead of responding), and care (genuine support that treats people as humans, not widgets). The biggest takeaway? Leaders need to model healthy behaviors themselves – when your team sees you taking a walk or chatting at the water cooler, you’re giving them permission to do the same.
Session # 3 | Who Are You Becoming With AI?
Sean Yo challenged us to shift from asking “will AI replace me?” to “who am I becoming with AI?” We learned that generative AI doesn’t actually think or see – it recognizes patterns and guesses what comes next (like finishing “Mary had a little…”). The Plus AI Mindset framework breaks down into See, Think, and Co-Create: AI helps us see more perspectives, but we do the actual thinking and meaning-making. Sean introduced ChatGPT Projects as a game-changing way to organize your AI work, keeping context, files, and custom instructions together in one place. The core message? AI amplifies your best work when you stay the author and use it as a thinking partner, not a replacement.
Continue Your Learning
Building on these themes, Four Simple Words is offering hands-on training to Guelph-Wellington nonprofits at deeply discounted rates. These sessions are offered independently from the Oak Tree Learning Lab and each will be limited to 15 participants.
These two leadership assessments help you diagnose where your team is and what needs attention first.
+ai Mindset
Leadership Guide
Turn AI fear into competitive advantage. This leadership assessment helps you see AI as amplification, not replacement.
Mattering Mindset
Leadership Guide
Stop losing your best people. This assessment reveals why talent walks and how to build belonging systems that make leaving unthinkable.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
The Oak Tree Project Learning Lab introduced frameworks for building resilient teams and adopting AI with confidence. We know nonprofit leaders are stretched thin, and the team at Four Simple Words is open to exploring affordable ways to continue this work together. If you’d like to talk about what comes next for your team, lets chat.
Curt Hammond, President & Service Champion
519.580.9725 | [email protected] | @The4SimpleWords
Questions or ideas? Book a time to connect with me here.