How to Launch The Dream Manager Program Strategically with Tory Merhar, Dream Manager at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

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and this one, like I mentioned, never felt a company has cared about me. It's crazy empowering to feel invested in more than just a worker. And then this one was, I had a dream for seven years of doing something and I didn't, and in this first six months I accomplished

it.

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Tory Mehar is known for her ability to lead and engage teams as the associate Vice President of Services for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

We had such a fun conversation. Tori shared some really wonderful data and stats on the impact they've seen. After implementing the Dream Manager, it will definitely inspire you to dream. Please enjoy our conversation.

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services to people.

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the work is always challenging, but it's always rewarding cuz it's, just so mission driven.

It's all about

the people that we support.

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So that's a really exciting one that we're serving over a hundred people in Minnesota today

in that service.

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do.

So you are here to, support the community, and so obviously you have a team, there's 2,500 of you, so you have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. So obviously doing, good things for the people that are running the organization.

So talk a little bit about, the culture over there and what you are all doing to really enhance the people that work there, what you're doing to help enhance their lives.

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And honestly, if we're really, really great at making people's dreams come true, that we work with those, all those families and, people that need our support, but. we made it kind of a decision. What if we put that effort into our employees to help them have their dreams come true?

And so that's what really led us to the Dream Manager, and that's what you're gonna hear some stories of just in this short pilot, how we're already making some really great impacts in people's lives.

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And this is how we're already doing this in some lines of service and how we could do this. And, so here I am, a few months later I was certified and, just green light to go forward with the pilot and

see how it, would roll out.

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And I think that was because I really got to know what they were wanting. They were wanting to buy a house and we were connecting with other employees about advice, and we were sharing struggles, and we were sharing successes. So I think that's what the Dream Manager program really does, is it empowers you to have that conversation with people and ultimately connects you back to the company more and you feel supported that the organization cares about you.

And your hopes and dreams. And that's one of the things we heard in our midyear survey that people are like, I didn't know a company would care about me as a whole person.

Yeah. Isn't it funny how, because coaching isn't the norm, that people just aren't used to it, so they immediately are a little bit hesitant like why are you guys doing this? What's in it for you? Obviously there is a lot in it for the organization, but no, it is for you and it's crazy.

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What's going on? So it's, awesome that you, have decided to roll out the program and, for those that are listening, one of the questions we get a lot, especially with organizations of your size, You have 2,500 team members. That's, a lot of people.

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And, ultimately that led to, people feeling like a sense of belonging and connection because of the cohort. So that was a strategy. Also, I think one of the things that really gained us traction and is really gaining momentum and energy around the company is for myself as a new certified dream manager.

I started offering the dream storm, which is that hour of let's get dreaming and people are just, Blown away by that experience. Just, getting time to put dreams down. And I did that with small teams so they could start to have those conversations and connect. So when we're ready to roll out additional cohorts and gain energy, then they're asking for it.

ready and equipped to add our secondary manager so that we can, Get more people enrolled and one of the things was really helping with scheduling. we had a really conscious effort to get this to our direct staff. not executives, not managers that were easy to reach. These are people that work in group homes.

They work shift work. I would contact them, give them three times a month that they could choose. we would get their personal emails, cell phones, remind them, And we would build a little, groove and it took us a couple months, but now we're on a really great connection and they're really great about, you know, my shift change, can I change 100%?

There's no shame, there's no guilt. We navigated all the things. So, I feel like we learned so much in just getting in there and doing it. And the other thing that's really come out of this is that I have been so transparent with that cohort group that they are now. Going to be my ambassadors essentially.

And they are going to help spread the word across the organization, and they have been already, they're sharing their experiences. So I'm really excited when we launch, the recruitment for, what I'm hoping is three additional cohorts. And I'm putting about, 24 in this cohort. somewhere around that so we could reach 60 people coming up real

shortly here.

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But the way that you're doing it is definitely the right way to do it in cohorts. You get to see that success with a small group, and then those people become the advocates. because again, when you roll it out to a program, to everybody, some of those people that are a little skeptical,

They get to see the impact that it's had on their team members, people that they talk to. And then you build up that success and then you keep going. But just like everything that you roll out in an organization, you just have to do it. you get all the resources and tools that you need when you go through certification.

And then you just try things. You see what works, what doesn't, and then you get feedback from those people. And there's something also about when you have a, new cohort that I almost feel like those individuals have this. Sense of pride, like, I'm the first group going through this. And so when you reach out to them and say, Hey, how's it going?

And how can we even enhance this? They're gonna have some really great ideas to support you in that. So it's a journey that you get to take together as a team, which is so empowering for you and the people that are involved. so that's really cool that. you've done it this way and, I hope that everyone's noticing how, strategic Tori has been, even in your thought process before you even got it rolling, to really think about how are we gonna scale it?

How is it gonna look? But hey, you gotta start small. You gotta start where you can.

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Concerns were. and it really fueled the new conversations for other improvements in our company. like getting a one pager about all the HR benefits. A lot of these employees didn't know about all the things. Even our own company offered them that they could help to achieve their dreams. I think unsolicited communication and updates really kept, this program at the top of minds for people as

well.

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going on. let's talk a little bit about the impact that it's had. So it's been about six months you did a six month survey.

So talk about what inspired you to do that survey? and then what were some of the results?

What did you see?

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a hundred percent said there's value in offering this to other employees. 80% had already made progress or achieved a dream in six months. and some of the quotes, or, feedback was that, just by having this learning how to goal set was gonna overfill into their work life, that they were gonna be able to apply what they were learning to their jobs.

A lot of 'em had been recently, promoted, so this actually did help them. and this one, like I mentioned, never felt a company has cared about me. It's crazy empowering to feel invested in more than just a worker. And then this one was, I had a dream for seven years of doing something and I didn't, and in this first six months I accomplished

it.

So that was a really, really good one. And, the oonly other thing was 83% felt that they had an expanded sense of belonging in the organization. And that was really important for me because a lot of these employees work in the, direct. Care. And so they only have access to the people they support and their manager.

And so they didn't know that there was this whole career pathway. There was this whole, other thing of, offering of l s s. So that was really important to me. So

it was really outstanding results.

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Maybe it's their limiting beliefs or whatever excuses they're making in their life to not do it. Now you give them a dream manager who's saying, Hey, this is your dream. All right? Show me what you got. And before you get on a call with your coach, you have to say, yes, I did these things that I said I was gonna do, and that's what's so great about a coach is that people, don't wanna get on a call and tell their coach that they didn't do something.

which is so crazy, right? It's almost like so many people would rather not disappoint someone else, but we allow ourselves to disappoint us every day. Like if we're having a dream that we're not pursuing and we're not holding ourselves accountable. So, Tori, when you and I had a conversation, a couple weeks ago, you had also mentioned

That kind of support you had said that there was a team member that was on the verge of leaving and that this was an important team member, and so share with us what they told you.

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this

program as well.

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Have these conversations, especially with organizations, when you have people that are, doing hard work, this is challenging work. It's emotional work. it's very fulfilling work, but it's also a very emotional that they are experiencing all of these, different individuals and what a gift that now these people are talking about their dreams.

So what do you think that's doing on the field? For those individuals, have you heard stories about that? Where people are going out and asking your clients, what are your dreams?

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and they had a whole conversation about that. the other thing is, in the Dream Manager program, there is a priority exercise. how do you focus on what to do? And, every morning would wake up with a list of 20 things that they wanted to do.

And so this dreamer used the priority exercise to say, would you rather do A or B, or B or C? And they were able to use some of the tools that they had learned to set up the day for success. So they were actually teaching and coaching what they had

learned as

well in the workplace.

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No, we are one person. when we grow at work, we're growing personally. When we're growing personally, we're growing professionally, it's, all intertwined. And so, you had mentioned, too, that you have donor. And foundation meetings and that some of those individuals on that board, they were interested in having you present the dream manager.

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They're very interested in that. you're sparking interest in new ways. outside organizations. We've had, regulated bodies come to audits and we've talked about this is a way that we're trying to recruit and retain employees and they're very interested in hearing about the Dream Manager program.

And you can always tell when somebody really does know about it cause they start. Speaking the Floyd Consulting language and, it's really had some other effects that we didn't even expect in our

company,

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cohorts.

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When you're implementing programs like this to help retain your, team members to attract great team members, right? Like the more that people are seeing, oh, I wanna work for an organization that actually cares about me as a person. what are you looking for in those programs and how I'm asking this for the listener, right? For somebody listening that's like, Hey, Tori, there's so many different things that are out there that I could implement, and we don't have all the resources financially, and, the team, the staff, the hours to do it. why is this the right one?

Or how do you discern which one is the right one at the right time?

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With a minimal investment. I would say the return on investment is, well worth it. I mean, already the turnover rate is dramatically lower in this pilot group it's a small pilot group compared to that. where we say 50% turnover, we're seeing, reduced, you know, amounts on that.

I've still got a core group that are continuing to their employment and I see them being here a long time. So I think it's, not just the Dream Manager program, but this one enhances all

your,

other offerings.

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we always see consistently where a lot of the dreams that are consistent among many of the team members that we work with are buying their first home, getting out of debt. what's interesting is this year we've seen a lot of dreams around building a better relationship with their.

spouse, their family, their kids, those are big, big dreams. And, we always want a deeper connection with the people that are closest to us. But I don't know that everyone is, conscious to write it down, to talk about it, to make it dream.

I love some of the dreams that you shared because, It's always a good reminder that dreams are all of those things. I think sometimes we get caught in that world of a dream or, some people believe that a dream means I wanna buy a jet or live in a 5 million home, which those are beautiful dreams.

If those are your dreams, amazing. But no, cuz some people are like, I don't have dreams. Help them remember. Wait a second. No, and that's where the dream storm comes in. but talk a little bit about having to push your people to, develop that dream muscle again.

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It just starts flowing. And especially if you can get people sharing that, what you can do within an hour of connecting people and even hearing a teammate dream that they never knew about. it just builds this whole new energy and their list just get going. and then they see them. I see them places and they're like, Hey Tori,

I've been talking about this dream. And, it just builds a new connection and then when they see coworkers in the hall, they can talk about the dream. They don't have to always talk about work, and they have a new thing to ask about.

I have such a beautiful story of a dream I'd love to share with you this, dreamer wanted to get back to doing art. she had put it down and she had lost her brother and that was something they shared and she just couldn't feel like she could, well she was in a, two hour car ride with a coworker, to a meeting and they got talking about this program and she was vulnerable enough to share this and she's given me permission to share this cuz this is just a beautiful story and.

they had a great conversation about it and they talked about art. And, after the weekend she got home and she looked in her bag and there was, a notebook, a blank art book and she's like, well, oh gosh, did my coworker leave this in the bag? And she pulled open the bag.

And in the front pages, here's to getting back to art. And she just felt like, wow, my coworker cares about me. I was vulnerable enough to share this. I wouldn't have shared that dream. and she's shared that story. And that was just an immediate connection with a coworker that

she might not

have had before.

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With your team members, Rather than the gossip or all the things that happen in so many offices is, focusing on, hey, what are their dreams and, getting to support them on those dreams. Oh, that's so awesome. I love that.

All right, so, one last thing, if there's someone that's like,

I'm not sure about all this dream stuff. What would you share with somebody that's like, are you measuring this, Tori? do you really think this is successful? Just talking about your dreams?

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what would be the harm of doing that for your employees too? I don't know if I can quantify it it's just,

remarkable.

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No, it's your people. if your people are getting better, they're better at their work. They want to come into work, they want to engage in their work. that spreads across every single line item.

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and I will testify that being the dream manager, your dream manager's lives improve as well, because like I said, I couldn't help them achieve their dreams if I'm not doing the same, So you're

doing it right along with them?

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I had a dream to, start a company to give back, and so I am, trying to do a startup and I'm just learning so much along the way and, I want to help employees, have that conversation with mental health.

So that's

kind of what I'm working on and I'm

making

progress.

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That takes a lot of courage. So lean into that courage when you speak about it, cuz that's amazing.

And obviously you have the heart to serve others. You've done so much at your organization now, and so you're taking everything that you've learned and you're gonna be able to incorporate it into this startup. So I'm excited for you. If there's any way, that I can support you, please of course.

let me know. And I love that dream. That's amazing.

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and I truly believe that people can come into work and.

Do great things together and they can enjoy it. So you're doing that work and I, appreciate everything that you're doing,

Wow. How cool is all the work Tory and her team are doing? Isn't it so inspiring to hear that simply by starting to ask people about their dreams, it shifts the culture of an organization. Dreams are so powerful. I hope that something that you've heard in this episode inspires you to start asking your team members about their dreams.

If you're interested in learning more about the Dream Manager Program and how to implement it in your organization, go to the dream manager.com. And if you are enjoying this podcast and haven't yet written a review, we would. So appreciate it if you would head over to iTunes and take a few minutes to do that.

It really does help us spread the message of this life-changing work. Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, lead with culture.