Enabling Growth & Balance |
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Growth is our focus and engagement is our strength.
Auxin Group is a self-directed, professionally guided Career (Re)Engagement Development Program
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WELLNESS® & Women-Owned
Awards for MorganHR
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We are celebrating two big honors for MorganHR, the parent-company of Auxin Group |
Auxin's WELLNESS® Model Officially Recognized
MorganHR now holds the Service Mark for WELLNESS®, the foundation for Auxin’s entire program. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the Service Mark, which is similar to a Trademark, except it is designated for services rather than products.
“This solidifies everything that we are about. WELLNESS® is not just about exercising. We need to embrace it in every element of life from our work to our relationships with others to our relationship with ourselves,” said Laura Morgan, Managing Partner of both MorganHR and Auxin Group.
In addition to attending programs based on WELLNESS®, Auxin Associates are encouraged to set goals in each area of WELLNESS® in an effort to create a balanced life.
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WELLNESS®
- Work & Deliver
- Emotional Growth & Balance
- Learn & Lead
- Life & Energy
- Nature & Environment
- Earning & Spending
- Spiritual Self & Creativity
- Socialize & Connect
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MorganHR: A Women-Owned Business
MorganHR is also proud to announce certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the US.
“This certification as a women-owned business really opens doors for us and validates the services we offer," said Morgan, “We know that corporations and government agencies today are committed to supplier diversity, and we are thrilled to deliver that resource to our clients.”
Both of these honors are the result of years of work to develop MorganHR as an industry-leading HR compensation consulting and software company and Auxin Group as a cutting-edge service for career and personal development.
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Establish Your Executive Presence
Advice from Catherine Johns
Speaker, coach, and former radio talk show host Catherine Johns brought her energy to Auxin last month to talk about Executive Presence, delivering practical advice to establish trust. “Early impressions set the tone for a whole relationship or eliminate the possibility of a relationship,” she said, kicking off an hour-long virtual session.
Here are some of her tips, particularly for a virtual environment:
Set your body to be present: Sit squarely in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Watch for the tendency to lean forward into the screen because that can give off an air of desperation. Rather, lean back in your chair and invite the viewer to you.
Camera position is important: Place your face in the middle of the screen with a little bit of room above your head and some room below. Don’t cut off part of your face. It can be unsettling to the other person.
Establish eye contact: Connect with other people by looking through the camera. It may feel awkward to you at first, but it will have an impact on the other side of the screen.
Speak with energy and depth: Focus on pulling your voice from your core. If you speak from your head, you’ll sound tinny, and your voice will lack richness.
Keep it brief, and look for a pause: “Pithy always wins the day,” said Catherine. People have a short attention span, so say what you mean concisely, and zero in on the pause. It gives weight to your words.
Want to hear more from Catherine? She’s back this month:
12/10: Magnetic Introductions: How to Have Them at Hello
What’s more boring than listening to somebody drone on about themselves and their business? Catherine Johns will share a better way to introduce yourself and demonstrate the value you offer so that you can make meaningful connections at every networking event, association meeting, or social occasion. After this program you will:
- Own a new take on the old elevator speech
- Know how to deliver a quick, compelling introduction that captures attention, keeps it, and opens the door to deeper business relationships
Also in December:
12/3 Project Happiness Continues
12/16 Exploring Owning A Franchise
12/17 Team Effectiveness #2
Register on EventBrite for these programs and more.
Our clients are welcome to attend our programs and workshops.
We hope you will join us!
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Coming Soon:
Personalized Coaching
Auxin is preparing to curate your journey with a team of coaches focused on a variety of areas including leadership development, nutrition and fitness, and more. Starting in January, Associates will have opportunities to work one-on-one with the specialist who meets their needs.
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Every program Auxin offers is based on WELLNESS® which encourages a balanced lifestyle. Associates set goals in eight different areas including Work & Deliver, Emotional Growth & Balance, and Learn & Lead. Click here to learn more.
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Marketing Auxin: Growth Opportunity for Everyone
Auxin is all about growing, and a recent project gave Associates a chance to develop their own skills, while helping Auxin grow at the same time. The group of five Associates were tasked with the challenge of figuring out how to increase individual Auxin memberships.
The Associates also faced the hurdle of five people coming together with different backgrounds in culture and profession while all working remotely. Collectively, the group had experience in marketing, sales, human resources, and engineering. Ultimately, it was an advantage.
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“We were fortunate to have these intelligent and highly motivated individuals bringing different learnings and opinions to our findings. I believe the diverse nature of our group directly contributed to the success of our recommendations,” said Jessica Mork, project leader and Auxin Associate.
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“I was impressed by their ability to assimilate quickly in a team, determine effective communication, break down what was in scope and out of scope, and make sure everyone was held accountable for achieving deadlines and goals,” said Stacy Fenner, Auxin Program Director.
Through extensive research and analysis of the market, the team determined Auxin could benefit by offering not only individual memberships, but group memberships as well.
“It’s fun to find extra insights or delighters for your clients,” said Mork, “It makes me think of this quote by children’s author, Mo Willems: ‘You don’t give people what they want. You give them what they don’t yet know they want.”
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Auxin Group is an “on-hand” team of multi-skilled and motivated specialists
who have flexible schedules, experience, knowledge
and collaborative tools to get the job done quickly.
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Margaux Friedman: Exploring Her Interests
Margaux Friedman brings a wide variety of interests to the table thanks to a passion for learning, and she’s narrowing it down and honing her skills as an Auxin Associate. “I’d like to pursue human resources, and ultimately, I’d like to have my own consulting business,” she said, a conclusion that comes after exploring everything from law to owning a restaurant to launching a podcast.
Growing up in LaPorte, Indiana with her mother serving as a judge and her father practicing law, Margaux considered going to law school. She worked as a legal assistant throughout college, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago. However, her focus shifted, and she got a master’s degree in Hospitality Business Management, also at Roosevelt, hoping to open her own restaurant. She launched her career in restaurant management and marketing at Brewster’s Italian Cafe in New Buffalo, MI, and that opened the door to human resources. “When I was working in a restaurant, I really liked getting the team to work together, especially when I saw common strengths,” she said, adding she also enjoys the challenge of bringing people together when personalities don’t mesh and opinions clash. “I love helping people break through to the other side,” she said.
Margaux was already studying for the SHRM exam in order to become certified in human resources when she discovered Auxin this past summer. In addition to developing her leadership and organization skills by completing two projects with Auxin, she’s building self-awareness through the Learning and Development program. “I could work with others before, but now, I’m really understanding my style more and figuring out how it relates to working with a team,” she explained.
At the same time, Margaux is grateful for the warm and welcoming Auxin community. “I'm fortunate to have a lot of great friendships I've made during my time with Auxin and really value all of the feedback they've given me and appreciate how thoughtful they all are,” she said.
Outside of work, Margaux’s pre-pandemic life was filled with exploring the city of Chicago from her home base in the Lakeview neighborhood. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, writing, website and graphic design, social media management, and helping friends with a podcast. “I like helping people in any capacity, but long-term, I’d really like to do my own podcast someday,” she said, “I just love to learn.”
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Hey, Auxin Alums!
Do you have a new job? Did you receive a promotion or special recognition? Start a new business? If you have news to share, email us, and we’ll spread the word. We love hearing about your progress, and our Associates love to see where their journey can take them!
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‘Tis the Season of Tradition, So Try Something New
2020 disrupted so many of our traditions. Family gatherings for holidays and birthdays, annual trips with friends, regular exercise classes. It all came to a screeching halt when COVID-19 started to spread. Now, in the midst of the holiday season, while the losses feel extra intense, I suggest we take advantage of this moment in time and explore the alternatives to our usual experiences.
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We make the same recipes year after year because we know they are a guaranteed success. Why not expand your repertoire and try a new dish?
We hear people boast about having watched the same movie dozens of times. Did you know the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has awarded 3,140 Oscars since 1929? Surely, there are other movies out there to enjoy.
And what about books? Why re-read the same books again and again? According to Google, there are 130 million books in the world and one million more coming every year. There’s so much to learn.
Yes, traditions are great. They build bonds and create comfort, but sometimes they can hold us back and get in the way of growth. Let your curiosity lead your exploration. You never know what you will discover when you try something new.
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Laura Morgan is the Founder/President of Auxin Group. Her 30-year career in Human Resource Management has taught her to embrace growth and balance. Her recipe is simple: work, volunteer, and play. She launched Auxin Group to teach others to do the same.
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Are you ready to engage your career?
Would you like more information about Auxin Group?
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A Division of MorganHR
Delighting managers with technology to make consistent, equitable,
and start your free trial now.
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Auxin Group, a division of MorganHR, is a unique benefit program that provides relevant training and collaborative project-based experiences to encourage ongoing growth and development.
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