Letter of Reference - Nexus
To Whom It May Concern:
I write this letter of support and recommendation on behalf of Cory Taves, having known Cory for several years and having worked closely with him on a strategic restructuring initiative for a church community of which we were both part. Cory and I both served on the church board and took roles on a sub-committee charged with the task of re-evaluating the purpose, vision and operational mandate of the institution.
The process briefly described above turned out to be no small undertaking. The scope of the project was daunting and the institutional culture was charged given the diverging opinions among congregants about what ailed the church and whether or not a strategic planning initiative would make any lasting difference. The initiative took the working committee 3 months of intense work to complete.
The first and most critical observation I would make about Cory’s role in this project was his dedication to a rather thankless task. The committee’s work demanded significant time and energy with no tangible return other than the knowledge of participating in a necessary process. Cory not only agreed to participate in the sub-committee’s work; Cory jumped in with vigour and energy, which was life-giving and contagious amongst committee members. For the duration of the work, Cory dedicated himself to the task, following through on the commitments he had made, even when the scope of the work increased. The same cannot be said for all committee cohorts.
Through facilitated focus group discussions, the committee was able to uncover a series of challenges facing the institution. Several of these challenges were held in tension requiring a high degree of collaboration, cooperation and creativity. Cory demonstrated a keen sense of diplomacy throughout this process in discussions with committee members and congregants. Most impressively, Cory was able to assess underlying issues – as opposed to symptoms – and frequently presented creative solutions to issues in a manner that broke stalemates and resolved tensions.
In all instances Cory communicated with all stakeholders with the highest level of respect and sensitivity. He became something of the “go-to” guy to approach delicate situations, being asked to take on conversations and discussions the rest of us preferred to avoid. Cory was not only able to articulate a perspective in a disarming manner, he was also able to listen in a manner that clearly demonstrated to others that they were being heard.
In summary, Cory’s discretion, sensitivities to tension and creative problem solving put him in rare company. Please feel free to contact the undersigned with any further queries.
Sincerely,
Ken Baerg
I write this letter of support and recommendation on behalf of Cory Taves, having known Cory for several years and having worked closely with him on a strategic restructuring initiative for a church community of which we were both part. Cory and I both served on the church board and took roles on a sub-committee charged with the task of re-evaluating the purpose, vision and operational mandate of the institution.
The process briefly described above turned out to be no small undertaking. The scope of the project was daunting and the institutional culture was charged given the diverging opinions among congregants about what ailed the church and whether or not a strategic planning initiative would make any lasting difference. The initiative took the working committee 3 months of intense work to complete.
The first and most critical observation I would make about Cory’s role in this project was his dedication to a rather thankless task. The committee’s work demanded significant time and energy with no tangible return other than the knowledge of participating in a necessary process. Cory not only agreed to participate in the sub-committee’s work; Cory jumped in with vigour and energy, which was life-giving and contagious amongst committee members. For the duration of the work, Cory dedicated himself to the task, following through on the commitments he had made, even when the scope of the work increased. The same cannot be said for all committee cohorts.
Through facilitated focus group discussions, the committee was able to uncover a series of challenges facing the institution. Several of these challenges were held in tension requiring a high degree of collaboration, cooperation and creativity. Cory demonstrated a keen sense of diplomacy throughout this process in discussions with committee members and congregants. Most impressively, Cory was able to assess underlying issues – as opposed to symptoms – and frequently presented creative solutions to issues in a manner that broke stalemates and resolved tensions.
In all instances Cory communicated with all stakeholders with the highest level of respect and sensitivity. He became something of the “go-to” guy to approach delicate situations, being asked to take on conversations and discussions the rest of us preferred to avoid. Cory was not only able to articulate a perspective in a disarming manner, he was also able to listen in a manner that clearly demonstrated to others that they were being heard.
In summary, Cory’s discretion, sensitivities to tension and creative problem solving put him in rare company. Please feel free to contact the undersigned with any further queries.
Sincerely,
Ken Baerg