Leading with Resilience: Polarity Thinking for Hospitality & Service Leaders

Presenter: Marianthy Posadas-Nava, Co-Founder & CEO of Evergreen Education
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Time: 12 to 3 p.m.
RSVP Link: https://wkf.ms/4qmqc7G

Hospitality and service leaders in North Adams are navigating increasing complexity — staffing shortages, rising operating costs, pressure to pay living wages, limited commercial space, and the challenge of delivering consistent guest experiences with an inconsistent labor supply.

This virtual workshop introduces Polarity Thinking, a practical leadership tool that helps business owners and managers make grounded decisions in the face of ongoing tension — without feeling forced to choose one "right" answer.

Instead of framing challenges as either/or (structure or flexibility, staff wellbeing or guest expectations, living wages or financial viability), Polarity Thinking helps leaders work with both/and, allowing them to lead with clarity, steadiness, and purpose.

Participants will explore real-world tensions facing local hospitality and service businesses, including:
• Paying living wages while maintaining financial viability
• Staffing needs amid a rotating and unreliable labor pool
• Investing in growth while managing rising costs
• Building community-rooted businesses within high-rent commercial spaces
• Balancing creative vision with the realities of scaling

The session blends reflection, grounding, and a guided polarity-mapping activity drawn from Evergreen Education’s hospitality leadership framework — with a focus on immediate, practical application.

What You’ll Gain
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
✔ Identify one core leadership tension currently affecting their business
✔ Map the benefits and risks of both sides of that tension
✔ Leave with one small, actionable leadership step they can apply immediately — within their next shift or week
✔ Make decisions with less reactivity and more alignment to mission and values
✔ Strengthen resilience in themselves and their teams during unpredictable seasons

Who Should Attend
• Restaurant owners and managers
• Café, bar, and hospitality leaders
• Retail and service-based business owners
• Entrepreneurs navigating growth and staffing challenges
• Anyone leading teams in high-pressure service environments