Adam Slade
Independent Government Consultant, Chicago Illinois
“Every innovation, every political movement, every love story, every tragedy, and every triumph starts with people. I work with people to guide them to the center of others’ needs in a world where business processes, technology, and politics attempts to dehumanize them.”
Meet Adam - The Full Human Being
Adam is a person whose nature is to cut through the noise and beeline for the heart of the matter. While he is a very affable and warm person, he doesn’t feel the need to be constrained by the default expectations of society like niceness for the sake of niceness. Instead, he opts for radical connection with people that allows for a level of depth and growth innate to the work of human-centric design. Adam insists that loving workplaces exude collaboration and respect, which ultimately amplify one another for a positive impact on society. He believes that leading with love requires authentic relationships and trust-building. It is through this shared understanding that leaders can provide supportive guidance and freedom to give the right help at the right time. Adam explains that oftentimes public, private, and even nonprofit sectors seek to extract value from individuals through manipulation and coercion which is the essence of dehumanization at work. When this type of dehumanizing interaction is prevalent we sap our collective human potential. To battle against this, Adam is devoted to rehumanizing work through respect and humanistic consideration. In his words, “Making work more human is the only way we can consider the impacts of racial and social justice in society. It is the only way to center our environmental impacts as humans. It is the only way to deal with the seemingly insurmountable problems we as a society face every day.” Ready to start a conversation with Adam? Reach out to him here.
Rehumanizing Our Public Sector
Adam blends the art, science, and active process of helping individuals unlearn dehumanizing actions within organizations and relearn humanizing foundations, tactics, and aspirations. He serves his client by aiding their intrapersonal search for the choices point to becoming more free, engaged, and fulfilled by their work. Adam works as an independent government consultant who offers services based around racial equity transformation, data consulting for human services, change management, and social issue tracking. The place you’re most likely to find Adam is wherever quagmires of human-centric issues exist within institutional settings. He’s drawn to address these concerns for cultural change that ultimately serves every member of an ecosystem. Adam works with government organizations and translates the rule of law into government practices all the while putting humans at the center. He is gifted in his ability to synthesize complex information including theory, research, and data from interacting with key stakeholders then paint it into an eloquent picture of the full challenges and solutions. He compliments all of this noble work with strong values like authenticity, honesty, and celebration of difference. Connect with Adam to learn how he can transform your organization.
Adam’s Story
Adam has been drawn to deep conversations from a young age. He never shies away from asking the big questions and staying in the crux of difficult conversations until he’s revealed the truest answer. Born on the north side of Chicago, diversity permeated every inch of his life. This immersive nurturing in diverse spaces only strengthened his natural disposition for inclusion, acceptance, and purpose-filled living. These values continue to inform the spaces that he intentionally creates for himself and others. As a young adult, he was considering career paths ranging from singer to priest to doctor. Yet, it was his innate humanist heart that won out. Adam longs to make situations and circumstance better for all people and it is this passion that has now manifested itself in his dedication to the public sector. After a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from DePaul University, a Masters of Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University, and a second Masters of Education from Lesley University, he is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Public Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Adam finds immense joy and meaning in his familial relationships. After a nomadic lifestyle thanks to a stint in consulting, he has found himself back in Chicago to be near to his parents and Godchildren. He enjoys breakfast and cards with them every Saturday morning.
Learn more about Adam’s skills, education, and experience on LinkedIn.
Everything Else You Wish You Knew About Adam
Adam is a self-described “Matrix-nerd” and “drink-enthusiast”. Of course, while his love for local neighborhood taco joints is strong, it’s nothing compared to his lifelong obsession with unique and flavorful drinks. Some favorites include black cherry soda, dark ‘n’ stormys, or a really good cup of coffee, but anything with a “personality” will do the trick. Adam fills his free time with the people who mean the most to him: playing with godchildren, Phase10 with parents, karaoke with friends, and Sunday basketball with a group of guys who invest in young adult men learning teamwork and accountability. He has a unique ability to get away from expectations and rather live fully into his authentic self. When asked for the most beautiful thing he’s seen in his life, Adam gets teary-eyed and recounts many stories of students struggling in the classroom who often found themselves experiencing homelessness and the opportunity he had to speak into their lives. Ensuring these students of their inherent worth, capability, growth, and confidence, Adam remembers these moments with a paradoxical sense of tremendous pride and humility.
“Adam is smart, knowledgeable, thoughtful, and hardworking. He is passionate about creating more democratic and equitable systems.”
-Thea Crum, Associate Director of Neighborhood Initiative, Great Cities Institute
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