People generally agree that defining culture is critically important in nearly all organizations. This includes nonprofits, for-profits, PTAs, 4-H Clubs, etc. Scott Young spoke at length about culture on the podcast. But I think I’ve found an instance where it...
“How would you spend a windfall?” The voice on the phone was an old friend. We hadn’t spoken in years. “I heard you were doing consulting,” she continued. “So you’re an expert now?” I laughed. “I wouldn’t say I’m an expert. But, yes, people do tell me they appreciate...
“There’s so much to do. Sometimes I feel like I’m sinking in quicksand.” This is a common refrain I hear from nonprofit executives. I felt it myself when I was an Executive Director. At the beginning of every day, you look across a sea of possibilities that is...
Have you ever had a member on your team who greeted every new idea with “no”? “We tried that before and it didn’t work.” “No one would want that.” “We’re overworked already, and there’s no way my team would be willing to add this to their plate.” This is the sort of...
“I’m not sure exactly what they want me to be working on. And they won’t tell me what the priorities are.” “They just want me to do more.” This was a conversation from some time back. The executive was lamenting what she felt to be an ever-shifting set of goals...
I often talk about growing up on a farm. I talk about the farm because it is where I learned so many life lessons. Lessons I didn’t really start to comprehend until the last few years. Lessons I keep coming back to. Recently a nonprofit executive and I were talking...
