Strategic Serendipity

When I started working for non-profits twenty years ago, the guiding principle for everything was "Would we be embarrassed if this ended up on the front of the Washington Post?"  It is a simple rule, but it works. Let's face it, there are times when you can explain why you are doing something with very logical, rational, productive, and economic reasons and so you feel like it might be okay to go ahead.  Honestly, my rule is even if I can explain something I do not want to put my organization in the place of needing to explain anything.  If I have to explain it for people to understand, it probably is not the "right" course of action. So why are we seeing so many things on the front of the Washington Post that are embarrassing to individuals and organizations?  Do they not know about this simple rule?  Or is sheer fear for organizational survival (and individuals to survive in an organization) pushing people away from this rule? Think about your staff. ...

Living life is more like driving a boat than driving a car. When you are driving a car you must stay inside the lines. When you are driving a boat you pick something in the distance and steer towards it. I was spending time with a friend I hadn't seen in years and I said this.  I've been thinking about it since.  On so many levels, I realize that the harder I try to keep my life "between the lines" of the path I have planned out the harder life is.  When I pick an end goal and keep open to opportunities that arise, things seem to fall into place.  Does that make me a slacker or procrastinator?  Maybe not.  I recently attended a lecture where the speaker said the days of "simple" strategic planning are gone and leaders must become adept at scenario planning.  When you plan for multiple scenarios, you are able to jump on opportunities that you might otherwise have missed if you were tied to one plan. From a business perspective, where strategic plan...

Have you ever had one of those nights where you wake up in the middle of the night and worry about something completely unrealistic and out of your control?  I did.  Last night.  And this morning was rough.  And toddlers sense that type of thing so my son had a rough morning as well.  And I was scheduled to teach my fourth new content class in six days this afternoon.  Think you know where this is going?  I sure did this morning, and boy was I wrong.  Indulge me for just a minute. Later than I would even care to admit, I finally dropped my son off at day care.  As usual, his classmates (all but one little boys and all energetic beyond belief) made me laugh and quickly remember that Jackson is the important one in my family.  (They like to welcome Jackson, start playing with him, and then look at me and tell me bye, bye.  I am thankful that he loves it there so much and luckily do not have an easily bruised ego.)  As I was wal...

In the past week my routine has been shaken and more is coming over the next two weeks.  Instead of stressing me out, it has actually energized me!  From the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) perspective, I have a preference for Perceiving.  In other words, always searching for more information rather than pushing for closure, spontaneity, and starting projects.  Like seemingly everyone in the Washington, DC area, I am usually tightly scheduled around a constant routine.  Teaching three new classes in less than a week and preparing for two new volunteer commitments has challenged me to stretch into new areas and use old skills with a new group of people.  Both things are extremely rewarding to me, in large part because of my Perceiving preference. So how does a person with a Perceiving preference function in a predictable routine?  For me, there are things that have to happen at certain times.  There is barely enough time to get my work in du...

Which came first - the chicken or the egg?  Increasing employee engagement has always been an organizational goal (it increases productivity and decreases costly turnover).  As times get harder and we have to ask people to do more with less and take furlough days we seem to also be pushing our managers to increase employee engagement.  Those who know me may think that this last sentence is dripping with sarcasm.  Actually, the more I think about it, maybe not so much. Two recent campaigns at my condo building make me think that there really is more to engagement than an external push.  A few months ago, fed up with the conflicting information our owners had received from Harris Teeter and the condo board, an owner (Sarah) put together a simple form letter, left it on the concierge desk, obtained 400 signatures, and took them to the Arlington County Board to advocate for them to clear the way for Harris Teeter to move back into our building after a flood last y...

There is a song on my playlist that can instantly slow me down and center me, wherever I am.  Ironically, it is the acoustic version of "Wherever You Are" by Jack Ingram.  I like the acoustic version because it reminds me of a USO Visit I participated in where he and his band sang to a soldier with cancer and her husband who were in DC without their four children fighting against everything to get through their challenge. This song means something completely different to me than it means to most.  It reminds me of how lucky I really am.  How generous some people are with their time and talent.  How strong some people are (the soldier).  What true love (the husband's) really looks like.  What a few minutes of your time can do for other people.  How challenges can be met head on.  And to never, ever, ever give up. Today I needed that centering.  It was a great day.  I taught two new classes and I was really pleased with the way th...

Most organizations have a standard list of competencies that they expect leaders to have.  Every book on leadership will list the competencies that the author feels are critical to success.  Yet every successful leader has had their own strengths and weaknesses.  So how do you develop yourself for leadership success? Divide your list of competencies up into three categories: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Career Derailers . We know that you want to maximize and develop your strengths and fix any career derailers.  But what about the weaknesses? If they are completely unrelated to the job you have now or want to have next, you can pass on focusing on them, for now.  But when you are ready to round out your portfolio, I suggest you start with cultivating and developing (and listening to) those who have strengths in the areas you are weak.  Yes, you could spend hours learning a new skill.  And if it is important to future success, you probably should have...