Orgforward Opines

I am a bit trepidatious to even use the term "capacity building" in this post. It elicits so many reactions, many of which are accompanied with a sigh or one of those monstrous eye-rolling routines teenagers have perfected when embarrassed by their parents.    Just typing the words makes my face tighten and my eyes start that movement. I brace myself for the list of advisory "best practices" that are about to fill the air with everything "we should do" to be sustainable (Now, let me add raised hackles to the sighs and eye-rolling since "best practices" and "sustainable" have been invoked) What is it that leads me to react so strongly in this space where people are genuinely working to help people and organizations succeed? It is the prescriptive nature of "capacity building" and "best practices." The words "capacity" and "best" are normative words. They are dependent on a set of values and the con...

Previously, I wrote about leadership being about creating conditions that support others achieving outcomes. Our strength comes from identifying the beneficial conditions and our influence draws on our ability to create those conditions. All of this is premised on the assumption that we are working to create a different set of outcomes moving forward than what we have experienced so far. (BIG BIAS ALERT: If there is no vision of things being different, no leadership is required!) How we listen and subsequently engage in our conversations with people is one place where we really can exercise these core leadership constructs. I say this, because what we listen for, notice, and affirm (talk about) when relating with others is a GIANT condition that affects the other person’s behavior and our own. (Remember, our behaviors are a direct result of the conditions we are experiencing*) David Rock explores the nature of conversation in his book “Quiet Leadership.” He observes that what we talk ...

“Should I bill by the hour or by the project?” This is probably the most common and challenging question in our community of consultants as we strive to be catalysts for change while also making a financial living. We often toil when asked what an engagement will cost or squirm when the direct question, “what is your hourly rate,” gets posed.  Our heads start spinning as we ask ourselves the backend questions – What is my time worth? What if it takes me longer (or shorter) than I expected? What do others charge? Are different tasks charged at different rates? What if the client balks at my rate when compared to their own salary? (and the list goes on…) To cope, we either strut our inner peacocks, declaring what we are worth because of our pedigree, history, and potential OR we self-deprecate, feeling guilty that we are asking too much of cash-strapped organizations – all the time praying we can cover our own bills. This is not the roller-coaster ride we need, nor does it create the...

In my previous post , I fleshed out some thinking about leadership and that it is really about individuals having the disposition and skills to create the conditions that engage people in creating change. Well guess what? Anyone can do that? When we talk of "leaders," it so often conjures notions of power, position, and responsibility . All of these are notions that too often are built on scarcity. There are only so many hierarchical positions at the top of the organization. Power i s  held by those who can make financial and resource decisions that affect others. Responsibility is something we are granted and then must be accountable for. Did you notice that all of these have an underlying theme of control and gatekeeping. Someone (or someones) or a system allows a person to have these things. Well, gatekeeping is the result of scarcity thinking - we only have to gate-keep when we feel there isn't enough for everyone, or worse, others are not worthy. Additionally, power,...

The word leadership is used in many different contexts and can be interpreted in many different ways, therefore clarity is important as a starting point to discuss leadership. Let’s start at the root of the word. In this case, lead which in earliest usage means “to guide,” so the literal translation of leadership is to have the characteristics of one who is able to guide . Building on this core root, we will use the following definition moving forward: To demonstrate leadership is to make it easier, accessible, or doable for an organized group of individuals to accomplish specific goals for themselves and the group they are a part of. While seemingly simple on the surface, this definition touches on a complex set of factors that must be considered when thinking about what leadership actually is. Leadership is a social process that happens within groups, and specifically groups that have been brought together for a specific and shared purpose (for example: to learn, to complete a task...

In his book “Better Together,” John Fulwider points out the following: “Nonprofits promote human thriving outside their doors. But the very human leaders within them too often fail to thrive. They barely survive.” Ponder that for a moment…does it feel ok? While there are many forces and systems that “make it tough,” there is one area we have total control over that may be the greatest antidote to barely surviving… Relationships! Take a moment and reflect on a great relationship you have had (either personal or professional – although they are really personal…) Think of how you felt when interacting with that person… Think of what you were able to do as a result of having that person at your side… Great relationships help us thrive! Now consider, what conditions made that relationship possible? What allows you to engage and support another and allows them to engage and support you? These are conditions we can create and we can actively create them between Board Chairs and CEOs.   Ac...

Many organizations go through the process of articulating visions, values, and desired community impact/benefit. Most often part of a strategic planning process, it can also come up when organizational leadership feels the organization is off track or struggling to be relevant in a changing world.  Independent of the reason for changing or refining the vision, values, and community benefit of an organization, doing so is a significant step in the development and evolution of the organization. Making the change indicates that there is a desire to be different from what we are and have been in the past. It is, at its core, a change in the identity of the organization. People are choosing to define the organization with different words, different beliefs, different desired outcomes, and potentially different approaches. THIS IS BIG! Change is not an easy thing, precisely because it requires us to do things differently than we have done them in the past. Changing identity may be the mo...