Ten Culture-Embedding Mechanisms (Part 1 of 4)
Repeat after me: “My organization’s culture is an outcome of what we collectively believe about the organization and how we behave alongside each other as a result of those beliefs.” So, what do you believe about your organization? Over the course of this blog and three to follow, brief introductions to ten culture-embedding mechanisms will […]
Claymation Culture
The way your organization runs is a lot like the artform of clay animation, or claymation. As a leader, this makes you an animator. Other terms for this art form are “stop-motion” or “stop-action” animation. Either term may seem counterintuitive to what is expected of a leader…to keep things moving…ideally in the most helpful direction, […]
Succession Planning and Emotional & Relational Integrity
People have strong feelings about anything that threatens their survival or capacity to thrive. Even if denied, those feelings exist…and emerge later in some behavioral fashion. Leadership transitions affect several factors related to survival and thrival. (Okay, thrival is not a word but it helps make the point.) Let’s take a brief look at some […]
The Right Type of Leader(ship) at the Right Time
When it comes to leadership transitions, succession planning is, in part, about preparing an organization for future success. There are several key factors to consider. Let’s look at three. Character Whether your organization is healthy and growing well, struggling toward health and growth, or in a state of significant dysfunction or decline, the personal character […]
The Board’s Role in Strengthening Trust During Leadership Succession
Effective boards recognize they have only one employee. When a Board focuses on its governance role, it delegates operational responsibility to the organization’s CEO or Executive Director (or whatever the first-chair title is). When a Board prudently trusts its CEO/ED, overall efficacy increases. When trust erodes, something eventually fails that then becomes extremely difficult, if not […]
Succession Planning and the Organizational Life Cycle
The motion of a swinging pendulum can be fascinating to watch. If designed to do so, a swinging pendulum can create beautiful, symmetrical designs of calm and order. However, a swinging pendulum can also result in disarray and destruction. It depends on the degrees of awareness and intentionality in those who put the pendulum in […]
5 1/2 Powerful Questions Used by Executive Coaches
The essence of executive coaching is to raise awareness and deepen one’s sense of response-ability. Quite often we become preoccupied with the issues right in front of us – the tree instead of the forest (which is how we sometimes find ourselves “barking up the wrong tree”, even if it’s just in our own head), […]
Identifying Your Own Personal Motives
The question, “Why do we do what we do?” could lead to existential angst, if you chose to see it that way. Or it could be the beginning of a productive dive into understanding your own personal motivation. The deeper the dive, the more you and your team will find to help with productivity and […]
Why Demonstrate Integrity as an Example for Others
Setting an example worth following requires the establishment of a commonly understood “true north” (not to be confused with “magnetic north”). But it’s not an impossible task. Set your internal compass on demonstrating integrity, and you will lead with significance. That’s a great sentiment in theory, but how does that translate into building and maintaining […]
Your Best Guide To An Outstanding Office Celebration (Hold The Cheese, Please)
Part of successfully shaping the culture of your workplace starts in knowing your team members at more than a surface level. When you know your team well, you know what is meaningful to them and what isn’t, and that helps you show your team you care. One of the best ways to show you’re listening […]