Charting the course

Charting the course

Q & A with Brett Bernardini, Executive Director, Stissing Center for Arts and Culture A strategic plan will not give you a future, but it can be the essential living partner that informs and guides your future.  A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of...
Clear direction ahead shines

Clear direction ahead shines

A roadmap clear, bright On just one page, goals in sight For mission, we strive Haiku and a one-page organization strategic plan may strike you as two entirely different forms of expression, one is poetry, and the latter is certainly not. However, they share key...
In-Person

In-Person

Over the last several months, I have appreciated the opportunity to support some outstanding organizations as they embark on their strategic journey.  Along the way, we honed our virtual collaboration and community engagement skills and discovered some new tools–...
Liberate the board

Liberate the board

I often compare the dynamic of boards to family gatherings.   We anticipate certain rituals and predictable behavior from our relatives, good and bad, and we return year after year out of duty, love, or both.  A board of directors is similar; it can also fall into...
Humbled, hopeful, exhausted, changed

Humbled, hopeful, exhausted, changed

I recently had the opportunity to facilitate a staff retreat for a social service organization.  This was one of the first in-person work activities I have had since the pandemic began and I was looking forward to human contact.  I tried to anticipate the day’s...
Let’s not return to normal

Let’s not return to normal

There is no shortage of commentary and thought on the impact of the pandemic and the extraordinary events over the last year on public health, the workplace, education, social justice, the economy, and the environment.  As I engage with professional journals, media...