In early April or so, I remember seeing someone on twitter suggest keeping a pandemic journal. If I’d taken that good advice, I bet I’d have a fascinating record. What I thought was possible, important, interesting, worrying, likely… and also what I didn’t think about at all (yet). I’m sure it would be illuminating to …
Like many, you may have postponed strategic discussions – at least until the end of the summer, possibly the end of the pandemic? Maybe? But I think most are coming to the realization that you can’t do that indefinitely. COVID-19 is going to be around for a while, you have decisions about staffing and events …
Board governance is a funny thing – at once very complex, and pretty straightforward. The ongoing situation with the WE Charity, with the flurry of stories emerging about its many oddities, certainly sounds complex. And I worry that stories like these may dissuade people from joining boards or taking on leadership roles such as chair. …
If you’re lucky enough to get some time off during the hazy days of summer, ideally near a body of water, one of the great joys is not planning beyond the next paddle in the canoe, or the next ice cream cone. Oddly, one of the characteristics of a crisis – the opposite of the …
There is increased risk for most organizations right now – there always is in a recession alone, let alone everything else that’s going on. Yet, even now, there are strategic opportunities for associations which should not be overlooked. A chance to connect with everyone Activities have moved to the virtual realm, and seem likely to …
There’s a real-time reckoning of how governments have performed against the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even leaders who have gotten a temporary rally-around-the-leader approval boost are getting scrutinized (and rightly so). This should escalate with the tense and unimaginably complex decisions they have ahead of them – about opening up, about tamping down outbreaks, …
We prefer to have serious decision-making discussions in person. We like to see each other think; challenging conversations are easier when we can read body language, or even hear intakes of breath. We want to look into other people’s eyes when we are making a commitment together. There’s a reason the word “conspiracy” has at …
The original version of this post had a technical issue; apologies if you’ve had to re-search for the link. I suspect many of you are seeing the limitations of a business continuity plan by now, whether you had one in place or not. If you look at their structure, they’re designed for a short, sharp shock. And …
Years ago, I took sea kayaking lessons in Howe Sound, near Vancouver, among the rocks and seals, in the cold Pacific. Among other skills, we were taught how to cope if our kayak flipped. But, disappointingly, not with one of those cool, flip-right-over-and-keep-paddling rolls. It turns out that those are incredibly difficult to execute – …
Fiduciary duty in difficult times Right now, what’s being asked of association leaders – of all leaders – is unprecedented. The demands on an ED or CEO are always heavy, but now the sheer volume and gravity of decisions you’re having to make are staggering. There really is no map. And in the midst of …