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 …
UPDATED with some new links and information – also I’m moderating a CSAE webinar Thursday, March 26, at noon EST, titled WTF?! Where to Focus: Your Business Continuity Planning. Register here. Coronavirus news is coming quickly right now, and that’s not going to change any time soon. (As I write we are just starting to …
Setting strategy is a core responsibility of an organization’s board. But the process by which that strategy gets set can vary widely. Some boards are completely hands-off, simply reviewing a finished strategic plan the staff delivers to them. Other boards are completely hands-on, with very little staff input into the strategies or sometimes even the …
“The new board members didn’t feel like it was their strategy or plan, so they weren’t very committed to it and they started asking for different priorities.” “The new president is really looking forward to putting his own strategic plan in place during his one-year term. How can I say no?” “Once the executive director …
How can we expect the leadership of our organizations to engage in strategic thinking, if they don’t have the relevant information that would feed it? When I start working with a strategy client, I will ask for five years of data for financials, membership, and so on. And a lot of clients struggle to find …
I’m speaking at the Engaging Associations Forum in July, on the topic of everyday, everyone strategy that really becomes part of how an association functions, in a way that’s as organic as breathing. For a preview, here is my blog post on the Engaging Associations website… Not all associations have a solid set of strategies …