While celebration within our organizations doesn’t mean we’re responsible for everyone’s happiness, still, happiness is core to the idea—we don’t celebrate very well when we’re sad. If happiness in the workplace—or in the volunteer organization, the serving place – is key to celebration, how is it attained?
Read MoreIf you’re experiencing a decrease in energy, motivation, and commitment because your expectations of achievement are unmet despite devotion to a cause or way of life, then you may be in burnout. Here’s three ways to tell: you are 1) chronically exhausted, and/or 2) cynical and detached from your work, and/or 3) increasingly ineffective on the job.
Read MoreIf you’ve been around leadership for any amount of time then you already know the importance of vision. People must have a sense of direction and it’s the leader’s job to come up with it. Right? Not all would agree. In fact, some see this proposition as being the myths within vision.
Read MoreMaking decisions based only on what is visible and measurable, while expedient and perhaps all we think we have, can leave some larger areas unaddressed. In fact, you may have experienced the consequences of actions based only in process and committed to without fully considering people. Could there be a better way?
Read MoreOf the three leadership elements within the Occupy Movement, distributed leadership, non-hierarchical leadership, and teams, its use of teams certainly contributed to its rapid expansion. Interestingly, writing this some time after that first review has allowed a longer look at the initial spread of the movement and how these same elements could be at use in our organizations.
Read MoreThe Occupy Movement’s rapid growth could be thought of as having “tapped” a political narrative in American society. In this light they grew because everyone who shared a similar ideology joined in the cause. While this could be the reason for their expansion the failure to achieve widespread acceptance, even to having many city governments restrict their ability, argues that the key to their growth wasn’t ideology but something else.
Read MoreDepending on your perspective it may strike you as either hubris or praise to say that your church or organization should be like the Occupy Movement. Well, you’re not alone. I felt that way too. That is, until I researched their leadership structure and discovered three key practices that are good medicine for any organization.
Read MoreGenerally, we receive criticism for three reasons: We deserve it, the critic is compensating, or the critic is making a political statement. These aren’t meant to be comprehensive but they do cover a large motive base. If you’re healthy emotionally the issue isn’t being criticized when you deserve it but whether your critic is compensating for mal-adjustments in their personality or using you as their political lightening rod. Here are seven salient facts about criticism that leaders must know.
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