Creating Our Future with Organizations by Design

In the realm of independent contracting, where the ebb and flow of contracts dictate our professional lives, the transition between projects can often be anxiety-inducing. As someone whose livelihood hinges on securing contracts, I've experienced the familiar pang of worry that creeps in as one contract nears its end. It's that feeling—akin to the Sunday before the Monday of work—that can cast a shadow over the otherwise fulfilling nature of our work. However, through a transformative mindset shift, I've learned to turn that worry into wonder, fostering a healthier and more confident approach to the uncertainties of the freelance world. Embracing Change: Change is a constant companion for independent contractors. Projects conclude, clients move on, and the prospect of what comes next can be both thrilling and daunting. It's natural to feel a sense of unease as a contract reaches its conclusion, but instead of succumbing to worry, I've learned to embrace change as an...

  I had the amazing opportunity to join with the Ramapough Lenape Nation in a sacred ritual in a sweat lodge this weekend. The structure is the lodge, and the ceremony performed within the structure may be called by some cultures a purification ceremony or simply a sweat. The sweat is a spiritual ceremony – it is for prayer and healing, and it is only to be led by Indigenous Elders who know the language, songs, traditions, and safety protocols of their culture's inherited tradition. Without going in the reason I was in the sweat lodge, I do want to share some thoughts that came to me as a result of the experience - some answers to questions percolating around in my mind, specifically about change. I've long known that the fear of change is a complex and multifaceted human emotion that can affect people from various backgrounds and privilege levels. What became so clear to me, however, is that it's true that change can be perceived differently by those who are privileged a...

  As Executive Leadership we are often expected to “have all the answers.” We are the miracle workers, ego massagers and cajolers often tasked with challenging our worlds by coming up with solutions to what may seem like insurmountable obstacles. Our worst nightmare is coming to the conclusion that the best course is to “fail” as it is perceived by the outside world. Sometimes the answers aren’t what we’d hoped for. As founding Executive Director of 10 Hairy Legs dance company this is what I faced during the COVID pandemic. The shutdown in March 2020 ended all of our earned revenue and special event income for the remainder of the season on June 30, including our all important New York season. There was widespread fear and panic among stakeholders that reflected their own personal uncertainties related to the pandemic yet initially they were committed to our survival. We did have some funds in the bank but went into preservation mode, stopping all pay to artists and staff as of A...

  Mukesh Gupta wrote, "We know that the ability to ask good questions can go a long way in how effective we are as leaders, entrepreneurs or in the process of discovery and innovation. Questions typically create the frame of reference within which the answer is thought in. They create the prototypical “Box” and if we are to think outside the box, we need to create a different question that allows us to think in a bigger box. We can never truly think outside the box but we can definitely think in a different box." Leaders develop constructive questioning techniques which help us to gradually understand how things work and what isn’t working. When it comes to creating changes, it can be easy to focus on what’s wrong, what’s missing, what’s not working and what needs fixing. And while it might be a helpful way to understand how you got to where you are, it’s not necessarily a great way to create the energy, buy-in and momentum that you may need to get to where you want to go ...

Organizations by Design is committed to create the change we want to see in the world. Join us.  T his resource compiled by Launch. Educate yourself Learn about the history, contributions, and past and present experiences of Asian American communities. Watch: The PBS series  Asian Americans  about the history of identity, contributions, and challenges experienced by Asian Americans The Smithsonian’s video series  We are not a stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American bias  which explores what it means to be Asian Pacific American and the impacts of Asian Pacific American stereotypes Asian Americans and Seattle’s Civil Rights History Read: America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens Books about Asian Pacific American history and experiences What is the Model Minority Myth? Anti-Asian Racism Exposes the Model Minority Myth Listen: Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast Self-Evident: Asian America’s Stories Asian Enough Speak up Silence is consent...

  This blog post probably won't add anything new to the dialogue about justice in light of the extreme proliferation of hate acts in our country - but if this blog's purpose is to muse about growth, this isn't a topic I will avoid. I will state, up front, that I have centered white colleagues in this post. These are conversations that white folx need to have and lead amongst themselves.  I also don't anticipate that this writing even exposes the 'tip of the iceberg' on the important topics I broach in this post. I, in no way, mean for this post to be any where near definitive; but rather a beginning.  We have to start, and start again. Like many others, I am horrified by the violence perpetrated in Atlanta against the Asian community this past week. I am equally horrified by the Cherokee County Sheriff Department Captain's statement that the shooter was "having a really bad day." That statement, along with the heinous act itself, was anchored in w...

  Are you focusing on your smaller donors? The rate of giving grew by double digits among donors gifting <$250. Those gifts add up and deserve your attention and thanks as much, if not more, than "major" donors' gifts. Ten years ago, in a piece I penned for Huff Post , I argued that "people with little or zero disposable income are still stereotyped as receivers of services-not supporters, donors or contributors. With a few notable exceptions, many organizations dole out the “major” label for an elite minority of their donors. It is time for us to rethink how we look at generosity, and how we engage with small donors." Fundraising Effectiveness' latest study demonstrates again that nonprofits gain when we see that the collective giving across lines of class can have a sizable impact when pooled together for change.  As I said in 2011, "Indeed, there’s no small change when we’re changing the world, together." Barbara Organizations by Design Full ...

This morning I looked back on my emails from one year ago. My heart began to beat a bit faster as I relived those moments of anxiety and fear I was feeling, while trying to portray a sense of calm for my staff. I thought I’d take a moment to share lessons I’ve learned (or relearned) over the last year. Trust your instincts: I worked in field that was connected to institutions in Europe, and in January/February of 2020 started to get the sense that something was happening that we here in the US didn’t yet understand. I asked colleagues at other organizations what steps they were taking. Few were beginning to address the coming risk, tied up in those immediate tasks and emergencies we faced daily. Yet, I asked my staff to think about the actions we would take if the virus was to come to our area. Little did we know what was before us. ·          Bill Gates says, "Often you have to rely on intuition." The facts are great, and we need them, but ...