Creating Our Future with Organizations by Design

I like to live in my bubble. It’s comfortable and familiar, surrounded by people who think and feel just like I do. It feels great to be on the same wavelength with everyone, right? But sometimes, like this week, I have to admit, living in that bubble isn’t healthy. When we’re all nestled together in our little comfort zones, we can get blindsided by what’s happening outside our circle. It’s almost like wearing blinders—we become so focused on our own views that we start to miss out on different perspectives. The result? We could find ourselves caught off guard by changes or events that others saw coming. Plus, if we only engage with like-minded folks, we might not recognize the signs of bigger issues brewing beyond our bubble. Social changes, cultural shifts, and political movements can evolve without us even realizing it. Before we know it, we’re stunned when these things rip into our reality. So, while I love the coziness of my bubble, I know it’s important to peek outside every now...

An Interim Executive Director's most important job is to prepare an organization to work with the incoming permanent CEO/ED. A good interim executive deals with the day-today affairs of the organization, while at the same time building the platform for the permanent successor. Unlike an Acting Director, an Interim is a professional external to the organization, will not be a candidate for the permanent position, and does more than hold the organization in place. When an organization's Executive Director resigns, the board's first impulse is to find a replacement as quickly as possible. But that’s not always the wisest course of action. Interim Executive Directors keep an organization going when an executive leader leaves. Each organization is unique. They need someone at the helm who understands and is passionate about the mission, can navigate the many constraints on services; can relate to all the different personalities involved, and can do it all within the organization...

  Most people will leave several jobs during their career. Some are happy separations and some aren't, but whatever the circumstances under which you leave, it can be difficult to say goodbye. It's important to understand that, in the process of leaving, not only are you saying goodbye to co-workers, but also routines, places, projects that you've poured your blood, sweat and tears into, familiarity, even parking attendants and coffee baristas. Leaving a job can be just as trying as ending a romance. Career changes involve a good deal more stress, friction, disruption, and risk than simply staying on a more linear, traditional career path. When a good change happens, by your own accord or through job transitions, accept it with grace - for yourself and for others. You may not believe you deserve it, or you just may not be ready for it, even if it was of your choosing, but the way to move forward and get the most out of it is to embrace the positivity, however it shows up. L...

  In general, a decision that stems from any emotion is usually not as sound as one that is based on fact and reason, and perhaps most importantly, your values. Have you had that feeling? The pressure is on. Friends and family are waiting. The bills are mounting. Your self-judgement grows. You finally chose - the car, the apartment, the job. But instead of relief, you feel queasy, uneasy. Thinking it is "only nerves", you move ahead ... but the feeling doesn't go away, instead it intensifies and begins to affect other parts of your life. Can you name that feeling? Fear . When fear begins to control your decision-making abilities, you may notice that not only is your work off-kilter, but your personal life is as well. This occurs when your fear of the future you've chosen becomes so debilitating that you're not able to focus on anything else, even when you try. This is true when you make career decisions out of fear. Sure, the pressures may be mounting to make a c...