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Sunday, November 12, 2006
7 Paths #89
E-letter archive
The 7 Paths e-letter began as Growing Leaders Update and then began the Evergreen Leaders Update. You can check to earlier archives here.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
The wilderness path
When I was in college in the early 70’s I discovered and devoured Tolkien’s trilogy about Frodo Baggins long journey to save his world by finding a golden ring and tossing it into a fiery pit.
When we had children, Sarah and I shared the delight of Tolkien with each of them, enjoying many an evening of bedtime reading.
Evergreen Leaders’ wilderness path is based on the principle that thriving organizations regularly take long journeys into the unknown as a way to discover new ways to produce their treasure.
Recently I was teaching Evergreen Leader’s wilderness path to a group in their early 20’s. One of the young women said, “Isn’t the wilderness path just normal life?” The wilderness path is normal when you are in your 20’s and searching for a career, a spouse, and your place in the universe.
Most organizations prefer to spend as little time as possible in the state of the unknown.
Yet all nonprofits start out on the wilderness path. They begin when the founders have an idea of how to meet an existing social need that is not currently being met. Nonprofits begin with a trip into the wilderness to discover the treasure that emerges when you create an organization that meets a powerful human need.
From the beginning of the 20th century most people in theUSA
Out of that questioning grew a movement of nonprofits that make it possible for people with developmental disabilities to live, work, and play to the best of their abilities in their home communities.
Often these nonprofits were started by a group of parents who wanted their adult sons and daughters still living at home to have a place to work or do crafts during the day time. They took the wilderness path, creating the organizations with a limited vision of what they were doing.
They simply sensed that they wanted something better for their adult, developmentally disabled sons and daughters, something better than sitting at home by themselves, something better than going to a state institution.
By the 1970’s state governments began to realize these small nonprofits were a treasure, a viable, humane alternative to the state institutions, and they began to fund them.
Organizations try to get out off the wilderness as soon as possible. They establish policies and procedures as a way to reduce the unknown and consistently produce the treasure, consistently meet the needs of their clientele.
But organizations can never quite get away from the unknown. Hence, planning was invented. Thriving organizations are constantly aware that they can do a better job of producing the treasure. To make those improvements, organizations usually adopt yearly goals.
But sometimes organizations need to make major changes in order to produce the treasure in a better way. I worked for a nonprofit that had purchased a nursing home in 1977 and converted it to a living place for 88 people with developmental disabilities from the institutions inIllinois
Soon after the purchase the staff of the agency realized that they had made a mistake. While the nursing home was a lot better that the state institutions living with 80+ other people in a crowded nursing home was not a treasure.
Finally in 1992 the board of the organization voted unanimously to close the home by 1995 and open small group homes to make it possible for each person to live with a handful of others.
It truly was a wilderness path with many obstacles along the way. The organization had to convince the state bureaucrats to change their rules to stop paying for the nursing home and to start paying for the small group homes. The organization, even though it had never done a capital campaign, raised $1.2 million to make the change possible. Some homes had to be built to accommodate those who used wheelchairs while others homes were purchased and renovated for people who did not need wheelchair accessible homes.
The last person moved out of the nursing home and into a small group home in May of 2000.
To produce our treasure thriving organizations combine short plans with periodic, long journeys into the unknown to discover new ways to produce the golden egg, that treasure that brings people to the door of a nonprofit in desperation and hope.
In order to consistently produce the treasure that their clients are looking for, thriving nonprofits do the following:
When we had children, Sarah and I shared the delight of Tolkien with each of them, enjoying many an evening of bedtime reading.
Evergreen Leaders’ wilderness path is based on the principle that thriving organizations regularly take long journeys into the unknown as a way to discover new ways to produce their treasure.
Recently I was teaching Evergreen Leader’s wilderness path to a group in their early 20’s. One of the young women said, “Isn’t the wilderness path just normal life?” The wilderness path is normal when you are in your 20’s and searching for a career, a spouse, and your place in the universe.
Most organizations prefer to spend as little time as possible in the state of the unknown.
Yet all nonprofits start out on the wilderness path. They begin when the founders have an idea of how to meet an existing social need that is not currently being met. Nonprofits begin with a trip into the wilderness to discover the treasure that emerges when you create an organization that meets a powerful human need.
From the beginning of the 20th century most people in the
Out of that questioning grew a movement of nonprofits that make it possible for people with developmental disabilities to live, work, and play to the best of their abilities in their home communities.
Often these nonprofits were started by a group of parents who wanted their adult sons and daughters still living at home to have a place to work or do crafts during the day time. They took the wilderness path, creating the organizations with a limited vision of what they were doing.
They simply sensed that they wanted something better for their adult, developmentally disabled sons and daughters, something better than sitting at home by themselves, something better than going to a state institution.
By the 1970’s state governments began to realize these small nonprofits were a treasure, a viable, humane alternative to the state institutions, and they began to fund them.
Organizations try to get out off the wilderness as soon as possible. They establish policies and procedures as a way to reduce the unknown and consistently produce the treasure, consistently meet the needs of their clientele.
But organizations can never quite get away from the unknown. Hence, planning was invented. Thriving organizations are constantly aware that they can do a better job of producing the treasure. To make those improvements, organizations usually adopt yearly goals.
But sometimes organizations need to make major changes in order to produce the treasure in a better way. I worked for a nonprofit that had purchased a nursing home in 1977 and converted it to a living place for 88 people with developmental disabilities from the institutions in
Soon after the purchase the staff of the agency realized that they had made a mistake. While the nursing home was a lot better that the state institutions living with 80+ other people in a crowded nursing home was not a treasure.
Finally in 1992 the board of the organization voted unanimously to close the home by 1995 and open small group homes to make it possible for each person to live with a handful of others.
It truly was a wilderness path with many obstacles along the way. The organization had to convince the state bureaucrats to change their rules to stop paying for the nursing home and to start paying for the small group homes. The organization, even though it had never done a capital campaign, raised $1.2 million to make the change possible. Some homes had to be built to accommodate those who used wheelchairs while others homes were purchased and renovated for people who did not need wheelchair accessible homes.
The last person moved out of the nursing home and into a small group home in May of 2000.
To produce our treasure thriving organizations combine short plans with periodic, long journeys into the unknown to discover new ways to produce the golden egg, that treasure that brings people to the door of a nonprofit in desperation and hope.
In order to consistently produce the treasure that their clients are looking for, thriving nonprofits do the following:
- Develop a regular pattern of planning to improve ways of producing the golden egg.
- Include clients in the planning.
- Make it possible for everyone in the organization to plan how their job and their part of the organization will help produce the treasure.
- Include mile markers in the plans
- A core group of leaders in the organization periodically commits to the long journey of a big, hairy audacious goal to transform the way the organization produces the treasure.
- Everyone is involved in making organizational course corrections.
- Everyone understands how plans and changes will help do a better job of producing the treasure.
- Everyone celebrates key mile markers.
- The organization recreates itself and the way it produces the treasure.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Dazzling with smart and friendly systems
You can dazzle the people you serve with smart and friendly systems.
Every organization has systems, the way they do things. Some of these patterns are smart, some are dumb, some cause frustration and some are friendly.
But once she started on the unit her orientation was brief and inadequate. The hospital uses an antiquated computer system and she was given almost no training on the computer system. One of her first shifts after the unit orientation she struggled by trial and error to discover how to do an admission on the computer.
Her shift supervisor, overwhelmed by an influx of patients, barked at her for taking too long on the computer. Orientation to the computer system was neither smart nor friendly.
Nonprofit organizations thrive or die on the systems they set up for getting things done in the process of caring for the people who arrive in desperation and hope at their door. Smart and friendly systems are one of the 7 paths thriving organizations use.
Shriveling organizations are stuck in the attitude that “this is the way we’ve always done it.”
Thriving organizations are “always looking for ways to make our systems smart and friendly.”
Here are four behaviors that are common to an organization that use the smart and friendly systems path as part of their strategy for thriving:
- Staff workers are empowered to make changes in the systems in order to transform the lives of service recipients.
- Staff workers see organization as smart and friendly place to work.
In the fall of 2005 when I was hospitalized in the
I have a disability and have spent my share of the time in hospitals. I know “the food” is the most common complaint about hospitals.
Basically IVCH adapted hotel room service model. I was given a menu that contained breakfast, lunch and dinner items. When I called in my order I was told what the specials were for that meal.
Since I love fruits and vegetables, I ordered meals that included five fruits and vegetables.
Not only could I order each meal I could tell them within ten minutes when I wanted the meal delivered and that’s when it arrived.
Wow.
You can dazzle the people you serve with smart and friendly systems.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Forgiveness as part of organizational life
In the current issue of The Atlantic Monthly describes a moment early in Hillary Clinton's first Senate term when she began attending a Bible study with other senators. When she first began participating, Republican Senator Sam Brownback confessed to her that he had hated her and said derogatory things to her. She forgave him.
Like Hillary Clinton, who led efforts in the first Clinton presidential term to pass universal healthcare, nonprofit leaders often take hits.
In the middle 1990’s the CEO of
I deeply believed in the cause. I knew many of the people who lived in the nursing home and I knew that their lives would be greatly improved by moving into smaller homes. As the head of the nursing home resident council would say, “You know me. I like peace and quiet,” something that was impossible in the noisy, crowded nursing home.
Neither the organization nor I had ever done a capital before and the board decided we would do it without a campaign consultant. Many people thought we would not succeed in raising the money needed. I can understand their doubts because it’s very difficult for an organization to raise that much money without the help of a consultant to keep the campaign on track.
Fortunately for me, a retired YMCA executive from theChicago area took mercy on me and offered to come out
Despite this, one of my colleagues who was in a position to track what I was spending to prepare for the campaign, was convinced we would fail. She began to spread rumors through the organization that I was wasting money. She actively opposed the campaign in staff meetings and made life miserable for my assistant campaign director.
One day my colleague and I were both working late. I went to her office, listened to her anger about my spending, and tried to respond. Nothing I said seemed to help. It was deeply painful to have her questioning my integrity. I got tears in my eyes for the first and only time in my 20 years of employment at that organization.
Almost every morning since 1977 I’ve written in a spiritual journal, often writing about whatever current challenges I’m facing. During those days I wrote about the tension I felt as I launched the campaign. Gradually I realized that I was carrying a lot of resentments toward my colleague.
One morning as I was writing in my journal I had a sense that I needed to forgive my colleague. I listed out five different things she had done to undercut me and the campaign.
That winter day on the way to work
As I dropped the stones in the moving water in the creek I noticed how the stones immediately dropped to the bottom but the water flowed on. I sensed God telling me that I had forgiven my colleague and my life could flow on like the water in the creek.
Life did flow on and eventually it appeared that the campaign was going to be a success. My colleague then solicited a club she belonged to, to donate to the campaign.
When the campaign was completed I resigned and went on to working as a consultant to help other organizations do similar campaigns. After I resigned my colleague said to me, “In a few years we are going to have to have you back to do another campaign.”
Because I had forgiven her I could gratefully accept her compliment on my work.
In Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great, Jim Collins describes Level 5 leaders as people who have little personal ambition but incredible will "to make sure the right decsions happen--no matter how difficult or painful--for the longterm greatness of the instituiton and the achievement of its mission..."
Forgiving harsh critics can help nonprofit leaders keep on making sure the right decsions happen even after taking lots of hits.
Like Hillary Clinton, who led efforts in the first Clinton presidential term to pass universal healthcare, nonprofit leaders often take hits.
In the middle 1990’s the CEO of
I deeply believed in the cause. I knew many of the people who lived in the nursing home and I knew that their lives would be greatly improved by moving into smaller homes. As the head of the nursing home resident council would say, “You know me. I like peace and quiet,” something that was impossible in the noisy, crowded nursing home.
Neither the organization nor I had ever done a capital before and the board decided we would do it without a campaign consultant. Many people thought we would not succeed in raising the money needed. I can understand their doubts because it’s very difficult for an organization to raise that much money without the help of a consultant to keep the campaign on track.
Fortunately for me, a retired YMCA executive from the
Despite this, one of my colleagues who was in a position to track what I was spending to prepare for the campaign, was convinced we would fail. She began to spread rumors through the organization that I was wasting money. She actively opposed the campaign in staff meetings and made life miserable for my assistant campaign director.
One day my colleague and I were both working late. I went to her office, listened to her anger about my spending, and tried to respond. Nothing I said seemed to help. It was deeply painful to have her questioning my integrity. I got tears in my eyes for the first and only time in my 20 years of employment at that organization.
Almost every morning since 1977 I’ve written in a spiritual journal, often writing about whatever current challenges I’m facing. During those days I wrote about the tension I felt as I launched the campaign. Gradually I realized that I was carrying a lot of resentments toward my colleague.
One morning as I was writing in my journal I had a sense that I needed to forgive my colleague. I listed out five different things she had done to undercut me and the campaign.
That winter day on the way to work
As I dropped the stones in the moving water in the creek I noticed how the stones immediately dropped to the bottom but the water flowed on. I sensed God telling me that I had forgiven my colleague and my life could flow on like the water in the creek.
Life did flow on and eventually it appeared that the campaign was going to be a success. My colleague then solicited a club she belonged to, to donate to the campaign.
When the campaign was completed I resigned and went on to working as a consultant to help other organizations do similar campaigns. After I resigned my colleague said to me, “In a few years we are going to have to have you back to do another campaign.”
Because I had forgiven her I could gratefully accept her compliment on my work.
In Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great, Jim Collins describes Level 5 leaders as people who have little personal ambition but incredible will "to make sure the right decsions happen--no matter how difficult or painful--for the longterm greatness of the instituiton and the achievement of its mission..."
Forgiving harsh critics can help nonprofit leaders keep on making sure the right decsions happen even after taking lots of hits.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Lessons from a scandal
2) Sexual misconduct by leaders is a misuse of power. Congressman Foley, by position and age, had much more power than the teenage Congressional pages. He was using his power to benefit himself at the expense of the pages.
3) There are powerful forces within organizations to cover-up misconduct. Misconduct is power wrapped in fear and shame. As the Foley scandal unfolds, it’s apparent that as long as three years ago a Congressional staffer tried to warn Hastert of Foley’s danger to pages. At the same time, leaders who see themselves as doing good, find it extremely difficult to expose themselves by revealing the shameful behavior of a colleague. Fear and shame fuel cover-ups.
4) Misconduct by leaders never remains hidden. My nonprofit colleague managed to keep his secret life hidden for 15 years. He used his power and prestige to silence his primary victim. But, as many an institution has discovered, sooner or later misconduct always reveals itself.
5) Scandal calls for humility. Damage control is the height of arrogance. Organizations cannot quietly manage significant ethical violations by a leader. When such violations occur, the organization needs humble leaders who will reveal the misconduct, take responsibility for seeing that the person is removed from a position of further misusing power, and seeing that those who were injured are cared for.
According to Evergreen Leaders humble hierarchy path, the best leaders have little personal ambition, an unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves, and a will to create space for all to thrive.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
55 and glad to be alive
7:15 a.m.
I awoke this morning, 55, and glad to be alive. In keeping with a tradition started the day I turned 53, I am going to blog my birthday.
I woke at 4:00 a.m. and had my quiet time. I'm working my way through Judges 9, an account of Abimilech's short bloody career. Abimilech, son of Gideon and a concubine, persuades his mother's kinfolk to anoint him king and give him 70 pieces of silver. He uses the silver to hire hoodlums and together they kill his 70 brothers, except for the youngest, Jotham, who hides.
After the massacre Jotham stands up on a hill and tells a remarkable parable to the the folks who made Abimilech king. After questioning whether they were acting in good faith he ran away and hid from his brother again. Abimilech was not leading in good faith. He was gathering raw power for himself. I love stories of the youngest who often have to alternate between hiding and speaking the obvious. The king has no clothes.
As for me, my goal is to live in good faith today. Now that means making waffles for a few of the Reba interns. Later this morning and afternoon I'll be teaching them the 7 Paths and applying them to life in an intentional Christian community.
6:19 p.m.
I finished the 7 Paths workshop at 2:45. First time through this version of the workshop and I had to do it quickly which meant I used more of a lecture style than I like. I hope it will be benificial to the interns. I think each path is right on. Now I need to teach them better.
After I put all the workshop materals away I took a nap and woke groggy. To cheer myself up, I looked at Anne Sigler's Blue Mountain card. Now I'm going to make myself a Mexican dinner and have friends over for the marvelous chocolate cake Sarah made. She's working tonight at the Community Hospital of Ottawa mental health unit. She called on her break and wished me happy birthday. I love her calls on her break.
9:29 p.m.
I invited Erin Kindy, Bill and Kate Newhouse and their two daughters, Isa and Elaina, and Lori Behrens and her two daughters, Kora and Mary, over for chocolate cake and ice cream. (Kevin Behrens missed the party because he's on the way to Michigan to go with his brother to the last regular season game of the the Detroit Tigers tomorrow.) What fun to talk, laugh, and enjoy ice cream and chocolate cake. I loved having the children at the party. The party ended with everyone giving me a hug.
My daughter Heidi and her husband Woju called from St. Louis. I also talked to Hannah and her husband Donny from Jacksonville, FL. I love giving and receiving love through phone calls.
My son Jon has forgotten my birthday. He'll feel bad when he remembers and I'll love him no matter how many times he forgets my birthday. I'll try calling him one more time before I go to sleep.
While talking to Heidi on the phone after the party I went to get the mail. Ah, the beauty of a cool, moonlit, starlit night.
Fifty-five years ago I was born for this world of stars, chocolate cake and hugs.
I awoke this morning, 55, and glad to be alive. In keeping with a tradition started the day I turned 53, I am going to blog my birthday.
I woke at 4:00 a.m. and had my quiet time. I'm working my way through Judges 9, an account of Abimilech's short bloody career. Abimilech, son of Gideon and a concubine, persuades his mother's kinfolk to anoint him king and give him 70 pieces of silver. He uses the silver to hire hoodlums and together they kill his 70 brothers, except for the youngest, Jotham, who hides.
After the massacre Jotham stands up on a hill and tells a remarkable parable to the the folks who made Abimilech king. After questioning whether they were acting in good faith he ran away and hid from his brother again. Abimilech was not leading in good faith. He was gathering raw power for himself. I love stories of the youngest who often have to alternate between hiding and speaking the obvious. The king has no clothes.
As for me, my goal is to live in good faith today. Now that means making waffles for a few of the Reba interns. Later this morning and afternoon I'll be teaching them the 7 Paths and applying them to life in an intentional Christian community.
6:19 p.m.
I finished the 7 Paths workshop at 2:45. First time through this version of the workshop and I had to do it quickly which meant I used more of a lecture style than I like. I hope it will be benificial to the interns. I think each path is right on. Now I need to teach them better.
After I put all the workshop materals away I took a nap and woke groggy. To cheer myself up, I looked at Anne Sigler's Blue Mountain card. Now I'm going to make myself a Mexican dinner and have friends over for the marvelous chocolate cake Sarah made. She's working tonight at the Community Hospital of Ottawa mental health unit. She called on her break and wished me happy birthday. I love her calls on her break.
9:29 p.m.
I invited Erin Kindy, Bill and Kate Newhouse and their two daughters, Isa and Elaina, and Lori Behrens and her two daughters, Kora and Mary, over for chocolate cake and ice cream. (Kevin Behrens missed the party because he's on the way to Michigan to go with his brother to the last regular season game of the the Detroit Tigers tomorrow.) What fun to talk, laugh, and enjoy ice cream and chocolate cake. I loved having the children at the party. The party ended with everyone giving me a hug.
My daughter Heidi and her husband Woju called from St. Louis. I also talked to Hannah and her husband Donny from Jacksonville, FL. I love giving and receiving love through phone calls.
My son Jon has forgotten my birthday. He'll feel bad when he remembers and I'll love him no matter how many times he forgets my birthday. I'll try calling him one more time before I go to sleep.
While talking to Heidi on the phone after the party I went to get the mail. Ah, the beauty of a cool, moonlit, starlit night.
Fifty-five years ago I was born for this world of stars, chocolate cake and hugs.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
In search of treasure 2
In my post two days ago I was searching for the words to describe the Evergreen Leaders' treasure. My heart sang when I came up with: Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives.
But then slowly my enthusiasm waned. Something was missing. Then I remembered my friend Bob Betzelberger's question to me a couple of years ago: What's the pain that EGL will relieve? When Bob asked that question I didn't know what to say. An eternal optimist, I find it difficult to focus on pain yet I know that when someone knocks on a nonprofit's door it's usually with a combination of desperation and hope.
So went back, read the jottings in my journal that led to Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives. I had forgotten I had written: "I want nonprofits to care as much for their organization as their cause."
How do you portray the pain that nonprofits get into when they have miserable organizational problems while trying to do good? I kept trying out version after version of an EGL treasure statements. Here's the latest:
When you’re tired of your nonprofit hobbling, call us. We help nonprofits thrive while transforming lives.
Let's see if that takes root and grows.
But then slowly my enthusiasm waned. Something was missing. Then I remembered my friend Bob Betzelberger's question to me a couple of years ago: What's the pain that EGL will relieve? When Bob asked that question I didn't know what to say. An eternal optimist, I find it difficult to focus on pain yet I know that when someone knocks on a nonprofit's door it's usually with a combination of desperation and hope.
So went back, read the jottings in my journal that led to Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives. I had forgotten I had written: "I want nonprofits to care as much for their organization as their cause."
How do you portray the pain that nonprofits get into when they have miserable organizational problems while trying to do good? I kept trying out version after version of an EGL treasure statements. Here's the latest:
When you’re tired of your nonprofit hobbling, call us. We help nonprofits thrive while transforming lives.
Let's see if that takes root and grows.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
In search of treasure 1
You wouldn't think a guy who started out marketing consulting services to health clubs would be a source of wisdom for a nonprofit CEO.
But I've been learning from Michael Port and his Book Yourself Solid.
When clients knocks on your nonprofit door they are looking for a treasure. Your task as a nonprofit leader is to understand your clients so well that you can put into a few simple words a treasure statement so powerful that it resonates with the soul of your organization and the souls of the people who in desperation and hope knock on your door.
Evergreen Leaders is a three-year-old nonprofit start-up and we provide consulting and leadership training to other nonprofits. For three years now the board and I keep revisiting the question of what's Evergreen Leaders about.
I don't regret the journey because every worthwhile treasure is discovered after a long journey.
The last few days I've been doing Port's writing excercises on what we do, who we do it for, and why we do it. I've been fascinated by the question: Why do we provide consulting and leadership training to other nonprofits?
After writing numerous answers I landed on the following:
Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives.
I need to live with that statement to test it out but right now it's singing to my soul:
Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives.
But I've been learning from Michael Port and his Book Yourself Solid.
When clients knocks on your nonprofit door they are looking for a treasure. Your task as a nonprofit leader is to understand your clients so well that you can put into a few simple words a treasure statement so powerful that it resonates with the soul of your organization and the souls of the people who in desperation and hope knock on your door.
Evergreen Leaders is a three-year-old nonprofit start-up and we provide consulting and leadership training to other nonprofits. For three years now the board and I keep revisiting the question of what's Evergreen Leaders about.
I don't regret the journey because every worthwhile treasure is discovered after a long journey.
The last few days I've been doing Port's writing excercises on what we do, who we do it for, and why we do it. I've been fascinated by the question: Why do we provide consulting and leadership training to other nonprofits?
After writing numerous answers I landed on the following:
Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives.
I need to live with that statement to test it out but right now it's singing to my soul:
Call us when you want your nonprofit to thrive while transforming lives.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Breakfast with Dave
Dave directs YSB, a nonprofit organization that helps children and families succeed. With a staff of nearly 80 working in several counties, it’s a challenge for Dave to be in touch with the stories of lives being transformed by the staff of the organization.
Recently I’ve been consulting with YSB as they develop an annual fundraising program. Part of my work has been to help them discover the treasure--the stories of lives being transformed--the organization has to offer donors. Dave realized he needed to meet with the staff and uncover the stories.
His solution was sheer humble hierarchy genius. He decided to do Breakfast with Dave. He is scheduling times to go to each office, meeting with staff in 25-minute intervals. He brings with him all the ingredients to make omelets and his omelet maker. He asks each staff person what they like in their omelets and that’s what they get.
While the omelet is cooking he asks, “What case are you most proud of?” Then he listens.
Evergreen Leaders humble hierarchy path is based on the principle that “humble hierarchy leaders have little personal ambition, have an unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves, and create space for all to thrive.”
When Dave was first promoted to executive director of YSB he negotiated a salary lower than the normal executive director salary because he said if he was making that much money he’d be embarrassed to come to work.
The first Breakfast with Dave was announced by memo and e-mail but when the day came he discovered no one had signed up. He promptly called staff in that branch office and invited them to breakfast individually. Dave may have been humble about his salary but he has an “unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves”. He knows he needs to hear the stories of lives transformed as part of creating an annual giving program to support their work in helping children and families succeed.
YSB staff often work with children and families in crisis. It’s easy for staff to feel like they go from crisis to crisis. Yet when Dave asks, “What case are you most proud of?” he is giving them an opportunity to recall when they and the organization are at their best in transforming for children and families.
One of the first staff member that he had breakfast with told him about a fourteen-year-old girl they had helped find a foster home. When she was older she entered a beauty pageant and as part of the pageant she described her wonderful experience in the YSB foster home.
Dave had his first story of transformation.
Recently I’ve been consulting with YSB as they develop an annual fundraising program. Part of my work has been to help them discover the treasure--the stories of lives being transformed--the organization has to offer donors. Dave realized he needed to meet with the staff and uncover the stories.
His solution was sheer humble hierarchy genius. He decided to do Breakfast with Dave. He is scheduling times to go to each office, meeting with staff in 25-minute intervals. He brings with him all the ingredients to make omelets and his omelet maker. He asks each staff person what they like in their omelets and that’s what they get.
While the omelet is cooking he asks, “What case are you most proud of?” Then he listens.
Evergreen Leaders humble hierarchy path is based on the principle that “humble hierarchy leaders have little personal ambition, have an unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves, and create space for all to thrive.”
When Dave was first promoted to executive director of YSB he negotiated a salary lower than the normal executive director salary because he said if he was making that much money he’d be embarrassed to come to work.
The first Breakfast with Dave was announced by memo and e-mail but when the day came he discovered no one had signed up. He promptly called staff in that branch office and invited them to breakfast individually. Dave may have been humble about his salary but he has an “unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves”. He knows he needs to hear the stories of lives transformed as part of creating an annual giving program to support their work in helping children and families succeed.
YSB staff often work with children and families in crisis. It’s easy for staff to feel like they go from crisis to crisis. Yet when Dave asks, “What case are you most proud of?” he is giving them an opportunity to recall when they and the organization are at their best in transforming for children and families.
One of the first staff member that he had breakfast with told him about a fourteen-year-old girl they had helped find a foster home. When she was older she entered a beauty pageant and as part of the pageant she described her wonderful experience in the YSB foster home.
Dave had his first story of transformation.
Smart and friendly spinach
If you've been listening to the USA news lately you know that there's been an E. coli outbreak that's been traced back to spinach from a three-county area in California.
USA farmers are alway trying to develop smart systems for growing and marketing their crops. California spinach growers developed a smart system, banding together to cooperatively process and market their spinach. It was a smart system because it reduced costs and increased demand for spinach.
But organizations thrive not only have smart systems but smart and friendly systems. The spinach marketing system did not prove to be friendly because it spread E. coli, sickening 166 people in 25 states. The E. coli bacteria have been traced back to nine possible farms but because the spinach from all the farms are combined, it has improved impossible this far to pinpoint the exact source.
"There is going to be a need to examine the system -- what's working, what's not working. At this point I wouldn't want to rule anything in or anything out," said Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer for the FDA's Food Safety and Applied Nutrition branch.
The dominant system in the USA involves trucking fruits and vegetables all over the country. That's how tainted spinach from three counties in California made people sick in 25 states.
But trucking food from vast warehouses is not the only system.
I live on a farm that, for the most part, uses a smarter, friendlier system. Grow it and then market it locally through farmers markets.
Farmers markets are a smart and friendly system for getting your spinach. Most farmers markets require sellers to grow the produce what they sell. That means that while you may pay a little more at a farmers market, that friendly man or woman you're buying from is the farmer who grew the spinach. And it wasn't combined with produce from dozens of other farms and trucked half way across the country.
I'm not a farmer but I've enjoyed eating Plow Creek produce for many years. Today for lunch I had seedless watermelon. I know Neil and Jim who grew the melon.
Now that's a smart and friendly system.
USA farmers are alway trying to develop smart systems for growing and marketing their crops. California spinach growers developed a smart system, banding together to cooperatively process and market their spinach. It was a smart system because it reduced costs and increased demand for spinach.
But organizations thrive not only have smart systems but smart and friendly systems. The spinach marketing system did not prove to be friendly because it spread E. coli, sickening 166 people in 25 states. The E. coli bacteria have been traced back to nine possible farms but because the spinach from all the farms are combined, it has improved impossible this far to pinpoint the exact source.
"There is going to be a need to examine the system -- what's working, what's not working. At this point I wouldn't want to rule anything in or anything out," said Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer for the FDA's Food Safety and Applied Nutrition branch.
The dominant system in the USA involves trucking fruits and vegetables all over the country. That's how tainted spinach from three counties in California made people sick in 25 states.
But trucking food from vast warehouses is not the only system.
I live on a farm that, for the most part, uses a smarter, friendlier system. Grow it and then market it locally through farmers markets.
Farmers markets are a smart and friendly system for getting your spinach. Most farmers markets require sellers to grow the produce what they sell. That means that while you may pay a little more at a farmers market, that friendly man or woman you're buying from is the farmer who grew the spinach. And it wasn't combined with produce from dozens of other farms and trucked half way across the country.
I'm not a farmer but I've enjoyed eating Plow Creek produce for many years. Today for lunch I had seedless watermelon. I know Neil and Jim who grew the melon.
Now that's a smart and friendly system.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
You don't need a title to be a leader
The humble hierarchy path in Evergreen Leaders' 7 Paths is based on the principle that "humble hierarchy leaders have little personal ambition, have unwavering will to help the organization transform the lives of those it serves, and creates space for all to thrive."
Mark Sanborn's new book, You don't need a title to be a leader, has a great story about humble hierarchy at work. You can check the story out Mark's Leadership Lessons.
Mark Sanborn's new book, You don't need a title to be a leader, has a great story about humble hierarchy at work. You can check the story out Mark's Leadership Lessons.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Would you recommend us?
The September 2006 Inc. issues has an article (currently available in the magazine and online after the October issue comes out) that declares you can "perfect your service by asking the only question that matters."
And that question? "Would you recommend us?" Actually they recommend a follow-up question as well. Ask those who say they would not recommend your service: If you would not recommend us, whey not?"
The article is based on the work of Fred Reichheld, author of The Ultimate Question.
Now that sounds like a smart and friendly system for improving customer satisfaction.
And that question? "Would you recommend us?" Actually they recommend a follow-up question as well. Ask those who say they would not recommend your service: If you would not recommend us, whey not?"
The article is based on the work of Fred Reichheld, author of The Ultimate Question.
Now that sounds like a smart and friendly system for improving customer satisfaction.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Power to the people, part II
When Plow Creek Fellowship was founded in 1971 as a communal church the USA was riding the waves of the countercultural revolution of the 60’s. Plow Creek rode one of the waves of the counterculture--the Jesus movement.
Sarah and I arrived at Plow Creek in 1977 and three years later Sarah was one of five pregnant women at Plow Creek. In fact, almost 20% of the adults in the community were pregnant that year.
Every organization is part of an ecosystem and the ecosystem profoundly affects the organization. For instance, every organization is part of the physical environment. While an extreme example, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast of Mississippi and Lousians in 2005, it showed how every organization in in its path had a complex relationship with the physical environment.
Social, political, legal, economic, and religious systems are all part of the ecosystems that organizations operate in.
The principle that Evergreen Leader’s ecosystem path is founded on states that organizations that build healthy, shifting relationships with their physical, social, political, legal, economic, and religious systems thrive.
In its early years Plow Creek Fellowship had dynamic relationship with its environment. The founders were all a generation older than the youth who arrived in the 1970’s. When I lip-synced to Larry Norman’s “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” at a Plow Creek talent show complete with strobe lights set up be my friend Kent Rathgen, it was a signal that Plow Creek’s environment had shifted.
The teenage children of founders were shocked and delighted. This was definitely not the music of their parents. But their parents were willing to build healthy, shifting relationships with the 20-somethings who arrived at Plow Creek having been deeply influenced by the counterculture.
What, you may well be wondering, has this to do with tension in the community in 2006 that signaled a need for change in the decision-making structure?
A 1995 decision by Plow Creek Fellowship led to a significant change in the social ecosystem that PCF operates in today.
From 1971 to 1995 the only way to be a member at Plow Creek was to be communal, to be part of the common treasury and communal decision-making. In 1995 the group decided to make it possible for people to join Plow Creek Mennonite Church without joining the communal group, Plow Creek Fellowship.
Starting in 1997 younger families began to join the church without joining the fellowship. By 2005 half were members of the church without being members of the fellowship and half were members of both. Most of the new church members lived on the farm, renting from the fellowship.
As you can see the ecosystem the fellowship operates in has shifted significantly.
The demographics of the fellowship have also shifted. By 2005 the youngest member was in her late 40’s and the oldest in her early 80’s.
In the early 2000s the fellowship began talking about attracting the next generation. In 2005 the fellowship affirmed a plan to launch a three-month to one-year internship in communal living. In a break from past tradition the group affirmed interns participating in members meeting through out the internship. Previously people interested in joining PCF attended members meeting only in the final stage of becoming members--we called these folks sharing neighbors--and they they simply observed the decision-making. Only member actually affirmed decisions as part of the members meeting.
In the summer of 2006 interns began attending meetings for the first time. At the same time several of the younger families who were part of the church expresses an interest in becoming sharing neighbors.
The ecosystem had shifted. Now we had folks who had lived on the farm for one to five years wanting to explore becoming part of the community.
When the ecosystem of an organization shifts sufficiently it creates anxiety within the organization, making it difficult for the organization to build healthy, shifting relationships with a changing environment.
Difficult but not impossible.
An organization with a strong sense of its own treasure can shift within its ecosystem without feeling that the treasure of the organization is going to given away in the change.
Next time I’ll explore how Evergreen Leaders treasure path made it possible for me to propose a change in our decision-making pattern that addressed both the shift in the fellowship’s ecosystem and the need for a change to create a smart and friendly decision-making system.
Sarah and I arrived at Plow Creek in 1977 and three years later Sarah was one of five pregnant women at Plow Creek. In fact, almost 20% of the adults in the community were pregnant that year.
Every organization is part of an ecosystem and the ecosystem profoundly affects the organization. For instance, every organization is part of the physical environment. While an extreme example, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast of Mississippi and Lousians in 2005, it showed how every organization in in its path had a complex relationship with the physical environment.
Social, political, legal, economic, and religious systems are all part of the ecosystems that organizations operate in.
The principle that Evergreen Leader’s ecosystem path is founded on states that organizations that build healthy, shifting relationships with their physical, social, political, legal, economic, and religious systems thrive.
In its early years Plow Creek Fellowship had dynamic relationship with its environment. The founders were all a generation older than the youth who arrived in the 1970’s. When I lip-synced to Larry Norman’s “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” at a Plow Creek talent show complete with strobe lights set up be my friend Kent Rathgen, it was a signal that Plow Creek’s environment had shifted.
The teenage children of founders were shocked and delighted. This was definitely not the music of their parents. But their parents were willing to build healthy, shifting relationships with the 20-somethings who arrived at Plow Creek having been deeply influenced by the counterculture.
What, you may well be wondering, has this to do with tension in the community in 2006 that signaled a need for change in the decision-making structure?
A 1995 decision by Plow Creek Fellowship led to a significant change in the social ecosystem that PCF operates in today.
From 1971 to 1995 the only way to be a member at Plow Creek was to be communal, to be part of the common treasury and communal decision-making. In 1995 the group decided to make it possible for people to join Plow Creek Mennonite Church without joining the communal group, Plow Creek Fellowship.
Starting in 1997 younger families began to join the church without joining the fellowship. By 2005 half were members of the church without being members of the fellowship and half were members of both. Most of the new church members lived on the farm, renting from the fellowship.
As you can see the ecosystem the fellowship operates in has shifted significantly.
The demographics of the fellowship have also shifted. By 2005 the youngest member was in her late 40’s and the oldest in her early 80’s.
In the early 2000s the fellowship began talking about attracting the next generation. In 2005 the fellowship affirmed a plan to launch a three-month to one-year internship in communal living. In a break from past tradition the group affirmed interns participating in members meeting through out the internship. Previously people interested in joining PCF attended members meeting only in the final stage of becoming members--we called these folks sharing neighbors--and they they simply observed the decision-making. Only member actually affirmed decisions as part of the members meeting.
In the summer of 2006 interns began attending meetings for the first time. At the same time several of the younger families who were part of the church expresses an interest in becoming sharing neighbors.
The ecosystem had shifted. Now we had folks who had lived on the farm for one to five years wanting to explore becoming part of the community.
When the ecosystem of an organization shifts sufficiently it creates anxiety within the organization, making it difficult for the organization to build healthy, shifting relationships with a changing environment.
Difficult but not impossible.
An organization with a strong sense of its own treasure can shift within its ecosystem without feeling that the treasure of the organization is going to given away in the change.
Next time I’ll explore how Evergreen Leaders treasure path made it possible for me to propose a change in our decision-making pattern that addressed both the shift in the fellowship’s ecosystem and the need for a change to create a smart and friendly decision-making system.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Power to the people, part I
“Most organizations are designed so that a few people make decisions and the role of the rest of the people in the organization is to complain about the decisions,” I said at a dinner last fall.
As I said it I felt my stomach drop and the drop had nothing to do with the dinner or my dinner companions--Stephanie Grimes, Evergreen Leaders president, her husband Rodney, and a couple of other people from their church and my wife Sarah.
My stomach dropped because I suddenly remembered all the complaints I had been fielding from members of Plow Creek Fellowship over the previous year. I’ve been an elder of PCF, a communal group, since 1981. The group owns 190 acres, runs businesses, serves as a spiritual community, and sends members on mission. Plow Creek was founded as a seven-day a week way of being Christian rather than the dominant model of church on Sunday’s and maybe a time or two in between.
It was also founded to be a group where everyone could have an equal voice in decision-making and where each person had an important role in the life of the community.
But when my stomach dropped I asked myself: Could it be that the complaints are coming because PCF is designed for a few people to be in the role of decision makers and the rest are given the role of complaining about the decisions?
On the face of it PCF is designed to do just the opposite. All major decisions are made in members meeting by consensus. But organizations are complex and leaders need to dig deep to understand the systems at work in their organizations.
For the past three years, since several other people and I founded Evergreen Leaders, I have been thinking deeply about what makes organizations thrive. After doing workshops for two years on the topic, much reading and after much thinking (and prayer), last spring I identified 7 paths that organizations use to thrive.
The smart and friendly systems path is one of the seven paths thriving organizations use. The path is based on the principle that organizations thrive or shrivel on the systems they set up for getting things done.
Organizations that shrivel focus on the paradigm: we’ve always done it this way. Organizations that thrive focus on the paradigm: we‘re always looking for ways to make our systems smart and friendly.
There’s a very good reason organizations tend to keep old systems. Once upon a time those systems were great, served the organization well, and, in fact, helped the organization to thrive.
But then slowly reality shifted and the ways of doing things that helped the organization thrive no longer do. Leaders can throw all kinds of energy into making the old systems work but that doesn’t seem to help the organization get back to the thriving days.
A long time ago farmers went through the same experience. They planted corn on a new piece of ground and got an amazing crop. Great, they thought, I’ll do the same thing next year. They did and got another great crop of corn. Slowly but surely the corn crops began to dwindle.
The farmer thought deeply and decided to try beans on the piece of ground. He got a fantastic crop, Great, he thought, this ground is best for beans. Year after year he planted beans and slowly but surely the bean crops began to dwindle.
He thought deeply again and planted corn on the piece of ground. He got a great crop of corn. Then the next year he planted beans and got a great bean crop. The next year he planted corn and got a great corn crop. Thus was born crop rotation.
Organizations that are always looking for ways to make their systems smart and friendly are like the farmers who discovered crop rotation. This is not change for change sake but change to help the organization thrive.
As I thought deeply about the Plow Creek decision-making system I realized the growing frustration within the organization pointed to a need for crop rotation. We needed to make changes in how we made decisions as part of taking the smart and friendly systems path.
I thought more about the need for change in the fellowship I realized that in all likelihood our frustrations were rising not only from a need for smart and friendly systems but also from major changes in the context that PCF operates in.
Tomorrow is my day off. On Saturday I’ll post part II focusing on how Evergreen Leaders’ ecosystem path helped as I struggled with the changes needed in PCF decision-making model.
As I said it I felt my stomach drop and the drop had nothing to do with the dinner or my dinner companions--Stephanie Grimes, Evergreen Leaders president, her husband Rodney, and a couple of other people from their church and my wife Sarah.
My stomach dropped because I suddenly remembered all the complaints I had been fielding from members of Plow Creek Fellowship over the previous year. I’ve been an elder of PCF, a communal group, since 1981. The group owns 190 acres, runs businesses, serves as a spiritual community, and sends members on mission. Plow Creek was founded as a seven-day a week way of being Christian rather than the dominant model of church on Sunday’s and maybe a time or two in between.
It was also founded to be a group where everyone could have an equal voice in decision-making and where each person had an important role in the life of the community.
But when my stomach dropped I asked myself: Could it be that the complaints are coming because PCF is designed for a few people to be in the role of decision makers and the rest are given the role of complaining about the decisions?
On the face of it PCF is designed to do just the opposite. All major decisions are made in members meeting by consensus. But organizations are complex and leaders need to dig deep to understand the systems at work in their organizations.
For the past three years, since several other people and I founded Evergreen Leaders, I have been thinking deeply about what makes organizations thrive. After doing workshops for two years on the topic, much reading and after much thinking (and prayer), last spring I identified 7 paths that organizations use to thrive.
The smart and friendly systems path is one of the seven paths thriving organizations use. The path is based on the principle that organizations thrive or shrivel on the systems they set up for getting things done.
Organizations that shrivel focus on the paradigm: we’ve always done it this way. Organizations that thrive focus on the paradigm: we‘re always looking for ways to make our systems smart and friendly.
There’s a very good reason organizations tend to keep old systems. Once upon a time those systems were great, served the organization well, and, in fact, helped the organization to thrive.
But then slowly reality shifted and the ways of doing things that helped the organization thrive no longer do. Leaders can throw all kinds of energy into making the old systems work but that doesn’t seem to help the organization get back to the thriving days.
A long time ago farmers went through the same experience. They planted corn on a new piece of ground and got an amazing crop. Great, they thought, I’ll do the same thing next year. They did and got another great crop of corn. Slowly but surely the corn crops began to dwindle.
The farmer thought deeply and decided to try beans on the piece of ground. He got a fantastic crop, Great, he thought, this ground is best for beans. Year after year he planted beans and slowly but surely the bean crops began to dwindle.
He thought deeply again and planted corn on the piece of ground. He got a great crop of corn. Then the next year he planted beans and got a great bean crop. The next year he planted corn and got a great corn crop. Thus was born crop rotation.
Organizations that are always looking for ways to make their systems smart and friendly are like the farmers who discovered crop rotation. This is not change for change sake but change to help the organization thrive.
As I thought deeply about the Plow Creek decision-making system I realized the growing frustration within the organization pointed to a need for crop rotation. We needed to make changes in how we made decisions as part of taking the smart and friendly systems path.
I thought more about the need for change in the fellowship I realized that in all likelihood our frustrations were rising not only from a need for smart and friendly systems but also from major changes in the context that PCF operates in.
Tomorrow is my day off. On Saturday I’ll post part II focusing on how Evergreen Leaders’ ecosystem path helped as I struggled with the changes needed in PCF decision-making model.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Rich's blog 2.0
Most of my readers have probably gotten discouraged since I haven't posted since June 11. Sorry about that.
I've been doing some deep thinking about how to carry out the mission of Evergreen Leaders--helping nonprofits thrive. Early in the summer I condensed thirty years of leading secular and religious organizations into The 7 paths of thriving organizations. I think the 7 paths will be the treasure that Evergreen Leaders has to offer the world.
The 7 paths emerged out of two years of doing Evergreen Leaders workshops for nonprofits on the topics of listening, envisioning, and encouraging. The two years of workshops showed me that I needed to sharpen the message. Saying an organizations can thrive through listening, envisioning and encouraging is sort of like saying you can get to Chicago's Millenium Park from Wisconsin, Indiana, or Iowa.
True, but if you are in Nebraska and you stop and ask for directions to to Chicago's Millenium Park you need a little more specifics than "drive though Iowa and Illinois until you get to Chicago and then drive downtown and it's by the lake."
I'm very excited about the 7 paths because I think they will be as helpful in providing a map for organizations as Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People have been for individuals.
I think we have a treasure in the 7 paths. Part of my deep pondering has been: how can we create smart and friendly systems for people to discover, explore, and learn the paths?
I've decide to re-create this blog into a smart and friendly system for you to use to discover the 7 paths. To the left of the most recent entry you'll find a new section (thanks to Taher Baderkhan) called Categories. From now on each of the entries will be archived in one or more of the catgories. Over time there will be a treasure trove of information about each of the 7 paths.
I've been doing some deep thinking about how to carry out the mission of Evergreen Leaders--helping nonprofits thrive. Early in the summer I condensed thirty years of leading secular and religious organizations into The 7 paths of thriving organizations. I think the 7 paths will be the treasure that Evergreen Leaders has to offer the world.
The 7 paths emerged out of two years of doing Evergreen Leaders workshops for nonprofits on the topics of listening, envisioning, and encouraging. The two years of workshops showed me that I needed to sharpen the message. Saying an organizations can thrive through listening, envisioning and encouraging is sort of like saying you can get to Chicago's Millenium Park from Wisconsin, Indiana, or Iowa.
True, but if you are in Nebraska and you stop and ask for directions to to Chicago's Millenium Park you need a little more specifics than "drive though Iowa and Illinois until you get to Chicago and then drive downtown and it's by the lake."
I'm very excited about the 7 paths because I think they will be as helpful in providing a map for organizations as Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People have been for individuals.
I think we have a treasure in the 7 paths. Part of my deep pondering has been: how can we create smart and friendly systems for people to discover, explore, and learn the paths?
I've decide to re-create this blog into a smart and friendly system for you to use to discover the 7 paths. To the left of the most recent entry you'll find a new section (thanks to Taher Baderkhan) called Categories. From now on each of the entries will be archived in one or more of the catgories. Over time there will be a treasure trove of information about each of the 7 paths.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Happy birth, dear grandchild (5)
Plans are I won't see and hold Aaliyah until August when Hannah and Donny travel to Illinois. So I look at e-mailed photos. These two are my favorites taken on day two of Aaliyah's life. The next morning I spoke by phone with Hannah Donny before they went went home from the hospital. "“I love it! I love having a baby,” Donny said to me. I look at this photo of dad and daughter and the excitement in Donny's voice comes back. For years before Hannah met Donny I prayed for a good husband for her I about cry with gratitude as I look at this photo--a good man who loves Hannah and Aaliyah.“She is so precious. We just love looking at her,” Hannah said. And the photo says it as well. Children love to be looked at. One of these year's I'll hear a little girl's voice, "Grandpa, watch me."
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Happy birth, dear grandchild (4)
The photos I have been waiting for arrived during the night. Here's is mother and child checking each other out in wide-eyed wonder.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Happy birth, dear grandchild (3)
Aaliyah Jean Yvonne Hackworth, welcome to the world.
Late this afternoon I went to the Met where I swim 3-4 times a week and I told lots of folks that I had become a grandpa today and they all celebrated with me.
At noon Donny called me and told me that he cut the umbilical cord. Yeah, Donny! He also held her lots this morning. Hannah nursed her twice before 11:00 this morning. She is wrapped her pearents love.
Heidi arrived around 2:00 p.m. in time to take care of Aaliyah so that Hannah and Donny could rest. Yeah, Heidi!
Heidi is going to e-mail us photos. I can hardly wait to see photos of my precious little granddaughter. I'll post a photo on my blog.
Late this afternoon I went to the Met where I swim 3-4 times a week and I told lots of folks that I had become a grandpa today and they all celebrated with me.
At noon Donny called me and told me that he cut the umbilical cord. Yeah, Donny! He also held her lots this morning. Hannah nursed her twice before 11:00 this morning. She is wrapped her pearents love.
Heidi arrived around 2:00 p.m. in time to take care of Aaliyah so that Hannah and Donny could rest. Yeah, Heidi!
Heidi is going to e-mail us photos. I can hardly wait to see photos of my precious little granddaughter. I'll post a photo on my blog.
Happy birth, dear grandchild (2)
A child is born. At 8:32 a.m. Donny called me for 30 seconds to let me know that he and Hannah have a daughter. Her first name is Aaliyah. I can't remember her two middle names. She was 7 lbs., 8 oz.
Poor Sarah. I called her immediately to let her know she was grandma but her cell phone was off. She had started orientation for a new job at 8:30 a.m. and they must have told everyone to turn their cells phones off. She has to be suffering.
A few minutes later our daughter Heidi called from the Houston Airport. She had a layover on her journey from St. Louis to Jacksonville, FL to be with Hannah, Donny and Aaliya. Heidi had talked with Donny who said that Aaliyah has lots of dark hair. I'll post a photo as soon as I have one.
I had a meeting from 9:00 to 10:00 with no further calls from Donny. I hope all is well.
Thank you, Lord, for new life.
Poor Sarah. I called her immediately to let her know she was grandma but her cell phone was off. She had started orientation for a new job at 8:30 a.m. and they must have told everyone to turn their cells phones off. She has to be suffering.
A few minutes later our daughter Heidi called from the Houston Airport. She had a layover on her journey from St. Louis to Jacksonville, FL to be with Hannah, Donny and Aaliya. Heidi had talked with Donny who said that Aaliyah has lots of dark hair. I'll post a photo as soon as I have one.
I had a meeting from 9:00 to 10:00 with no further calls from Donny. I hope all is well.
Thank you, Lord, for new life.
Happy birth, dear grandchild (1)
Our first grandchild is about to be born. Hannah is in the hospital, Donny's taking great care of her and he's so excited to be a Dad. Any moment Sarah's and my first grandchild will be born. You can fellow a long in my joy today on this blog.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Sex, Money, and Power: What I'd like to say to the class of 2006
No one has invited me to speak at a graduation ceremony this year but if they did here’s what I’d say.
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2006, I skipped my two college graduation ceremonies because I had already spent enough time in class being bored. I assume you too have spent enough time listening to boring speakers so I’m going to address three attention-getting topics--sex, money, and power.
Only, I’m going to reverse the order and talk about sex last because I want to keep you and the administration on the edges of your seat.
Oh, yes, and as a bonus I’m going to talk about God too. I’m not sure what’s going to make the administration more nervous, me talking about sex or me talking about God.
But first money. Money is like water. You can only drink so much water in a day and you only need to spend so much money in a day. Drink 729 glasses of water in a day and you die. My basic attitude towards money is that the less you spend the less you have to earn which gives you more time for the important things in life like smiling at people.
Of course, if you stop drinking water you die too. So make a little, spend a little. That’s all you need to know about money.
All you need to know about power you can learn by becoming a parent. Give a newborn what she needs--warmth, food, touch, drink, and a clean diaper--and she grows. Now that’s power. But it’s usually not that simple. Often your new baby screams and you have no clue why. Here is your first lesson in power: people in power often do not know what to do. You turn to your husband or wife as your baby screams and you say, “What do we do now?” Here is your second lesson in power: people in power figure it out as they go.
Parents, be sure to thank your graduates. Not for making it through school but for the 729 lessons in good uses of power that they have given you.
Moving on to God. One day in 1956 when my Grandma was 53 she was reading the newspaper when she saw a story about a young mother in Grygla, the nearest town, who had died, leaving a husband, Elton Anderson, and two young girls, ages five and seven.
Grandma turned to Grandpa and said, “Oh, Emil, wouldn’t I just love to take care of those girls.”
A week later Grandpa, who was 20 years older than Grandma, had a stroke and died. A couple of weeks later Elton Anderson called Grandma and asked her to move to Grygla and take care of his two girls, Mayvonne and Donna. Many years later when Grandma told me this story she said, “God put those girls on my heart because he knew I was going to need something to do after Emil died.”
Graduates, a higher power has need of you.
Now, as promised, here’s what I have to say about sex. In the movie, Vanilla Sky, the Cameron Diaz character says to the Tom Cruise character, “Don't you know that when you sleep with someone, your body makes a promise whether you do or not?”
Graduates, get married and keep your promises.
Thank you very much, class of 2006, it’s been a pleasure.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Fixing people
Stop trying to fix them.
That was a subhead in Yona Lunken's e-letter that I received this morning. He went on to say, "As a culture we keep thinking that if we just point out someone’s weakness and then give them training for that weakness, they will be fixed. This just doesn’t happen."
As an undergraduate I studied social work and then earned a Master's degree in counseling. You could say I was interesated in fixing people. I didn't think training would fix people but I was focused on people's weaknesses and I thought counseling would fix people.
I'm not against counseling. People close to me have benefitted greatly from therapy.
Yet on my own journey I have begun to appreciate how each of us is a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. I don't spend a lot of time trying to fix my body so that I can walk long distances. Instead I hop in my wheelchair (well, not exactly hop--smile) and get busy doing the things I'm good at.
As Yona says, "Rather than trying to fix someone, find a way to diminish or ameliorate the effects of their weakness so that their talents can shine."
That's the wonder of families and workplaces. In groups our strengths and weaknesses fit together to create a beautiful mosaic.
I'm not talking about adultery or theft--those are mloral failures, not weaknesses. When I talk about weaknesses and strengths I'm talking about things like I am a pretty good writer and pretty lousy at keeping my office in order.
Our weaknesses naturally create space for other people's strengths.
You can subscribe to Yona's free ''Thinking Skills Seminars Newsletter'' by e-mailing him at thinking@a5.com.
(By the way, can anyone tell me how to create a link for an e-mail address in blogger so that the reader can click on the e-mail address and go directly to their e-mail program with the address inserted in the "To:" box?)
That was a subhead in Yona Lunken's e-letter that I received this morning. He went on to say, "As a culture we keep thinking that if we just point out someone’s weakness and then give them training for that weakness, they will be fixed. This just doesn’t happen."
As an undergraduate I studied social work and then earned a Master's degree in counseling. You could say I was interesated in fixing people. I didn't think training would fix people but I was focused on people's weaknesses and I thought counseling would fix people.
I'm not against counseling. People close to me have benefitted greatly from therapy.
Yet on my own journey I have begun to appreciate how each of us is a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. I don't spend a lot of time trying to fix my body so that I can walk long distances. Instead I hop in my wheelchair (well, not exactly hop--smile) and get busy doing the things I'm good at.
As Yona says, "Rather than trying to fix someone, find a way to diminish or ameliorate the effects of their weakness so that their talents can shine."
That's the wonder of families and workplaces. In groups our strengths and weaknesses fit together to create a beautiful mosaic.
I'm not talking about adultery or theft--those are mloral failures, not weaknesses. When I talk about weaknesses and strengths I'm talking about things like I am a pretty good writer and pretty lousy at keeping my office in order.
Our weaknesses naturally create space for other people's strengths.
You can subscribe to Yona's free ''Thinking Skills Seminars Newsletter'' by e-mailing him at thinking@a5.com.
(By the way, can anyone tell me how to create a link for an e-mail address in blogger so that the reader can click on the e-mail address and go directly to their e-mail program with the address inserted in the "To:" box?)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Living in a marketing world
Lately I've been meditating on Jesus of Nazareth's manifesto, aka the sermon on the mount. This morning a phrase caught my attention: "Where your treasure is, there your heart is also."
Where is my treasure?
Like most folks in the USA I live in a marketing world, a world that treasures things, experiences, security. etc. Looking around the room where I write this I can see well over 100 things that were made and marketed (lots of books).
At the moment I don't see what I treasure most--God and his people.
Yesterday after Plow Creek worship and our common lunch three little girls, Kora Behrens, Margret Moore, and Isa Newhouse climbed on me and my wheelchair and took a ride. I treasure the children of Plow Creek.
Lately I have been meeting with Bethany Davis, a young mother of three who moved to Plow Creek from Hawaii last August after her husband died. A stay-at-home Mom with a high school education, she is exploring where she fits in the world of work. I encouraged her to attend Evergreen Leaders recent workshop--The Listening Path--that helps people identify their talents.
During the Listening Path I ask particpants identify seven things there brain loves to do--recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior.
After the workshop I asked Bethany about her list of seven things her brain loves to do. Two themes emerged. Her brain loves facts and ideas and her brain loves to meet new people and to have new experiences. After we had talked a few minutes I asked her, "Have you ever considered doing marketing?" She was appalled at the idea. She saw marketing as equivalent to high pressure sales.
To give her a broader picture I gave her a couple of other examples of marketing. Kevin Behrens, a shy guy and the opposite of a high pressure, fast-talking salse person, does a great job of marketing Plow Creek Farm produce.
Kevin does everything from writing and producing the farm newsletter, taking photos, managing the farm website and during the growing season, he does the daily phone message updates. In the last couple years he has created a great relationship with Natural Direct, a new home delivery produce distributor in the western Chicago suburbs, making it possible for folks in the western suburbs to enjoy locally grown Plow Creek produce. He also creates the signs and the layout for our local self-service produce market.
Then I described to Bethany all the marketing I do for Evergreen Leaders, a nonprofit company I head that does leadership workshops and consulting to help nonprofits thrive in towns under 10,000.
As Bethany and I talked about the marketing I do for EGL Bethany kept coming up with ways to improve EGL's marketing.
"Bethany, you have a marketing brain," I said.
Last week Bethany committed to starting as a vounteer marketer for EGL. I've committed to spend time with her each week supplementing her raw talent for marketing with knowledge about how to market EGL. Also, she is going to take marketing classes at the local community college.
I treasure giving Bethany the opportunity to develop her marketing talent. One of the places I love to put my treasure is in helping people develop the talents God knit into them starting in the womb.
Where is my treasure?
Like most folks in the USA I live in a marketing world, a world that treasures things, experiences, security. etc. Looking around the room where I write this I can see well over 100 things that were made and marketed (lots of books).
At the moment I don't see what I treasure most--God and his people.
Yesterday after Plow Creek worship and our common lunch three little girls, Kora Behrens, Margret Moore, and Isa Newhouse climbed on me and my wheelchair and took a ride. I treasure the children of Plow Creek.
Lately I have been meeting with Bethany Davis, a young mother of three who moved to Plow Creek from Hawaii last August after her husband died. A stay-at-home Mom with a high school education, she is exploring where she fits in the world of work. I encouraged her to attend Evergreen Leaders recent workshop--The Listening Path--that helps people identify their talents.
During the Listening Path I ask particpants identify seven things there brain loves to do--recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior.
After the workshop I asked Bethany about her list of seven things her brain loves to do. Two themes emerged. Her brain loves facts and ideas and her brain loves to meet new people and to have new experiences. After we had talked a few minutes I asked her, "Have you ever considered doing marketing?" She was appalled at the idea. She saw marketing as equivalent to high pressure sales.
To give her a broader picture I gave her a couple of other examples of marketing. Kevin Behrens, a shy guy and the opposite of a high pressure, fast-talking salse person, does a great job of marketing Plow Creek Farm produce.
Kevin does everything from writing and producing the farm newsletter, taking photos, managing the farm website and during the growing season, he does the daily phone message updates. In the last couple years he has created a great relationship with Natural Direct, a new home delivery produce distributor in the western Chicago suburbs, making it possible for folks in the western suburbs to enjoy locally grown Plow Creek produce. He also creates the signs and the layout for our local self-service produce market.
Then I described to Bethany all the marketing I do for Evergreen Leaders, a nonprofit company I head that does leadership workshops and consulting to help nonprofits thrive in towns under 10,000.
As Bethany and I talked about the marketing I do for EGL Bethany kept coming up with ways to improve EGL's marketing.
"Bethany, you have a marketing brain," I said.
Last week Bethany committed to starting as a vounteer marketer for EGL. I've committed to spend time with her each week supplementing her raw talent for marketing with knowledge about how to market EGL. Also, she is going to take marketing classes at the local community college.
I treasure giving Bethany the opportunity to develop her marketing talent. One of the places I love to put my treasure is in helping people develop the talents God knit into them starting in the womb.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
The world's only diamond willow headboard maker
When Dad, who lives in northern Minnesota, was 79, a stranger stopped and asked him if there were any diamond willows growing in the area.
Dad didn't know. He had never heard of diamond willows. The man showed Dad some beautiful walking sticks he had made out of diamond willows.
Dad researched diamond willows on the Internet and then went looking for them. He discovered lots of diamond willows near our farm. "I've probably been walking by them since I was five years old and never knew they were there," he says.
Now Dad is 82, a man with his own diamond willow business and website, Foss Diamond Willows, and someone who is having more fun working than ever before. In fact, recently he told me, "Life begins at 80."
While I've been launching Evergreen Leaders, discovering how to create a nonprofit that can help other nonprofits thrive, Dad has been discovering how to create a thriving business.
When the board and I launched Evergreen Leaders we focused on developing leadership workshops for nonprofit staff. Recently we have added strategic planning and fund raising consulting services in addition to the workshops.
Dad began making diamond willow walking sticks and lamps and marketing them at craft shows. But he kept looking for bigger ticket items that he could make from diamond willows.
After he made a diamond willow bed a couple of people suggested that he make diamond willow headboards. When a customer happily paid $500 for a diamond willow headboard, that got Dad's attention.
Now he has created diamond willow headboards for every size of bed. As he's shown them to customers he's dicovered that his customers see the diamond willow headboards as a perfect addition to their lake homes.
I'm proud of my Dad--the world's first maker of diamond willow headboards.
Dad didn't know. He had never heard of diamond willows. The man showed Dad some beautiful walking sticks he had made out of diamond willows.
Dad researched diamond willows on the Internet and then went looking for them. He discovered lots of diamond willows near our farm. "I've probably been walking by them since I was five years old and never knew they were there," he says.
Now Dad is 82, a man with his own diamond willow business and website, Foss Diamond Willows, and someone who is having more fun working than ever before. In fact, recently he told me, "Life begins at 80."
While I've been launching Evergreen Leaders, discovering how to create a nonprofit that can help other nonprofits thrive, Dad has been discovering how to create a thriving business.
When the board and I launched Evergreen Leaders we focused on developing leadership workshops for nonprofit staff. Recently we have added strategic planning and fund raising consulting services in addition to the workshops.
Dad began making diamond willow walking sticks and lamps and marketing them at craft shows. But he kept looking for bigger ticket items that he could make from diamond willows.
After he made a diamond willow bed a couple of people suggested that he make diamond willow headboards. When a customer happily paid $500 for a diamond willow headboard, that got Dad's attention.
Now he has created diamond willow headboards for every size of bed. As he's shown them to customers he's dicovered that his customers see the diamond willow headboards as a perfect addition to their lake homes.
I'm proud of my Dad--the world's first maker of diamond willow headboards.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
A thousand mouths
This week I wrote a poem for the Easter sun rise service Erin Kindy and I lead this morning.
Here's a bit of background on the poem. This week the Plow Creek farmers planted strawberries. They order the plants from a distributor in Indiana who purchases them from a grower in California. The plants are refrigerated until it's time to plant them.
We sell a lot of strawberries each June. Last year Kevin Behrens, who does our marketing, said that by the end of the season he felt like he was pushing tons strawberries into people.
Of course, the poem has several Biblical allusions as well. Erin and I used Jesus' metaphor about his death and resurrection in the call to worship:
I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
In the last part of the poem I use the metaphor of tasting drawn the phrase in the psalm, "taste and see that the Lord is good."
A Thousand Mouths
By Rich Foss
Tender Plow Creek hands
lifted little green shoots
from a refrigerator this holy week,
hands like those of a rich man from Aramathia
tenderly wrapping a body
and hefting it into a rocky tomb.
Ah, the grief of a single grain of wheat
clinging to life.
Hand and machine ripped open the field--
now strawberry shoots dwell
in Plow Creek soil,
roots caressed by earth.
A body housed in hewn rock,
lifeless, breathless,
three days of stillness
before the startle.
June is coming when earth and plant
fling tons of strawberries into the air,
succulent to a thousand mouths.
He is risen,
tasting with a thousand generations
the raw goodness of resurrection.
Here's a bit of background on the poem. This week the Plow Creek farmers planted strawberries. They order the plants from a distributor in Indiana who purchases them from a grower in California. The plants are refrigerated until it's time to plant them.
We sell a lot of strawberries each June. Last year Kevin Behrens, who does our marketing, said that by the end of the season he felt like he was pushing tons strawberries into people.
Of course, the poem has several Biblical allusions as well. Erin and I used Jesus' metaphor about his death and resurrection in the call to worship:
I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
In the last part of the poem I use the metaphor of tasting drawn the phrase in the psalm, "taste and see that the Lord is good."
A Thousand Mouths
By Rich Foss
Tender Plow Creek hands
lifted little green shoots
from a refrigerator this holy week,
hands like those of a rich man from Aramathia
tenderly wrapping a body
and hefting it into a rocky tomb.
Ah, the grief of a single grain of wheat
clinging to life.
Hand and machine ripped open the field--
now strawberry shoots dwell
in Plow Creek soil,
roots caressed by earth.
A body housed in hewn rock,
lifeless, breathless,
three days of stillness
before the startle.
June is coming when earth and plant
fling tons of strawberries into the air,
succulent to a thousand mouths.
He is risen,
tasting with a thousand generations
the raw goodness of resurrection.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Shall we dance?
This afternoon I suggested Sarah pick up a video and she came home with Shall We Dance? a remake of a Japanese film that stars Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. Sarah loves dance but I had my doubts. After all, I don't move well due to my disability...all I could think of was watching a movie that reminded me of my shortcomings as Sarah's man.
At first the movie confirmed my fears as Richard Gere secretly pursues ballroom dancing lessons, unable to reveal that side of himself to his wife. Does Sarah secretly wish she could dance with someone who could move freely?
But then to my astonishment the movie flows into powerfully affirmation Richard Gere's marriage. At one point Peter Gabriel's "The Book of Love" was playing in the background and tears were welling up in my eyes:
Sarah, my heart is a ballroom for you. Shall we dance?
At first the movie confirmed my fears as Richard Gere secretly pursues ballroom dancing lessons, unable to reveal that side of himself to his wife. Does Sarah secretly wish she could dance with someone who could move freely?
But then to my astonishment the movie flows into powerfully affirmation Richard Gere's marriage. At one point Peter Gabriel's "The Book of Love" was playing in the background and tears were welling up in my eyes:
The book of love is long and boring...
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
Sarah, my heart is a ballroom for you. Shall we dance?
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Sometimes life is as brutal...
Sometimes when I need a break I wander the web. This afternoon I wandered to Kevin Rains' blog and discovered that Mark Palmer died.
I don't know Mark Palmer. I only know he's a friend of Kevin's and he had cancer. I clicked on Kevin's link to Mark Palmer's blog. Mark's last post was 3/25/06. He talked about celebrating his four year-old son Micah's birthday.
His wife has written three entries since his death, starting on 3/27/06 with: My lover is gone...
Sometimes life is as brutal as an eagle swooping over a rabbit.
Mark's last words in his blog were to his son, Micah, who is named after the prophet:
Happy birthday little prophet, may you be filled with the blessings of peace, hope, and love.
Sometimes life is as tearing and tender as the blessing of a dying man.
I don't know Mark Palmer. I only know he's a friend of Kevin's and he had cancer. I clicked on Kevin's link to Mark Palmer's blog. Mark's last post was 3/25/06. He talked about celebrating his four year-old son Micah's birthday.
His wife has written three entries since his death, starting on 3/27/06 with: My lover is gone...
Sometimes life is as brutal as an eagle swooping over a rabbit.
Mark's last words in his blog were to his son, Micah, who is named after the prophet:
Happy birthday little prophet, may you be filled with the blessings of peace, hope, and love.
Sometimes life is as tearing and tender as the blessing of a dying man.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Laughing and weeping
Yesterday morning, as I have done for months, I prayed for the Christian Peacemaker Team members being held in Baghdad. At first I prayed for four, then three after Tom Fox's body was found a couple weeks ago.
When I was done with my quiet time I turned on my computer and my Inside Yahoo! screen popped up declaring the CPTers had been freed. What great joyful news.
Later Erin Kindy, one of our church members who is active in CPT came over and we rejoiced together that the three CPTers were released without a bullet being fired. Talk about an answer to many prayers.
As the news has unfolded in the day since they have been released the three who were from Canada and Britain indicated that they had not been mistreated while in captivity.
That likely means that Tom Fox was tortured and killed for being an American. People get upset when their country is invaded.
That reminds me of fifteen months ago when I was in the Miami area between Christmas and New Years. One day my wife and daughters decided to visit a huge mall. I stayed in the van to snooze but soon found myself in a conversation with a New York building contractor who divided his time between New York and Florida.
"I wish I could sit down with President Bush," he said. "I'd tell him he has blood on his hands."
When you listen to people, even strangers, you hear interesting things.
On the news last night a newscaster said that CPT does not use security so they were easy targets for kidnapping.
Tom Fox was a sacrificial lamb for the blood on American hands. Of course, some Iraqis have his blood on their hands too.
Bullets fly in circles, bloodying the hands of those who pull the trigger. A wise friend of mine once said, "They that live by the sword, die by the sword."
I take quiet pleasure in knowing the Christian Peacemaker Teams will not bloody any of the Swords of Righteousness Brigade who took Tom Fox and the other CPTers.
When I was done with my quiet time I turned on my computer and my Inside Yahoo! screen popped up declaring the CPTers had been freed. What great joyful news.
Later Erin Kindy, one of our church members who is active in CPT came over and we rejoiced together that the three CPTers were released without a bullet being fired. Talk about an answer to many prayers.
As the news has unfolded in the day since they have been released the three who were from Canada and Britain indicated that they had not been mistreated while in captivity.
That likely means that Tom Fox was tortured and killed for being an American. People get upset when their country is invaded.
That reminds me of fifteen months ago when I was in the Miami area between Christmas and New Years. One day my wife and daughters decided to visit a huge mall. I stayed in the van to snooze but soon found myself in a conversation with a New York building contractor who divided his time between New York and Florida.
"I wish I could sit down with President Bush," he said. "I'd tell him he has blood on his hands."
When you listen to people, even strangers, you hear interesting things.
On the news last night a newscaster said that CPT does not use security so they were easy targets for kidnapping.
Tom Fox was a sacrificial lamb for the blood on American hands. Of course, some Iraqis have his blood on their hands too.
Bullets fly in circles, bloodying the hands of those who pull the trigger. A wise friend of mine once said, "They that live by the sword, die by the sword."
I take quiet pleasure in knowing the Christian Peacemaker Teams will not bloody any of the Swords of Righteousness Brigade who took Tom Fox and the other CPTers.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Grieving Tom Fox
I am mourning the death of Tom Fox, a Christian Peacemaker Team member whose body was found last Thursday in Baghdad, bound with gunshots to the head.
Plow Creek has sent three of our members to Colombia and Hebron to serve with CPT, and the father of one of our members, Erin Kindy, has spent much time in Iraq with the CPT team there.
So this news story is more than a news story.
It also hits close to home because my wife's father went to Ethiopia in 1950 as a missionary and was shot and killed.
People who go to dangerous places out of obedience to the Lord sometimes are killed and family and friends are left behind to grieve.
Remarkably, the day before he was taken captive, Tom Fox wrote a reflection on why he and CPT are in Iraq.
Three CPTers are still being held captive. Lord have mercy on they and their captors.
Plow Creek has sent three of our members to Colombia and Hebron to serve with CPT, and the father of one of our members, Erin Kindy, has spent much time in Iraq with the CPT team there.
So this news story is more than a news story.
It also hits close to home because my wife's father went to Ethiopia in 1950 as a missionary and was shot and killed.
People who go to dangerous places out of obedience to the Lord sometimes are killed and family and friends are left behind to grieve.
Remarkably, the day before he was taken captive, Tom Fox wrote a reflection on why he and CPT are in Iraq.
Three CPTers are still being held captive. Lord have mercy on they and their captors.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
What's wrong with employer-based healthcare?
Six years ago Malcolm Gladwell author of Blink and Turning Point debated a proponent of the Canadian system of healthcare.
Galdwell has changed his mind. He now says that employer-based healthcare makes about as much sense as employer-based transportation. You know, if you lived in New York and lost your job "you would either have to walk or pay a prohibitively expensive subway surcharge."
Check out his blog.
Galdwell has changed his mind. He now says that employer-based healthcare makes about as much sense as employer-based transportation. You know, if you lived in New York and lost your job "you would either have to walk or pay a prohibitively expensive subway surcharge."
Check out his blog.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Evergreen Leaders Drill Down 6
My brain is still working on simple, powerful words and concepts to create a clear focus for EGL.
For the last couple of years I've often said to people that EGL provides leadership training to people who would not otherwise have access to it. When I've said that I was thinking about people in small nonprofits, small business, etc. A couple days ago it occured to me that people in leadership and management in small towns--whether they are small businesses, nonprofits, public sector, or churches--do not have access to leadership seminars in their towns at an affordable cost. So here's EGL mission version 6:
EGL helps
• nonprofits, small businesses, govermental units, and churches in towns under 10,000
• to be great workplaces
• and to transform the lives of service recipients.
For the last couple of years I've often said to people that EGL provides leadership training to people who would not otherwise have access to it. When I've said that I was thinking about people in small nonprofits, small business, etc. A couple days ago it occured to me that people in leadership and management in small towns--whether they are small businesses, nonprofits, public sector, or churches--do not have access to leadership seminars in their towns at an affordable cost. So here's EGL mission version 6:
EGL helps
• nonprofits, small businesses, govermental units, and churches in towns under 10,000
• to be great workplaces
• and to transform the lives of service recipients.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Evergreen Leaders Drill Down 5
I'm still trying to drill deep enough to find simple words to describe what EGL is trying to achieve. Every business and nonprofit exists to make life better for somebody. Whose lives is EGL trying to make better? What will happen when lives are been touched by EGL?
I'm looking for a way to describe EGL's mission so that excitement flows like an artesian well for all connected with EGL.
Here's another version:
EGL helps
• companies (nonprofit and for profit) that employ service people for $12 an hour or less
• to be great workplaces and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms providing management seminars to small businesses and nonprofits.
Now I think I am really close to pay dirt.
I'm looking for a way to describe EGL's mission so that excitement flows like an artesian well for all connected with EGL.
Here's another version:
EGL helps
• companies (nonprofit and for profit) that employ service people for $12 an hour or less
• to be great workplaces and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms providing management seminars to small businesses and nonprofits.
Now I think I am really close to pay dirt.
Talents and laughter
Among Rick Reha's talents is eclectic reading--science fiction, theology, art history, music instrument making publications, and much more.
Talent, according to the Gallup Organization research, is "a recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied."
Here's how Rick recently applied his talent for reading. He recently read Holy Humor by Cal Samra. He passed the book along to Jim Fitz.
Jim, when he's not traveling as part of his peace-making ministry stays three night's a week with Jim and Donna Harnish, Plow Creek's most senior members. He brought ''Holy Humor'' with him to Harnishes'. He leaves the book there and each evening he stays with the Harnishes he reads to Jim.
Fitz has a talent for connecting with people. "It's more fun reading a humor book with someone. When I read the book to Jim he often has funny stories to tell," he says.
Getting old gracefully is not for the faint of heart. Donna had a stroke seven or eight years ago and has not been able to speak or walk since. Jim and others at Plow Creek have faithfully cared for her since her stroke. Now Jim H.'s health has deteriorated to the point where he can no longer drive and he mostly uses a wheelchair to get around their apartment.
Still he's a great conversationalist. He enjoys discussing the politics of hope for the poor, telling stories, and laughing at the occasional absurdity of life.
When I'm old and can't get out and about I'm looking forward to people sharing talents, moments of absurdity, and laughter with me.
Talent, according to the Gallup Organization research, is "a recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied."
Here's how Rick recently applied his talent for reading. He recently read Holy Humor by Cal Samra. He passed the book along to Jim Fitz.
Jim, when he's not traveling as part of his peace-making ministry stays three night's a week with Jim and Donna Harnish, Plow Creek's most senior members. He brought ''Holy Humor'' with him to Harnishes'. He leaves the book there and each evening he stays with the Harnishes he reads to Jim.
Fitz has a talent for connecting with people. "It's more fun reading a humor book with someone. When I read the book to Jim he often has funny stories to tell," he says.
Getting old gracefully is not for the faint of heart. Donna had a stroke seven or eight years ago and has not been able to speak or walk since. Jim and others at Plow Creek have faithfully cared for her since her stroke. Now Jim H.'s health has deteriorated to the point where he can no longer drive and he mostly uses a wheelchair to get around their apartment.
Still he's a great conversationalist. He enjoys discussing the politics of hope for the poor, telling stories, and laughing at the occasional absurdity of life.
When I'm old and can't get out and about I'm looking forward to people sharing talents, moments of absurdity, and laughter with me.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
A better way than "guilty victim"
Even though pastors and leaders have power they sometimes feel powerless. Watch out when leaders feel powerless because they tend to notch up the power of their actions to overcome their feelings of powerlessness and people get hurt.
But there's a better way to deal with feelings of powerlessness.
Take me. On Saturday I was part of an all day retreat of the communal group I belong to--Plow Creek Fellowship. Late in the day I said something and another person disagreed with me. Of course, I thought my idea was great and would benefit the group. That's what leaders tend to think about their thinking (:lol:).
It wasn't the time or the place for us to work out the disagreement. Later I found myself still fretting about the exchange. "No matter what I say," I thought, "he's going to disagree with me."
Even as I thought that I knew it made no sense. After all, earlier in the day I had said something and the same person had strongly agreed with me.
When I start making mental blanket negative statements about another person I know it's usually a carry over from another experience, often a childhood experience.
On Sunday morning in my quiet time I said, "Okay, Lord, where did this idea that no matter what I say I'm going to be opposed come from"
I immediately thought of an incident with my younger sister. We were out playing or working and I did something that upset her. I don't remember what it was but I remember her response. "I'm going to call the sheriff on you," she screamed, "because you are the guilty victim."
Ah yes, I thought, my little sister was feeling powerless and she wanted to get the sheriff on her side to to overpower me.
Since I've been a pastor and leader for most of my adult life I've often had people "yell" at me because I have so much power and they feel they have so little that they need to "yell" to be heard.
Then I end up feeling like the "guilty victim." I feel guilty because the person was hurt or frightened by my leadership. When I have wronged a person in my pastoral role, it actually makes it easier because I can apologize and take responsibility.
But I feel like a guilty victim when I offer my best as a leader and someone feels threatened and in fear of being overpowered "yells" at me and looks for a "sheriff" to overpower me.
Okay, Jesus, you must have a better way of seeing the situation with my sister and similar situations.
Immediately I sensed Jesus says, "Richard, you are an innocent equal and you should lay down your life for others."
That's given me something to ponder for several days.
But there's a better way to deal with feelings of powerlessness.
Take me. On Saturday I was part of an all day retreat of the communal group I belong to--Plow Creek Fellowship. Late in the day I said something and another person disagreed with me. Of course, I thought my idea was great and would benefit the group. That's what leaders tend to think about their thinking (:lol:).
It wasn't the time or the place for us to work out the disagreement. Later I found myself still fretting about the exchange. "No matter what I say," I thought, "he's going to disagree with me."
Even as I thought that I knew it made no sense. After all, earlier in the day I had said something and the same person had strongly agreed with me.
When I start making mental blanket negative statements about another person I know it's usually a carry over from another experience, often a childhood experience.
On Sunday morning in my quiet time I said, "Okay, Lord, where did this idea that no matter what I say I'm going to be opposed come from"
I immediately thought of an incident with my younger sister. We were out playing or working and I did something that upset her. I don't remember what it was but I remember her response. "I'm going to call the sheriff on you," she screamed, "because you are the guilty victim."
Ah yes, I thought, my little sister was feeling powerless and she wanted to get the sheriff on her side to to overpower me.
Since I've been a pastor and leader for most of my adult life I've often had people "yell" at me because I have so much power and they feel they have so little that they need to "yell" to be heard.
Then I end up feeling like the "guilty victim." I feel guilty because the person was hurt or frightened by my leadership. When I have wronged a person in my pastoral role, it actually makes it easier because I can apologize and take responsibility.
But I feel like a guilty victim when I offer my best as a leader and someone feels threatened and in fear of being overpowered "yells" at me and looks for a "sheriff" to overpower me.
Okay, Jesus, you must have a better way of seeing the situation with my sister and similar situations.
Immediately I sensed Jesus says, "Richard, you are an innocent equal and you should lay down your life for others."
That's given me something to ponder for several days.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Evergreen Leaders Drill Down 4
Again using Caver's approach for nonprofit boards, here's an end statement for Evergreen Leaders:
EGL helps
• nonprofits employing direct service professionals for under $12 an hour
• to be great workplaces and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms providing management seminars to nonprofits.
I'm still contemplating the third bullet. It's an attempt to answer the question, "At what cost will EGL provide the services?" It's easy to compare the cost of our workshops to companies like CareerTrack and Skillpath but it's not so easy to compare board training and consulting, two other services EGL provides to nonprofits. I'll have to do more research.
EGL helps
• nonprofits employing direct service professionals for under $12 an hour
• to be great workplaces and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms providing management seminars to nonprofits.
I'm still contemplating the third bullet. It's an attempt to answer the question, "At what cost will EGL provide the services?" It's easy to compare the cost of our workshops to companies like CareerTrack and Skillpath but it's not so easy to compare board training and consulting, two other services EGL provides to nonprofits. I'll have to do more research.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Evergreen Leaders drill down 3
I continue to ponder Evergreen Leaders function and form--thanks for raising the issue, Tutuk. Here's another drill down:
'EGL gives
• nonprofit organizations that employ direct service professionals for under $10 an hour
• the tools to be a great workplace and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms that provide management seminars to small businesses and nonprofits.''
Thanks to John Carver who says nonprofit boards ought to set expectations for success by defining the purpose of the organizations in three areas:
• results
• for which recipients
• at what worth.
'EGL gives
• nonprofit organizations that employ direct service professionals for under $10 an hour
• the tools to be a great workplace and to transform the lives of service recipients
• at a cost comparable to national firms that provide management seminars to small businesses and nonprofits.''
Thanks to John Carver who says nonprofit boards ought to set expectations for success by defining the purpose of the organizations in three areas:
• results
• for which recipients
• at what worth.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Evergreen Leaders drill down 2
Since yesterday I've continued to ponder who is Evergreen Leaders audience and what changes do we offer them. Let's try this one on:
EGL gives nonprofit organizations that employ direct service professionals for under $10 an hour the tools to be a great workplace that transforms the lives of service recipients.
EGL gives nonprofit organizations that employ direct service professionals for under $10 an hour the tools to be a great workplace that transforms the lives of service recipients.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Evergreen Leaders drill down 1
Hmmm. It's been three weeks since I did a post.
I've been thinking about using my blog to drill down deep to the core of Evergreen Leaders. In my December 13 entry I told the story of EGL board member Tutuk Horning holding up a flower at the November EGL board meeting and saying, "I do not know how to describe the form and function of Evergreen Leaders."
Evergreen Leaders has a mission, "To give ordinary people the tools to help their groups thrive." But that's too vague. It doesn't describe the form and the function. Ordinary people is a little too broad. There are a lot of ordinary people in the world. Groups is a little too broad. There are a lot of groups in this world.
So let's drill down and see if we can discover gold--the form and function of Evergreen Leaders.
Let's start drilling by looking at who we are helping--ordinary people. I'm thinking about the people who are the lowest on the rung in businesses and nonprofits.
That's too broad also. Let's talk about the people who are on the lowest rung in nonprofits that provide services to the elderly and people with developmental services.
That's too broad too because that means we are aiming at two fields--the industry that cares for people with developmental disabilities and the eldercare field. In business terms that two industries.
It's so hard for me to choose one of those fields. Since I have the most experience with field that provides services to people with developmental disabilities, it makes most sense that we focus there. Also, we have two board membes who work in that field.
For the time being, let's assume we are going to focus on nonprofits who provide services to adults with developmental disabilities.
The next question: What function will we provide to the developmental disabilities field? What do they need that we can provide?
Okay, let me do a first draft: Our function will be to provide educatioanl tools that will make it possible for front line managers and workers to thrive on the job.
Ok. That's enough for tonight. It's a start. Now I need to get people to make comments and help with this Evergreen Leaders drill down.
I've been thinking about using my blog to drill down deep to the core of Evergreen Leaders. In my December 13 entry I told the story of EGL board member Tutuk Horning holding up a flower at the November EGL board meeting and saying, "I do not know how to describe the form and function of Evergreen Leaders."
Evergreen Leaders has a mission, "To give ordinary people the tools to help their groups thrive." But that's too vague. It doesn't describe the form and the function. Ordinary people is a little too broad. There are a lot of ordinary people in the world. Groups is a little too broad. There are a lot of groups in this world.
So let's drill down and see if we can discover gold--the form and function of Evergreen Leaders.
Let's start drilling by looking at who we are helping--ordinary people. I'm thinking about the people who are the lowest on the rung in businesses and nonprofits.
That's too broad also. Let's talk about the people who are on the lowest rung in nonprofits that provide services to the elderly and people with developmental services.
That's too broad too because that means we are aiming at two fields--the industry that cares for people with developmental disabilities and the eldercare field. In business terms that two industries.
It's so hard for me to choose one of those fields. Since I have the most experience with field that provides services to people with developmental disabilities, it makes most sense that we focus there. Also, we have two board membes who work in that field.
For the time being, let's assume we are going to focus on nonprofits who provide services to adults with developmental disabilities.
The next question: What function will we provide to the developmental disabilities field? What do they need that we can provide?
Okay, let me do a first draft: Our function will be to provide educatioanl tools that will make it possible for front line managers and workers to thrive on the job.
Ok. That's enough for tonight. It's a start. Now I need to get people to make comments and help with this Evergreen Leaders drill down.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
One more holy night
Last night we gathered in a plain room, sang Christmas carols, prayed and listened to scripture readings.
It was the Plow Creek Christmas Eve service, an annual event that brings together those of us who are not traveling to see family and those of us who traveled to Plow Creek to see family.
We sat in a rough circle of folding chairs. On a small table in the center of the room a single white Christ candle burned.
As we sang about a baby being born the candle flickered.
Sarah read, "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world".
We sat there crazy enough to believe and sing about God shrinking from creator of the universe to a baby.
As we sang the Christ candle burned.
Then Emily Fitz, home from physician's assistant school in California, handed out candles and we formed one large circle around the room. Someone dimmed the lights until the candle at the center was the bright.
Then Louise Stahnke, who led worship, lit her candle from the Christ candle in the middle of the room. Then she lit two other people's candles who each lit the candle of a person next to them.
Rick Reha started us singing "Silent Night, Holy Night."
As we sang, slowly the fire and light from the Christ candle passed from candle to candle along each side of the circle.
Five year-old Helen Moore with long brown hair and churubic face stood next to me. When her candle was lit she turned and solemnly lit my candle. Then I turned and lit Sarah's candle.
We sang cheerfully, gratefully, believing that this baby, born oh so long ago, became a man who passed on such powerful love from his Dad in heaven that it is possible for us to love one another...and even our enemies.
The darkness did not have a chance. As we sang the room filled with flickering candle light.
It was the Plow Creek Christmas Eve service, an annual event that brings together those of us who are not traveling to see family and those of us who traveled to Plow Creek to see family.
We sat in a rough circle of folding chairs. On a small table in the center of the room a single white Christ candle burned.
As we sang about a baby being born the candle flickered.
Sarah read, "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world".
We sat there crazy enough to believe and sing about God shrinking from creator of the universe to a baby.
As we sang the Christ candle burned.
Then Emily Fitz, home from physician's assistant school in California, handed out candles and we formed one large circle around the room. Someone dimmed the lights until the candle at the center was the bright.
Then Louise Stahnke, who led worship, lit her candle from the Christ candle in the middle of the room. Then she lit two other people's candles who each lit the candle of a person next to them.
Rick Reha started us singing "Silent Night, Holy Night."
As we sang, slowly the fire and light from the Christ candle passed from candle to candle along each side of the circle.
Five year-old Helen Moore with long brown hair and churubic face stood next to me. When her candle was lit she turned and solemnly lit my candle. Then I turned and lit Sarah's candle.
We sang cheerfully, gratefully, believing that this baby, born oh so long ago, became a man who passed on such powerful love from his Dad in heaven that it is possible for us to love one another...and even our enemies.
The darkness did not have a chance. As we sang the room filled with flickering candle light.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Two brains
When he finished with the problems I stopped reading and checked his work. He had done the problems with 98% accuracy. Maybe he was right. Maybe he does have two brains.
When it comes to figuring out the next directions for Evergreen Leaders I am working with two brains--my spiritual brain and my other brain.
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