Tempo – yet another dimension of temporality Many years ago my piano teacher introduced me to the metronome, and its use as an aid to practicing. I started slowly at first, and then sped up as I grew more confident with either my sight reading or my familiarity with the particular piece of music I… Continue reading Hurry Up and Slow Down
Tag: quality improvement
‘Time is of the essence’: temporal factors in NFP productivity & efficiency
The phrase ‘time is of the essence‘ is usually employed to indicate that timely performance is an essential obligation under a contract. In the context of our thinking about temporal factors in nonprofit governance and management though, we can apply the phrase more broadly to productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness concerns. Temporal language pervades our discourse.… Continue reading ‘Time is of the essence’: temporal factors in NFP productivity & efficiency
Questioning Frameworks and Options
My previous post highlighted the choices we make to pay attention to certain perspectives (and ignore others) when engaging in deliberations and decision-making. Earlier posts have also canvassed a wide range of models and frameworks that can be adapted for uses suitable to your nonprofit governance or management circumstances. De Bono’s six thinking hats, design… Continue reading Questioning Frameworks and Options
Attending to Attention and Intention
And so, we turn our attention to … attention itself – especially as we apply it in deliberative and decision-making processes. As with most reflective practice, this involves us being both participant and observer. While participating in the use of attention, we simultaneously (or intermittently) observe our engagement with attention methods, qualities, and levels. Such… Continue reading Attending to Attention and Intention
Aspirational Governance – Inspiring Great Outcomes
We sometimes refer to aspirational goals as ones we might hope to achieve, while suspecting that they are beyond our reach. Yet, without aspiring to achieve great things, no great things can actually happen. So it is with nonprofit governance aspirations. Aspiring to be compliant doesn’t offer much inspiration to your stakeholders, or your team.… Continue reading Aspirational Governance – Inspiring Great Outcomes
Board evaluation done? Now what?
The risk with some board effectiveness evaluations is that they can be mere box-ticking exercises. Everyone is time-poor, and reflecting on your structures, roles, processes, and performance may feel like navel-gazing to some. If your annual board evaluation simply puts some ratings against a checklist of questions, it won’t lead to identifying opportunities for improvement.… Continue reading Board evaluation done? Now what?