Pedantry has a bad name. When we are nitpicking, finicky, or fussy, especially about trifling matters, we may be very annoying to our colleagues (and others). And yet … When we need attention to detail, precision, accuracy, or compliance with legal or best practice standards, a certain level of thoroughness is actually a prerequisite. Focal… Continue reading The ‘Helpful Pedant’
Tag: strategy
Doorways, Gateways, Passages, & Portals of Change
A common theme encountered in discussions with my mentees concerns career progression. Sometimes the starting point for that discussion is a general sense of dissatisfaction with circumstances at their current workplace or in their current role. When this becomes evident I am prompted to caution them against moving away from the problem in preference to… Continue reading Doorways, Gateways, Passages, & Portals of Change
Organisation Building – Stone by Metaphoric Stone
In organisations, building, architecture, and construction metaphors are frequently used to describe various aspects of structure, growth, and development. We use these metaphors to help convey complex ideas in a more relatable and visual manner, making it easier for people to understand and engage with organisational concepts. From ‘organisational architecture’ to ‘service blueprints’ and ‘policy… Continue reading Organisation Building – Stone by Metaphoric Stone
The Wisdom of Epimetheus: Igniting Sparks & Fighting Fires
Paradoxically, nonprofit leaders are charged with igniting sparks of creativity and innovation while at the same time being watchful for grass fires, or worse, burning platforms. ‘Stealing fire from heaven’ In Greek mythology, Prometheus was associated with innovation. His name meant ‘forethinker’, from which we can discern his role as an archetype of all futurists,… Continue reading The Wisdom of Epimetheus: Igniting Sparks & Fighting Fires
Combating Conflict: Negotiating Interests
The ‘view from the balcony’ was recently offered as a perspective that could assist with the resolution of conflicted positions during negotiations. Further reflections on this theme are offered here. Types of Conflict Illustrating the diversity of matters we may find ourselves conflicted about, the partial typology below offers just five conflict types for each… Continue reading Combating Conflict: Negotiating Interests
Elevating perspectives
The view from a high (or higher) vantage point has long been linked with strategic thinking and action. While often used in a military context, there is also a long tradition of symbolically linking elevated positions with elevated thinking about much broader concerns. A selection of symbolic references to various ‘elevated perspectives’ is offered in… Continue reading Elevating perspectives
Stacking and Chunking in Everything We Do
My previous post ‘Singing from the same song sheet‘, suggested that service blueprints and strategy execution plans could be likened to musical scores. In commenting on the structural similarities, the ‘stacking’ of singing parts in a choral arrangement was compared with the ‘stacking’ of strategic goals in a coordinated organisational strategy. In the broadest sense,… Continue reading Stacking and Chunking in Everything We Do
Singing from the same song sheet
The ‘organisation as orchestra‘ metaphor has long been used to evoke the concept of functionally arranged clusters of people harmonising in their delivery of a work program. In a recent presentation to a regional group of IML (Institute of Managers and Leaders) members, I used a choir metaphor for similar purposes. While singers in the… Continue reading Singing from the same song sheet
Promoting Personal & Organisational Agency – Agency Part 1
In its simplest form, ‘agency‘ can be defined as the ability to take action. We refer to a person’s agency in terms of their capacity to influence the course of events that shape their lives. By extension, we describe organisational agency in terms of the collective capacity of its people and resources to effect changes… Continue reading Promoting Personal & Organisational Agency – Agency Part 1
Fusing experience and expectation in decision-making
Time and timing considerations are central to most decisions we make as nonprofit leaders. Planning involves using past and present data to adopt targets for future work. It also involves scheduling tasks and activities, monitoring and reporting cycles, deadlines, and time-sequencing of processes (including coordination of serial and parallel processes e.g., using Gantt Charts). Time… Continue reading Fusing experience and expectation in decision-making