I recall a time during my nonprofit leadership experience during which I was wildly irritated every time someone complained about “lack of transparency.” Defensiveness would kick in and I’d immediately have thoughts along these lines: Now, all of these things might be true, AND… I have an evolving hypothesis. I Read more
Let’s talk about toxic workplaces in the nonprofit sector. So many people I talk to have either experienced a toxic workplace, are experiencing one currently, or know someone who is. I know many people (myself included) who have left toxic jobs. And it is hard. People in these roles often Read more
This week I read the funniest book review I have ever read. Yes, it was on Goodreads, and we’ve already established that I don’t really love the reviews on Goodreads. I am usually annoyed by them and always take them with a grain of salt. Here’s what happened. I was Read more
Healthy organizations will spend time developing a core set of values that drive the way they work as an organization. It is important to have clarity on values because it provides an anchor for providing feedback when someone has fallen short of the agreed upon expectations. But are work values Read more
When I work with clients on goal setting, we talk about two different types of professional goals. A lot of organizations now have fairly robust and supportive annual goal setting processes. Each year, managers work with employees to set individual goals aligned with organizational goals, and check in with them Read more
I am returning from my Labor Day hiatus with a topic that is a little different this week: the dismissal of women’s pain in healthcare. This weekend I listened to a podcast series called “The Retrievals” that was published in the summer of 2023. Below is a link to the Read more
It’s been a while since I’ve written about what I’m reading. As the summer draws to a close, it seems like a good time to check in on that. Before we get there, however, let’s talk a little bit about the value of reading. I see a lot of posts Read more
Earlier this year, I wrote something for the blog that struck a nerve with lots of people. What was the post? Five Signs Your Boss Might be Making You Sick. Turns out there are a lot of toxic bosses out there. I didn’t get a lot of public engagement with Read more
The other day I described my brain as an air popper without the lid on. Or at least with the bowl in the wrong position. (If you haven’t ever had an air popper, watch this, imagine leaving the top of the chute off, and you’ll get a picture of how Read more
My book coach says there’s no such thing as writer’s block. There are things that get in your way, there are barriers, for sure. But something about the term “writer’s block” doesn’t work for her. Maybe it’s that it feels unfixable as opposed to digging into WHY you’ve hit a Read more