i have always loved trying to understand systems, and the systems that built those systems. i spend a lot of time thinking about how to get there from here. I own/consult at futureemergent.com.
essay
The Golden Rule is a central Christian tenet for most practitioners. For the unfamiliar the saying means (roughly), “treat others how you yourself want them to treat you.” Professor Leonard Swidler writes that similar sayings sprung up in at least four places in 6th century B.C. He also describes
walkthroughs
I’ve written about the advice process many times since I started this blog. It’s one of the most thrilling discoveries I made after I entered senior leadership. The advice process upended everything I hated about hierarchy and top-down decision making. In most companies major decisions fall to the
working
In community health, circumstances are everything. We can’t improve health at a population level until we understand those circumstances. One way community health practitioners do this is with a windshield survey. A windshield survey is a quick way to survey an area, usually a neighborhood or part of a
working
I’ve been running Future Emergent for a year now! When I announced my new business last March, I wrote: “I am here to encourage you to dream bigger. I am here to tell you that we can do this. I am here to tell you that this can’t
personal
I’m allergic to cats. Maybe I never told you. When I went to the animal shelter the day we met, I actually met with two separate cats before you and your sister. The first cat, an older longhaired gentleman, set me off sneezing immediately. I lasted a few minutes
working
A lot of nonprofits collect more data than they know what to do with. We might have a cool idea for a survey question. Or a foundation that’s giving us money asks us to collect it. Sometimes an off-hand request from the ED sends the staff down a data
essay
Last week, I said that our success in a system often means it’s tilted towards us. What I mean to say is that the systems that we live, work, and play in are arbitrary. There’s no reason they have to stay the way they are. For centuries, these
essay
Some articles get my goat and don’t let go. Last year I read an interview with a roundtable of CEOs at major food banks around the country. The headline quote was, “we have power, let’s use it wisely.” I want to unpack that! The panelists, well-meaning or well-intentioned,
working
“Hooray! Our non-profit organization is ready to use its power for change. The status quo won’t stand a chance against us. Let’s see, we’ve got ourselves a fifteen-point plan to end racism. We’ve got our diagrams, our power analyses, and our group agreements. We’ve got
essay
Everything changes. We can’t change that fact any more than we can stop the rotation of the earth. Most organizations feel designed for permanence. They have boards of directors and succession plans ready for when new people fill old roles. They have a set mission, standing meetings, agenda templates,
personal
I’m a Buddhist. It’s a pretty new development for me! I grew up Catholic but I was never very good at it. I’ve spent the last 20+ years as an atheist, and to some extent I still am. I started meditating a few years ago to help
essay
I talked to my mom earlier this week. She’s the director of a professional organization that is starting to lose steam. She’s led the organization for decades through highs and lows and excellent conferences. Their membership numbers are in decline. Engagement among members is down since covid and
