working
in defense of the silo
should we stick to the silos and the grain that we’re used to?
distributed leadership
start the future
let’s build a cooperative, step 4: design your decision-making process
how to decide when you're deciding
start the future
let’s build a cooperative, step 3: consolidate a clear vision
do you see what i see?
start the future
let’s build a cooperative, step 2: discuss needs and vision; coordinate organizing and business research
try before you buy in
essay
gentlemen's disagreements
Throughout his term, Barack Obama had a call for the activists agitating for change. He recalled what Franklin Roosevelt told his activists pushing for their own reforms. FDR said, “I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it.” Then-President Obama met with members of the
essay
creating traction
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,
start the future
start the future: building a cooperative
No matter where you work, employers hold an incredible amount of power over the people who work there. It often goes without saying, even in our era of resignations, “quiet quitting” (not a thing!), and r/antiwork. It doesn’t have to be this way. Workers in a cooperative share
essay
a vision for the future, part 2
Another week, another horrifying massacre. Any one of these events should have been enough to grind our country to a halt. Instead, there have been 212 mass shootings in america this year, more than one per day. More than one million people are dead from covid in america, almost a
essay
a vision for the future
For the last year I worked on the local health department’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy. This is the third pandemic I’ve worked at a public health agency, and I’m grateful to have taken part in the effort. I’m very proud of the work that my colleagues and
essay
take the wheel
What makes a strong leader? In my experience, leaders need to convey a clear and understandable vision. They must know how to make their vision a reality. They need the respect of their peers and the people who follow them. What makes an expert? Like leaders, they should have the
start the future
start the future: launching a cooperative
beginning at the beginning
working
changing the wind
One of my strengths at work is creativity. I enjoy coming up with new ideas and different approaches to problems. Some of these ideas are pretty out there! When I started my career, I had to learn how to gain buy-in from leaders in a traditional hierarchy. I would make
Except where otherwise noted, the essays on this site are licensed under a