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the future of food banks
and the people who serve themselves first
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what does it mean to put community first?
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,
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taking other paths: advice for job seekers
Most of us need money—and by extension, an income—to live. I’ve written a few times about the great resignation, why you should stay, and why you should move on. While it may be easy to leave an employer, it’s not always clear-cut where we should go
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no more caretakers
The time is now. If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. I don’t know what we’re careening towards, but the future is heading our way. Racists and transphobes are trying to legislate us out of existence. People decrying inflation ignore the record profits these companies
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going rogue
One of the most underrated parts of being in middle management is the ability to make change. Managers can have a surprising amount of latitude within their little domain. They can of course use it to benefit themselves or their careers, but this article isn’t about those dopes. The
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where people want to be
how do we reward employees? Almost every organization benefits when it can hold on to the employees it has. As employees stay with a company, they develop institutional knowledge. They can shape company culture and help define its ideals. People grow with education or experience, either by pursuit or passive
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just stay alive
I had a great chat with my friend Clara recently. They and their friend Melo are the hosts of a podcast, Intersectionality in the Diaspora. We talked for a while about our experiences surviving predominantly white institutions (PWIs). We discussed the harms that they can visit on BIPOCs existing in
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power is magic
What are the agreements that hold society together? Currency, especially the concept of fiat money, is a big one. Unlike the gold standard, where a person’s dollar equaled a certain amount of gold, fiat money is fake. Where does the money come from? I’ve read some very complicated
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stoke the fire
I write my blog posts early in the week, but I publish them on Fridays. I’m writing this one before the election, but it will come out after election day. I had ambitions to hedge my bets by writing a double post call to action: “what if he wins?
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how do workers grow?
I see professional advancement as the incremental development of skills. I identify a task or role, then compare it to my existing accomplishments. The more I learn, the more I can apply to the next challenge. I approach employee advancement the same way. I give guidance on new challenges and
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questions about effective management
I was recently interviewed by a student taking a class on effective management. Here’s a reprint of our interview. Please describe a typical day at work. What do you do all day? I’m in a lot of meetings! I am one of three directors in my department, and
