or, “This year will be our best year because…” 2020 was a toughie. A global pandemic, widespread economic anxiety, an unfinished cultural conversation on how to address race and class tensions in America. A lot of really heavy work. A lot of shades of, “well we smashed all of the toothpaste out of the tube. … Read more
We’re entering our 10th month of a global pandemic. It’s been disruptive to say the least. COVID has flattened our ability to move in the world freely, and to engage with our communities and families in the usual ways. The question for nonprofits, churches, recovery groups, and other active community organizations is how to be … Read more
“Don’t judge the day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson Out with the group hero, and in with the servant leader It’s a common story among small groups and startups: a charismatic and driven leader is leading the charge, driving change, saving the day, relishing in … Read more
“We are hardwired for connection, curiosity, and engagement…” You’re most likely familiar at least with the name, Brene Brown. Brown is a researcher, author, public speaker, professor who has spent her career focusing on courage and shame. Around here, we are big fans of her wildly popular book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be … Read more
Control freak-ishness: noun, the tendency towards micromanagement as a coping mechanism for dealing with fear (and unchecked ego) Control freak-ishness is a strategy, albeit a dysfunctional strategy, for dealing with fear. Fear that something will go wrong if the control freak eases up on the reins a bit. Is that you? If you’re the resident … Read more
Inspired group leaders understand (and communicate) their “why” What does it mean to embrace inspired group leadership? Last week, we talked about how leaders can stay motivated when their dedication to their role on the team is flagging hard. One of our suggestions was to lean into the questioning. We recommended that leaders do a … Read more
Or, enough about them. Let’s talk about you! Much has been written about how leaders can motivate their people. Much of the writing has to do with corporate environments and work teams. But our blog isn’t for corporate leadership development. It’s about a different kind of leadership. Our focus is on groups that have voluntarily formed … Read more
Last week we opened the door on consensus building. What is it? Go read our intro! In brief, it’s a set of social contracts and a process. Consensus building gives groups the ability to make more durable and informed decisions in a way that prioritizes member input. While majority rule voting may work in certain … Read more
Typically groups don’t need any help getting into conflict, but they may need help getting out of it. We think a big part of good group management and group leadership is knowing how to be a great facilitator when the group is in the weeds, or the rather the muck, of conflict and tension around … Read more
Good group management means different things on different days It’s been a tough year for group meetings. We all know this. We’re all in different places right now and the lack of unified strategy among the states or clarity in vision from the top leadership has been….a lot to bear witness to. According to the … Read more