Implementation

The Plate Spinner

When I was at Applied Materials we adopted an analogy for the tough job of being a manager. We called them “plate-spinners.” A plate-spinner is an old county fair act where the entertainer starts plat

Developing Managers

As your nonprofit grows, the demands within your sector and the dynamics of the larger world change and you have to stay on top of that. You’re never “done” putting organizational processes in place,

All Worthwhile Enterprises are Human Systems

At the end of the day no matter how impressive and far-reaching certain systems become, all worthwhile enterprises seeking success are human systems that require leadership and management. The basic n

Coming Soon: The Applied Wisdom Insights for Leadership Workshop

The Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN) is offering a 2-hour online workshop based on my Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector, on August 24th. CEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, based

Make Decisions at Meetings

Last week I talked about group communication and about presentations. Let’s consider meetings more broadly: Make sure no one leaves a meeting without making decisions on every recommendation. If there

Creating the Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector Online Course

I’ve asked Leslie Hansen, who was instrumental in creating the new online Applied Wisdom for the Nonprofit Sector Online Course, to share with my readers the story of how the course was born. Last yea