Building capacity is more than a financial model. It is the artful balance of people, process, intent and strategy working together to ensure sustainability. Great communication and visual management strategies can help unlock an organization’s potential. When done correctly, social-sector and for-profit organizations can leverage concise and clear messaging to empower … [More]
Deepen Capacity through Great Governance
Great governance doesn’t just happen; it is created intentionally! BoardSource, a recognized leader in board governance, defines solid governance: “Successful organizations have engaged boards with members who are passionate about the organization’s mission, who ask challenging questions and make informed decisions, who collaborate with each other, and who promote the … [More]
Create Everyday Courage by ‘Rumbling with Vulnerability’
We are in desperate need of braver and more daring leaders — those who have the courage to remove barriers and clear a path to good work, engaged teams and healthy workplaces. To do it well requires vulnerability, a word that makes people cringe. And with good reason: According to the dictionary, to be vulnerable means to open oneself to criticism or attack. Most of us work in … [More]
Risking: The Heart of Daring Leadership
Vulnerability is not a concept I learned in business school. Nor, for that matter, theories about soft skills such as self-awareness, risk, emotional IQ, shame or courageous leadership. Yet, for today’s leaders to be relevant, effective and impactful, these ideas must become part of our everyday vocabulary and being. “Command and control,” “armored leadership” and/or fear … [More]
Avnet Cares, Accelerating Community Growth
In today’s fast-paced world, time has become the most valuable of assets. As demands on schedules become more and more taxing, the one asset we are not able to replenish, time, has become a preferential way for companies and individuals to give back. Since the company’s inception in 1921, helping others through service has been an integral component to Avnet’s company … [More]
Merging Culture and Strategy
Previous articles explored the concepts of capacity as the ability of an organization to perform and the importance of creating a culture where high-performance teams deliver mission and impact to all stakeholders. With these in place, all is operating well. But can success be sustained as the future is navigated? This requires thinking and acting strategically. For many, … [More]
Restoring Wholeness through Mindfulness
As we have seen from parts one and two of this series, trauma fragments a leader’s ability to thrive relationally, cognitively and emotionally. The new science of trauma has consistently shown that when unresolved trauma is present, logic and reason become hijacked, creativity and innovation are thwarted, emotional intelligence is inhibited, and relationships become a source of … [More]
Build Capacity with High-Performance Teams
Capacity is about performance. An organization’s structure embodies its culture by defining how people work together; that is, what performance means, what is valued and what is measured and celebrated as success. When people bring their hands, hearts and minds to their work, the groundwork is laid for building capacity. Individual contribution is important; however, it is when … [More]
Isagenix Promotes Health and Well-Being for Communities Worldwide
START Give Back in Peru; photo courtesy of Isagenix As we embark on the new year, so comes the time-honored tradition of setting resolutions, many of which will be keenly focused on health and fitness. According to Inc. Magazine, losing weight and eating healthier is ranked at the very top of those resolutions set by Americans annually. So, it should come as no surprise that … [More]
The Fiesta Bowl: More than Just a Game
In only a few short weeks, the Fiesta Bowl will once again bring a national focus to our local community. Who will face off at that time is not yet known, but Arizona can count on the immense impact that this event will have on the community as a result. With partners like PlayStation, Cheez-It, Wells Fargo and more, the organization is powered by some household names while … [More]
Create Capacity through People
Every month, organizations prepare financial statements reconciling their “numbers” for the accounting period. One of those line items — salaries — typically represents one of the largest expenditures for the business and is a significant investment for the firm. Behind those dollars are real people who are the lifeblood of the organization and one of the key drivers of … [More]
Leadership Disrupted
At its core, leadership is about cultivating relationships, building trust and inspiring influence. Leadership guru Dale Carnegie was so convinced of this reality that he spent his lifetime teaching people how to “win friends and influence people.” Leadership development consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman studied 300,000 business leaders and identified 10 key qualities … [More]
Heroes for Zero Waste and Zero Hunger
Feeding the Human Spirit is a guiding principle that Kroger Fry’s brands live by. Their commitment to end hunger in communities and eliminate waste across their company is something of an amazing undertaking. Sadly, in the United States an astounding 40 percent of food produced is thrown away. This is where Fry’s’ signature campaign, Zero Hunger Zero Waste, comes into play. … [More]
Pushing Down the Pain
Something is stirring deep beneath the often-polished exterior of startup founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs. Studies have revealed startling rates of toxic stress and disruptive mental health conditions among this population. A study by KPMG Enterprises revealed that 66 percent of founders say their role is extremely or very stressful and 40 percent reported working seven days a … [More]
Building an Alliance to Help Arizona
In today’s economy, being a good corporate citizen has taken on a greater meaning than ever before. And the practice of respectable corporate citizenship has become increasingly more prevalent. Businesses understand that they can leverage what they do in order to positively impact society, and they are taking steps to activate these resources and help the communities where they … [More]
