Follow Us
Featured Stories
-
Why mission should matter to leaders
17 May 2012 1:55 PM | No CommentsDuring my lifetime as a person with a disability it often seems that we are the “canaries in the coal mines,” buffeted by health care, legislative and public policy changes on the state and national level. Organizations like Courage Center help even out the rough...
Read More -
High Performance “Festivus”
14 May 2012 7:04 AM | No CommentsAbout a month ago, I attended a four-day “High Performance Leadership and Team Intensive” designed and lead by members of the human performance consulting firm, Performance Unlimited. I have attended too many leadership development workshops, seminars and classes to count and I enjoy learning new...
Read More -
Who’s in Your Circle?
08 May 2012 7:14 PM | No CommentsLet’s say you work for a small nonprofit in Minnesota. Let’s also say you focus on environmental and sustainability issues. When you’re looking to expand your network and brush up on skills, sometimes it’s good to be surrounded by other nonprofit folks doing similar work,...
Read More
-
Author Archive
-
Choices, Choices and More Choices
Posted on January 20, 2011 | 1 CommentNow that I have a child nearing school-age, I’ve learned that the months of January to March have a special designation–”school selection season.” At least in St. Paul from what I can discern, it starts with an overwhelming information fair, progressing to a seemingly endless... -
Cooking up Community
Posted on December 1, 2010 | 1 CommentAre you a locavore? I am, or at least I’m trying to be. Food with a smaller carbon footprint has been a growing movement for some time with the rise in Community Supported Agriculture, farmers’ markets and farm-to-table efforts in local restaurants. But there are... -
Developing Leaders in Place
Posted on October 27, 2010 | No CommentsThis is a question we’re wrestling with at the nonprofit organization I currently direct. For over 12 years, we have run a successful program helping mid-career professionals of color enter into the local community development field, called the “Careership.” We began the program as a... -
The Power of Place
Posted on July 15, 2010 | No CommentsLast week, I learned the 126 year-old private college in my hometown was closed. There were a fair number of national news articles noting why the decision was made. Less on the reasons of how the college found itself in poor financial-straits. Actually, I didn’t... -
One Top Spot We Don’t Want To Be
Posted on June 10, 2010 | 1 CommentYesterday, I heard from two different community leaders within a matter of hours a statistic that made me cringe. The Twin Cities holds another top title but this time it’s for having the greatest disparity between blacks and whites in terms of unemployment among other... -
Bi-Polarizing
Posted on April 19, 2010 | 5 CommentsI know there are daily media stories that serve as reminders that our country is growing more and more politically polarized. One only has to look around to bear witness to some vehement dispute, e.g. health care, climate change, etc. The rise of Tea Party... -
Systems Thinking
Posted on March 18, 2010 | 2 CommentsI’ve found myself involved in recent conversations about transportation in the Twin Cities region and increasingly these are becoming more frustrating. No, I’m not talking about pothole season. And it’s not just the usual venting about growing congestion, lack of transit options (even with the... -
Does the “Leadership” Section Stack up to Salinger or Zinn?
Posted on February 2, 2010 | 1 CommentWith the recent passings of J.D. Salinger and Howard Zinn, a recent table conversation among work colleagues turned to the impact of these two iconic authors’ works. We were not alone. In fact, MPR’s NewsQ question of the day asked listeners “What book changed your... -
Are You a Puzzle Master?
Posted on November 23, 2009 | 2 CommentsI recently attended a learning forum sponsored by the Surdna Foundation at which I heard the best metaphor for thinking about the practice of leadership. Manuel Pastor, a professor of Geography and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, described the difference...
