From The Drivers Seat

On the Move

2007-03-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

For people still looking for me on this webblog...I have begun another weblog as my world has moved beyond greenlights. go here for the latest.

Hint -the picture is from the top of Borobodur, a buddhist temple near Yogyakarta, Java that I visited recently for Psychology without Borders..and a story that will be taken up in "Deborah on the Move" - Blog #3 in my journal series.

Signing off and moving on

2007-02-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you for your guidance and support transitioning from Greenlights. This blog will be kept on blogger, but will be used no more for my journaling or querying or wondering or metaphorically positing.

Best new yorker cartoon this week is all about "Blogging without Borders"...So perhaps I'll be inspired to begin another blog about my new role at Pyschology without Borders in the near future.

But not today.

Caio!

Constructing a post-transition lifestyle

2007-02-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Today I was a panelist for Leadership Austin's "Valentine's Gift to the Community" luncheon.....sharing the podium with Roy Sosa and Joe Parker. Each of us was to present one idea to transform the community. Roy talked about entrepreneurship, Joe talked about giving voice to "the other" and I ranted about health insurance with a proposal that Austin/Travis County provide universal healthcare to all who live and work in our municipality. What fun to present a bold idea and not have to turn around and iMplement it!

In the past being a panelist would have been a context for my networking for the organization I represented. There's always a potential volunteer, board member, donor, or collaborator in an audience from Leadership Austin or any civic group.

This time, there was no agenda for me, I thought. My current work is not Austin-centric and I was not expecting that an audience member would be able to assist me with my Psychology without Borders projects. So I did my talk, visited with colleagues about sports and their pursuits, and logged the event as time-off from my day job.

And yet, surprise was in store. Hearing that I was off to Java for PWOB, a person came up to me to give me the name of a colleague doing humanitarian relief in another part of Indonesia. Very helpful as I seek out lifelines to orient and ground me in my new adventures.

In case you were wondering...the building blocks of my life after ED are colorful, lightweight (so far) and fun to hold on to and play with - like the photo in this blog.

....I love my Monday night LBJ School class - teaching is a blast, the students are terrific, and I am having lots of fun moving out of practical stories and into case studies and conceptual frameworks. Last night's class - reading tax returns and audits - while sounding quite the snooze, was actually a dynamic learning evening.

....Psychology without Borders is accelerating...I finally have time to dig in more deeply, and there are all sorts of puzzles and knots to explore. The international colleagues that are guiding me are help[ing me begin to see patterns and the context in which I am living....still blurry but taking shape.

.... Eastern Europe adventures are not as easy to fit into this schedule, and my Fulbright colleague Peg is way ahead of me in terms of getting gigs and scheduling multiple projects....but I have two worktrips planned for this year, so I am (relatively) happy.

Still moving too fast to really allow transition to sink in. But it's feeling good.

Think I have totally forgotten Greenlights? Au contraire! But I am happy with how Matt's jumped in, 100% behind him, and looking forward to stories and invitations as my own dust settles.

Not much more to say

2007-01-31T19:28:00.000-08:00

Well, although I said I would continue this blog a while longer, it seems like there's not much more to say. I introduced Matt Kouri , Greenlights new ED. around to all the nonprofit rock stars today at the annual Philanthropy Day luncheon..and he seems to have things well in hand.

There's some planning afoot about an official "pass the baton" event later in February, so I will keep the blog open for chats until then, and once the baton is passed, I will officially shut this puppy down.

If any of you readers have questions or comments or things you want me to respond to, write me!
I think my readership count is around 80 brave souls - you know who you are and I thank you.

Tunnel Vision

2007-01-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

Well, this is my swing week...a little Greenlights, alot of University of Texas, and a growing list of Psychology without Borders tasks and questions. It has been an interesting week!

The technology has been enough of a challenge to eclipse emotional reactions to the transition. Leaving Greenlights on Monday, I carefully closed down email, voicemail, and put all my important files onto the Greenlights server for all staff to use. When I got in on Tuesday, to run a 3-hour class, and wanted to download some materials from the server, I found I could not access these files.....I am now getting email from University of Texas, Psychology without Boders, and Yahooo....and trying to get all the mail going into the same mailbox, much less get all the outgoing mail sent...has proved to me a challenge. But I am confident that by the end of the month, I will know how to maneuver email and settle into one of my three offices with a rhythm.

On Tuesday I said farewell to the Greenlights Board at their January meeting, which had been rescheduled due to the ice and winter weather. So I was there as the guest...with Matt doing an admirable job of taking on the ED role. It felt odd, but good, to leave after my brief presentation, knowing the team was in capable hands. I keep thinking of things to tell Matt, but I am holding my piece.....he may not have need of all this info, at least not yet.

Matt and I will be doing a bit of visiting over the next few weeks - with one another, to continue the download, and with key stakeholders who need to meet Matt and bond with the new team. I am hopeful I can fit in all this, in between the other work I have committed to do. I think, ruefully, that my tendency to say yes may have gotten me overcommitted. One more way to ignore the realities of the transition from Greenlights.

Seeking a new rhythm

2007-01-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

Had a great time my last day as Greenlights' ED - the staff gave me this fun lunch where they presented me with a beat up old suitcase, newly painted to resemble a green hummer and filled with traveling gear, advice, and accessories. Mary Alice had published a comic book of advice - which I will provide the link to once she has it on her website. Lots of laughter, a few tears during the day, and a good feeling that I am leaving a proud team with a fun future ahead.

I emailed to friends and colleagues about my new plans and contact info and got back some thoughtful notes and advice. At the end of the day, as I was packing away photos and files and writing down last minute notes to self, two friends stopped by to reminisce and wish me well.. Good sendoff.... On Monday I'll greet my successor with flowers, lots of lists, and a few tips and insights...mostly a listening ear and a cheer-leader attitude. I can imagine the information overload that will greet him his first weeks at Greenlights - so much to learn, and so much happening.

So this morning I went to my first salsa aerobics class, and it gave me a metaphor for my new pathway. I stood on the back row of the class, watching a spirited, talented instructor take us through steps and movements, to the beat of salsa, merengue, and cumbia. Very clutzy in the back row.....it will definitely take me time to find the rhythm, get my legs and arms moving in thwe right direction, and build up my aerobic stamina.

Just like starting all my new career adventures. It will be tentative steps, getting tangled up, having to stop every once in a while, even as the music is blaring and the beat is insistent. I know from experience it takes time to ramp up. I just need to have the patience - in my salsa class and my day-to-day new projects.

End of the road

2007-01-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

So the news is out and my successor is taking over my office Monday. Tomorrow is my last official day as Greenlights' Executive Director. How does it feel?

Well it still doesn't feel real. I am still doing all the litle administrative things....wonder if I will call back daily next week with reminder tasks? I packed up my library books and my table top toys on Monday and reviewed all the files I was taking, leaving, or tossing.. Monday was actually a wonderful day of memories and puttering and thinking ahead for Greenlights future. Austin was hit by a 2-day ice storm on Tuesday and Wednesday, giving me a few additional days to putter in the office while other staff were stuck in their homes. So the "ending" activities - like a last staff meeting and a final board meeting - have been eclipsed by basic mother nature.

So it doesn't feel real yet, but it does feel exciting. I'm excited about
---getting some of my time back. I've been burning the candle at both ends, starting up work at UT Austin and taking on additional responsibilities with Psychology without Borders.
---learning new things. Both my new sets of responsibilities require steep learning. My favorite (although I also get anxious about it)
--- changing my world context.
--- finding ways to help Greenlights' new ED be successful and catch on quickly.

Matt Kouri, Greenlights' new ED, is coming from the business sector- he has lots to learn about the amazing exploits and talents and results in our sector. I am looking forward to connecting him to our colleagues, leaders, connectors, and mavericks.

I may keep chatting on this transition blog a bit longer....until I settle into my new pattern. In the meantime, I am recalling the image of the trapeze the William Bridges describes - it's time to jump off one swing onto the next!

Thanks to all of you who have supported me through this transition. May we all continue to orbit in one another's worlds, and enjoy the adventures!

Happiness

2007-01-10T16:44:00.000-08:00

I was walking down Congress Avenue Monday afternoon, after the street had been closed all morning because so many dead birds had been discovered. I was going to do a Board Primer
for a group for Greenlights, Those bird calls didn't bother me - I was on top of the world. Felt more like the Big Bird you see walking across Congress Ave.

Why was I so jublinat. Greenlights has a new EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR!!

The transition committee completed its task at the end of December, and the top candidate accepted Greenlights' offer letter last week, starting the final stages of transition.

I met our incoming ED for lunch on Friday and had a terrific visit - so nice to get to know your successor and to be so impressed and excited that they are ready to take on the challenges and adventures of an organization that is so beloved. I am happy about the choice, and very eager to make this transition work for all.

Our committee continues to be top notch. They have appointed a Welcome Committee now deep into crafting announcements about the transition, and planning celebrations and visits to key stakeholders. I am making lists, answering questions, emailing documents, and trying to manage my schedule.

As many of you know, I was over optimistic about how long this process would take, and I have found myself working 3 projects in January....not my original plan for taking time off after Greenlights. But each of the projects are fun. The biggest challenge is that I am walking around with three different heavy briefcases of materials for each of the organizations!!

I will write once or twice more before I sign off on this transition blog. My stats say very few people are reading the blog, so if you have been lurking write a comment and validate my efforts!

Thanks!

Plane is at the gate

2006-12-31T14:40:00.000-08:00

I spent part of New Year's Eve day with my oldest son Jess who was scheduled for his first sky dive. We went down to this cool airport and saw the rookies and the seasoned divers as they suited up and got on the plane for their own special moment in the sky. After an hour or so Jess donned his classy "snowboarder"green jump suit and boarded the plane. As the plane took off to get to 10,500 feet, I mused about how this could be a metaphor for my own impending "take off".

Like Jess, I'd arranged for this months before. Unlike Jess, I've been thinking about it regularly. Taking off from Greenlights means all the things that a take off always means - making sure there's enough fuel, getting the plane ready for the air, having a plan for where to go, and making sure that you get lift off.

It's been a while coming, but I think we're close to liftoff. The Transition Committee is almost through with its work and have given me a much clearer sense of when I will be free to fly. I am finishing up all the big projects on my list, and have identified a few new projects that can keep me relevant for a bit longer. But I am cutting back my management time with Greenlights and have a long list of management and strategy decisions that need to be made sooner rather than later. A few of these decisions may need to be made before the new ED comes on board, but the Board team is aware of this and, I hope, prepared to make them.

So I am making my new "to-do" list - the list of things ahead, that open up the new world to me. These are interesting (and the list keeps growing). They all fit with my new New Year's theme.
(Each year I try to come up with a catch phrase to ground my thinking and actions for the year. Words like "fun", "let it go", "connect", "excellence" have had anchoring value for recent years...sitting on my computer monitor to remind me of an underlying impetus for decisions and actions in a given year.)

2007 will have its special theme phrase - "adventure". It is true that 2006 had its share of adventure! I was fortunately to manage to travel to Europe three times during the year; to be part of Greenlights' new adventures adding special events, pivoting to a new future; and being part of a totally awesome team beginning a new international nonprofit (Psychology without Borders www.pwob.org). The coming year - adding graduate school teaching, additional start up projects and (hopefully) international nonprofit/NGO travel, helping with the Austin cultural plan, continuing with PWOB and NPower Texas...will be new adventures, using new tools, and quite as colorful as the skydiving I saw today with Jess.

One thing that was remarkable about today's skydiving - the new technology! I myself jumped from a plane... during my college days when we used army surplus parachutes and stood on the plane strut before the jump. These days the chutes are no longer round, but designed for agility, speed, movement, and control - more like windsurfing. The equipment is in-your-face colorful, fanciful, playful, and blending elements to maximize both safety and risk. Hopefully my tool box as I jump out of my plane will be as cool! More to come!

What I won't miss

2006-12-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

Today is Christmas eve and it's been a full day of non-work related activities. I am thinking back to last year's Christmas holiday when I was re-entering the US mind set after 4 months in the Czech Republic. I was aware that I would be returning to my ED role in a different frame of mind. What I wasn't aware of was how fast the following year (this year) would speed forward. Yikes!

And now I think ahead a year - to a year without being at the helm of a thriving nonprofit. Here's what I WON'T miss ;

1) Money worries - of course they are always there, lurking in the background of a nonprofit. Because nonprofit rely so heavily on the voluntary actions of philanthropists - corporate, individual, foundation, civic group donors - it's hard to find funds you can count on year after year. Greenlights is still working on creating its sustainable base of support, and even when there's money coming in, there's a sense of concern about the financial future. But there's less worry about money when you don't have a weekly payroll to manage!

2) Management worries - as ED there are times that management decisions feel lonely. You can bet that others in your team will not appreciate decisions. ED's can be faulted for being too hasty, too slow....too decision, too laissez-faire...too independent, too dependent. And there are times when you second guess your decisions with some regret, but no real clear sense of how the path would have been different if you'd gone the other way. Less management decisions ahead (I think!).

3) People worries - as organizations grow larger, there are more people to think about and more values and personalities to work with. As the ED there's a commitment and responsibility to creating a climate that supports each and every one of the vastly diverse people who are helping make the mission. And along with that responsibility, at times, is a concern that people aren't getting what they need. Or that you are contributing to the disappointment, stress or distress of others in the organization. That can be a difficult burden. Less people to manage means less people worries!

It's interesting to think about these things during the holiday season when my house is filled with great foods, great people, and light responsibilities. Cooking, cleaning, finishing a big piece of the jigsaw puzzle in the living room, organizing gift giving, coordinating visits and outings......not alot about people, money or management. And yet actually, it is still somewhat related to people, money and management. Ultimately, being with any social group - whether it's your work group, family group, or friendship group - means thinking compassionately, knowing that there will always be a layer of happening, or an undercurrent that;'s invisible or slow to become known, and relishing the good times!

We went to WestCave Preserve yesterday and got a delightful tour of the canyons, grottos and caves on the property. The tour guide told us how well WestCave is cared for by students in a program for at-risk youth - and how the students get as much out of the experience as WestCave. What kids value about hauling brush, mending fences, and designing outbuildings.
To me that's elegance - a win-win where two nonprofits maximize their mission by collaborating - bringing different talents and resources to bear on a project that yields double goals.

Happy holidays!!

Things I will miss

2006-12-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

This photo of London at night is a memento from a recent Greenlights consulting project - yes, in London. Greenlights works with nonprofits in Central Texas, which means every once in a while we work with a nonprofit heaquartered here but national or international in scope. In this case, I was facilitating a strategic planning process with an international board working on international humanitarian aid, and very much enjoying the cross-cultural communication and thinking.

On my way back to Austin I began to ponder what I will miss as I hand off my management responsibilities at the end of the month (or perhaps early January...looks like the transition process is moving quickly, but the holidays do interfere).

WHAT I WILL MISS - A BEGINNING LIST
**my wonderful office - it's a great view and a great space - I can see the elevator from my desk, or look into Austin's hills. Some of the best sunrises and sunsets happen outside my window. I know, it's odd to think I am in the office in these off hours...but sometimes those are the best hours for being productive, reflective, and inspired. My office is upstairs from good friends - and the ease of wandering downstairs to visit will be gone when I move out.

**my Greenlights files - my office is equipped with a terrific, fast, reasonably reliable computer, accessing all the files Greenlights has (and hosting some of my favorite music, collected over 5 years). Greenlights' reference files are full of fascinating articles on nonprofit management and an archive of all the trainings, consulting, and templates we've used. Yes, I know a 4 gig flash drive can whisk all this into my own world, but in Greenlights' office I can find everything I need (with a bit of searching) in hard copy. And as an oldtimer, I still prefer hard copy review.

And by the way, which of the files can I take with me? I've written and/or organized many of the files, but needed to review our policies re ownership just to be transparent. Luckily, most of our materials are shared free of charge to our audiences, and all of our contracts with our affiliates spell out that we share ownership of what we produce. So it's not an issue.

** the team spirit - year end activities have admittedly taxed Greenlights' team to the max (we try hard to meet growing demand, and have exceeded many of our targets for programs and services already this year so we are slightly out of breath). Despite this, the team spirit is alive and pops out unexpectedly in moments of grace and fun - from breakfast tacos and homemade baked goods appearing in the mornings to silly stories, sports motivational tips, and helping hands. I am hopeful that the work I'll continue to do with Greenlights will keep me in the loop with team spirit, and am encouraged when I look at how other "former" Greenlights staffers stay connected and are heartily welcomed when they stop by.

** the daily indicators of impact - We have had so many nonprofits stop by and share their thanks with us in the past weeks. I am happy each day I see another nonprofit item in the news, another report on philanthropy in unexpected ways, and get a call or email from a nonprofit colleague describing how Greenlighs helped them or explaining how they worked something out.

No doubt I will think of many more things to miss as I get closer to cleaning out my office and welcoming my successor, but I'll stop here.

One of the most spectacular images from my London adventure is The Eye - a slow moving, huge ferris wheel of sorts that was installed on the Thames for the Millenium.

The Eye is a marvel of color, structure, engineering and its sheer audacity, and sense of fun. When I get too caught up in the hectic details of closing up shop in my managerial role at Greenlights, I think back to the nighttime visions of The Eye - and try to remind myself that ultimately it's all about style.

Leadership is a foul-weather job

2006-11-21T05:09:00.000-08:00

In preparing for my academic class on Nonprofit Strategy and Entrepreneurship I was delighted to rediscover some Peter Drucker adages. Drucker is a king in the nonprofit realm - he sits on a throne and says pithy things that us servants take to heart and use, hopefully wisely, to guide our work.

In his book on Managing the Nonprofit Organization he remarks that effective crisis leadership is the hallmark of a great leader. Reminds me of the description of boards as "fire fighters" - ready and trained to step in when a problem arises.

He reminds us about how to pick a leader:
1 - Identify what is the one immediate key challenge (fundraising? morale? redefining mission? technology?)
2 -Match strengths with needs
3 -Look for character or integrity next to find a stronmg leader who sets an example and is the kind of person you'd want your son or daughter to work for.

Greenlights Transition Committee is doing this selection for our new ED right now. My sense is that they have these priorities top of mind.

The article goes on to observe qualities of exceptional leaders, and to point out traps that indicate problems. Effective leaders....
** never say I - they think "we", they think"team"
** remember they are always visible and must fulfill expectations
** have the willingness, ability and self-discipline to listen.
** don't alibi themselves
** set and strive for high standards
** are performance focused
** realize how unimportant they are compared to the task.
Good reminders!

He remarks that most leaders were neither born nor made...rather they were self-made.

He points out the balance decisions inherent in being a leader:
>> Balancing the big picture and the details, the mission and the constituent
>>Balancing concentration of resources on one goal or diversification
>>Balancing being too cautious or being to rash
>>Balancing between opportunity and risk

Drucker warns against a few human foibles
** doing things for personal aggrandizement does not further the cause.
** becoming jealous
** forgetting that people don't understand unless you make an effort to explain
** being afraid of the strengths of your organization
** hogging the credit
** knocking your subordinates

And finally, he reminds us -- don't pick your sucessor alone.

So we're doing a few things right!!!

Themes and images

2006-11-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

At Greenlights this week we've been exploring themes and images for next year's Crossroads Conference. All sorts of themes and images are being bandied about - good abstract/organizational constructs to be paired with visual imagery that makes the idea come alive in fun ways. We've talked about underwater, navigation, mountain climbing, muscle-building images. Quite fun, and it led me to think about what visual image fits my transition work these days.

There are days when I feel like an elf in Santa's workshop, pounding nails, checking lists, organizing closets, and moving things down the assembly line. There are days when I feel like a bookie in "The Sting", figuring out odds, tallying up numbers, and focusing on details. There are those long days when I feel like a contractor at the end of a home remodeling job - looking at the punch list of things to be completed, re-done, or re-thought before announcing the job is complete. The days I like the most are when I feel like a symphony conductor or a ballet master, marveling at the talent and the harmony around me.

Each day seems packed with things to do, and I haven't even begun to organize exit strategies. I have an illusion that the week between Christmas and New Year's will be my winding down time, but I am beginning to suspect that this is not realistic.

Even as the Transition Committee is working hard at identifying the next ED, they are making noises to indicate it may take longer than I would like. So I find myself working in three distinct work worlds - the everyday world of management at Greenlights, the consulting work I do for Greenlights, and preparing for my immediate post-ED work teaching at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Three different foci - three different sets of tasks, expectations, languages, and team members. Slightly dizzying, but challenging!

So what image/theme fits with these daily preoccupations about present and future endeavors?
What feels most correct today is a Bach "invention" - those musical pieces that are characterized by a variety of small themes weaving together, with new motifs coming in and out of the music at different times, and a few discordant bars to remind you that things don't always proceed merrily along.

Good image fo me - and it reminds me that when the days feel too overwhelming, I can always retreat to my piano bench and enjoy classical comfort.

It's academic

2006-11-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

One of my next-step activities after leaving the Greenlights' ED driver's seat this spring is to teach a graduate course in nonprofit strategy and entrepreneurship at the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Volunteerism (in U Texas' LBJ School of Public Affairs). I am looking forward to this immensely. Sounds strange?

What's attractive about teaching this course is that I can put my practical experience inside an academic context. I have complained often that we on-the-job leaders work from intuition and opportunity more than from concept or theory. And I love theory and concept.

The course I will teach is a lively blend of theory and practice. It's case-based - so each week 30-35 smart, articulate grad students from all over University of Texas will debate/discuss how a specific set of facts and circumstances in a real world nonprofit dilemna should be addressed. And it's theory-friendly. That means that theories and concepts and those elegant two-by-two matrices will be found all along the way as frames for understanding, exploring, and problem-solving.

What a fine luxury - examining solutions without the pressure of needing immediate decisions or the risk that a decision can be costly in expected or unanticipated ways.

I was traveling by plane this weekend, and enjoyed the free-fall of reading a nonprofit theory book cover-to-cover in between airports. Next step - read all the case material and finalize my syllabus.

For you soap opera fans, the Transition Committee met last week to review the many applicants for the ED role, and cull a finalist list for further investigation. The Committee sounds encouraged about the good group of top candidates. So I am too!

No photo's this time - but if any readers have good photo's to add to this blog, send them on!

Like a lightning bolt

2006-10-30T16:14:00.001-08:00

The search for a new Greenlights Executive Director has been going along its merry way with me being a quiet observer and supporter --until last week.

It finally occurred to me, that I too could recruit candidates for the position. I'd been trusting the system and staying out of the way, but all of a sudden it hit me - like a lightning bolt or a swift kick in the shins - that I could better guarantee good search results if I put my energy into this a bit more.

So I sat down and thought of people in my circle of friends and colleagues who had the qualities I thought might be right for the next ED. And I started to call a few people. Not only were they flattered to be contacted, but some of them might throw their hat into the ring. Which means I get to feel like there's a broad, deep pool of leaders considering our noble institution.

Why didn't I do this sooner? Yeah I did a bit of circulating the job posting at the beginning of the search but I had the sense that departing ED's should stay out of the process. And then I realized that I had enough of a stake in the game that I should be creative and resourceful - just like the rest of the albeit formally named Search Committee.

But also, deadlines seem to propel me to action.

The job posting closes November 1st (a real deadline!) - so if you've been reading my blog and getting intrigued...get your name on the list as well. Could be a fun process, and it's definitely a fun job!

PS -I did not get sawn in half at the Nonny's. Terrific party and terrific campaigning - especially by Michael Guerra, who received the honors of a stage show appearance, and lives to tell the tale! Photos soon!

Nonny Awards

2006-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

So, yes I am one of 6 candidates in the running to be "Cut Down to Size" on October 25th at Greenlights Nonny Awards - "The Magic of Nonprofits".

This is a totally cool, totally Austin event - we honor a few nonprofits for the innovative, creative, resourceful, or absurd , and celebrate the local nonprofit sector with food, drink, magic, mingling, and silly antics. Come join me and a few hundred nonprofiteers at the Design Center in Penn Field Wednesday night.

If you want to be part of the spirited race for "Cut "Em Down To Size" - and watch me get sawed in half by the evening's magician - cast your $10 ballot online. If you want to watch me wiggle my toes on stage while a magician hacks away, get yourself a ticket and come join in the fun! You can count online or at the event.

Out of my comfort zone

2006-10-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

Greenlights is hosting its 3rd Nonny Awards next week - a funky offbeat celebration of all things nonprofit in Austin. This year the team is ramping up from low-key to high-octane. And fundraising goals are high.

The theme is magic, and we've got ventriloquist, palm readers, and a magician - all ready to entertain during an evening of awards and humour. It will be terrific....but there's an odd twist that's caught me by surprise.

A few months back the event committee proudly announced that the magician for the Nonny's was prepared to cut me in half. Now this is not really my idea of a good time - so I threw the committee an alternative. I said, come up with a slate of candidates to be "cut down to size" - and let's get funds by charging $10 a vote. The person with the most votes gets cut in half at the show.

They were happy with this idea, but demanded that I be in the race. So I said yes, and now I find myself campaigning for votes and shivering in my shoes about the prospect that I might win.

I asked a few staff to give me a pep talk explaining my apparent fear of being part of a magic act. They were no nonsense - "get outside your comfort zone" they said.

Good point. And good message for me in general. As I look at turning the corner in the coming months, I need to remember that it's not so hard to get outside my comfort zone. I just need to remember where I am!

PS - If you want to vote (or watch the voting) - cast your $10 ballot online at
http://www.greenlights.org/nonny_awards/election.asp

lame duck?

2006-10-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

Returning to Greenlights after 2-weeks in Russia turned out to be more unusual than I had anticipated. True, there's always a reshuffling when the ED is out of town. Like any family, different people emerge as leaders, intergroup squabbles are settled in different ways, and there's lots of pride that comes out as the group solves probolems, experiences success and sees progress, without the leader around. So when I came back to the office I heard kudos of all kinds from staff and board about fellow staff and board.

But I also heard a new tone. People weren't holding problems for me to solve on my return. They were addressing things as issues came up. And once back in the saddle, people weren't coming to me for help, advice, or feedback as much as before.

I think this is a reflection of our distancing from one another. I won't be around in the same way next year, and staff are feeling the need to do things their own way and establish patterns that don't rely on me. Little things - like the editorial focus for our monthly newsletters, the plans for next year's programs, and budget priorities - are now being worked through without me being invited to either participate or comment. Not that this is a bad thing....

But it does feel a bit odd. And the other odd thing about these new patterns of shared leadership is that I am not sure when I can or should pull rank and say, "we need to keep doing things my way", when staff are beginning to do things in a different way. I am known for exacting standards - and Greenlights' reputation is for quality. Are these changes maintaining high enough standards, or not?

Samara Museum Adventure

2006-09-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I do so enjoy being a consultant. This is my second day conducting training about visitor experiences in museums, with a group of 15-20 russian museum professionals. Not only do I get to work with smart, creative people, and give them a way to deepen their own knowledge and skills, but I get to learn lots - about so many things.

Today our group went to visit a Samara museum - we got a tour of Stalin's bunker by a retired Russian military man. The tour was fascinating - this bunker had been built in 90 days as a place to protect the Russian leadership during the Nazi invasion in WWII. We experienced a very genuine moment of the past, and the "what might have been" of global politics. In this day and age such a tour makes me all the more aware of the precariousness of our global relationships...and the triumph of human values.

On a lighter note, I am enjoying Samara beer and chocolate, cool fall weather, the company of new friends, and many walks around the city. I couldn't resist this photo - one of a collection I am making about driver's seats, in honor of the title of this blog!

Time out for russia

2006-09-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

For two weeks I will be in Russia - teaching museum staff about the visitor experience. Here are a few photos of my initial weekend in Samara and on the Volga river. Check my pragueoutpost for the detailed trip journal!

First steps out

2006-09-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I travel to Samara Russia to conduct a 4-day seminar in museum learning with a colleague from the children's museum world. Our work, sponsored by the Fund for Arts and Culture of Central and Eastern Europe, will involve an interpreter, a cruise down the Volga River, demonstrations of high and low tech techniques for involving visitors in museums of all kinds, and an exchange of ideas with colleagues from regional museums in the area south of Moscow.

It's a beginning step out for me, from my management role at Greenlights. On the eve of my departure Greenlights is abuzz with activity - publishing our monthly e-newsletter, working through details with a new Back Office potential client, setting in motion a challenge grant amongst our board members to ensure success beginning next year, and moving forward with the rest of the fall lineup -- from our Nonny Awards to our Board Primers.

I find myself a bit dizzy trying to pay attention to the road ahead and to the road under my feet. It reminds me of bicycling. If I look down the entire ride, I am faster, and more aerodynamic - if I look ahead and around me I enjoy the ride more and anticipate more. And if I look away from where I am trying to go, I run the risk of a mishap. I can;t look one way and ride my bike in a different direction.

My lesson? I think it's about trying not to multi-task, but to serially focus. One thing at a time. So I dutifully spent the end of my day today closing up shop, and tonight as I pack and prepare for my Russian travels I feel myself letting go of the day-to-day Greenlights details.

It's a good feeling.

Acceleration

2006-09-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

Today Greenlights had its 5th Crossroads Conference. 480+ people showed up at the Austin Convention Center for a day of best practices and big ideas. The theme this year was "Building Momentum". As the default MC for the day, I was on the dias frequently - in the company of a set of dynamic speakers who tied Austin nonprofits to the real world in many ways. A great day!

And an emotional day. In some ways this Crossroads Conference marks the corner turn for me - I got lots of congratulations from participants, a special gift from Greenlights staff, and a number of job offers and board position offers! I worked really hard to keep a distance from the day-to-day planning, coordination, and problem solving that is always associated with a big conference. I admit I had my fingers crossed that Greenlights current staff would prove up to the job - but they came through with flying colors. And the day was a great success for all.

I talked at the end of the conference about momentum - thinking about the circus trapeze artists who swing high in the air, and get just the right rhythm to jump from one trapeze to the next. I do love watching trapeze artists - and imagining myself up there on the high wire, or on the swing - enjoying the rush and and the risk.

So, now it's my time to build momentum - for our Greenlights team to have the energy, direction and will to move ahead, and for me to have the focus to finish my job, and begin to balance Greenlights work with turning to new adventures.

Off in a week to a short adventure - teaching museum education practices in Samara Russia. This marks the start of my international consulting. And I am quite excited.

Thanks to all of your Conference attendees who stepped up to give me advice on Russian travel, and to talk with me about my future and Greenlights future.

And thanks to the Transition team - many of whom were at today's day long conference - for planning to meet tomorrow early morning to lay out transition next steps.

May we all enjoy our circus of life.

Moving into transition gear

2006-09-05T20:27:00.000-07:00

Feels like transitioning from the ED role is somewhat like watching a baby grow. The first week - everything is new and different...so much to comment on, and many people commenting about every little change. After a bit though (usually, in my experience as a mom, at about 3 months), things feel a little slow and predictable again. In some ways that's what this time of transition feels like. The big news has now been absorbed into the fabric of our organization, and the basic elements are in place to move ahead.

We've got the transition committee tweaking the job description for my successor - a much more detailed document than the job description I have been working within. That makes sense - now that the organization is 12-people strong, it's time to be clear about respective roles and responsibilities, and to identify what unique strengths, talents, and focus will be needed for the new ED.

The committee sent out an online survey to board, staff, advisors, key donors and a few selected members asking for input on which skills and priorities should be taken into consideration in selecting the new Executive Director. From there to a job posting? Shouldn't be too long.

But the Committee is also more realistic than I am - they asked me if I could postpone my December 31st exit date in case the search takes longer than expected. As much as I am ready to find new adventures, I am not willing to leave my organization unattended - so I am making plans that allow me to stay on at least part time for a bit longer - just in case.

I find myself working really hard to hand over decision-making and projects to other staff - trying to back out of being the lead. My image of myself as transitioning ED is of a person sitting on the back of a sailboat - watching staff take turns at the wheel, nodding and smiling and providing praise and direction, but being close enough to the wheel and the lines in case I am needed to steady the ship.

More about the sailing metaphor another day.

First team task - how much money?

2006-08-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

The first steps in transition need to include identifying a good transition team - the board, staff and community leaders who will be willing and able to navigate a change. Greenlights Board chair assembled a cracker jack team to take charge. It's a dynamic group thus far:

-- Bryan, as team leader is the attorney and the energy behind it all.

-- Cindy, former board chair and former interim ED at Greenlights (during my 4-month sabbatical in the Czech Republic), has been on a number of ED search committees for large local nonprofits. She's more an advisor on this one, but her questions and insight are invaluable.

-- Tara , who manages Greenlights consulting and our Executive Transition services, brings not only the staff perspective, but her graduate work was in this area of nonprofit management.

-- Mike Nellis, former Associate Director at Greenlights, has just been on the applicant side of an executive search, having recently been named Executive Director of the Austin Children's Museum, following a stint as COO and then Interim Director through an 8-month search process.

-- Sydnia, Greenlights Board Secretary, has been involved from a board level in recruiting and hiring for the ED of a local nonprofit. She brings Board experience and her GL perspective.

-- Mike Bacon is an affiliate consultant who has worked with Greenlights for the past 5 years and has been helping San Antonio nonprofits with executive transitions. He know us, knows candidates, and knows the field.

I like this team line up alot. I feel like the search is in good hands. This is a group that will think strategically, reach out for recruitment, and have a good time. But how do I connect? I want to be somewhat in the know, but not interfere.

I meet with Bryan Monday to provide him some additional information he's requesting, and to learn more about the process as he envisions it. In the meantime, I have homework - organize all that I can about executive compensation, so the Board/Committee is clear about what range of salary and benefits makes sense.

So I'm busy updating salary ranges that we used in 2001, and organizing compensation and contract details for the team. In most nonprofits it cost more to replace an existing ED, and I suspect Greenlights will have to prepare for this. But other interesting questions will likely occur - for example, in my role I have taken a large responsibility for conducting programs, leading consulting engagements, and writing tools and articles. Will the new ED be as excited about these ventures? Will next year's budget need to factor in more contract personnel to take on some of the things I will not be doing? And where WILL I fit in?

My other task this weekend (yes I sometimes work weekends, but not often) is to assemble a scrap book for the past five years. It's funny to look through old (pre-digital camera) photos and begin to craft titles for these pictures. Watch for more.

Party shots

2006-07-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

At Greenlights 5th Birthday party Sunday, I was told in no uncertain terms how to write a blog.

Staff, board, founders and friends lolled around the RGK Ranch swimming, fishing, hammock-swinging, and giving me grief about my travels ahead. I explained to Greenlights designer and a hard-headed social work intern about my blog plans for the year, and they were quick to remind me that blogs are tough.

So I got on the web to find out how to make a great blog. Three key items:

1. Declarative sentences. (Fine.)
2. Offer something new (belly button shots anyone?)
3. Amuse your readers (Hmmmm.)

I'll work on these edicts as I move ahead.

The party itself by the way was a terrific opportunity to begin my executive transition process. My goals may not be met (my goals being to step aside from management but continue to be part of my nonprofit doing some of the fun consulting projects, fitting these into my growing international schedule). When people came up to me at the party and say "We'll miss you" I was quick to assert that I'd still be around. I need to appreciate that I won't be around in the same way - that these colleague may really mean that they'll miss my hand on the rudder, my declarative commands (hmmm again), and those administrative aspects of me that I plan to move to the back seat of my car.

This may be a tall challenge.

Speaking of back seats, an amusing opportunity for you: Jetta' s back seat drivers manual, compliments of Abby Williamson. Example of important info for back seat drivers to know: Drink to bladder ration: A driver is only good for 30 minutes with a 32 oz cup of coffee.

Road Maps

2006-07-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

As Greenlights begins the journey through an executive transition, we're gathering road maps.

And there are many road maps to learn from. Compasspoint - a Bay Area nonprofit management center has been guiding nonprofit executive transitions for a while. Their resources are the model for Greenlights resources - a strong interim director pool, on-line examples of succession plans, and Tim Wolfred's workshops and writings about board roles in executive transitions.

On the East Coast, Transition Guides is a for-profit firm that has been conducting searches, sharing research and leading workshops to help groups like Greenlights get good at providing assistance in leadership transitions.

Nonprofit Quarterly has been publishing great articles about the issue. Executive search firms locally and around the US are finding the new market of nonprofit transitions to be calling them. And there are new research findings about the health of the nonprofit employment world that are rippling throughout both the academic and practitioner communities. Research that says 5 out of 7 current nonprofit executives will leave their posts in the next 3-5 years. Research that says there's a potential leadership vacuum ahead. Research that says Gen X and Gen Y nonprofit rock stars are shying away from executive work -seeing the frustrations involved in fundraising and multitasking.

And we are collecting "travelogues" from local nonprofits who have gone through a change in leadership with tales to tell.

Greenlights will create a lessons learned webpage for our community. We're also doing a good bit of preparation to help Austin weather these changes ahead. Already we have tips, tools, and articles online that can help fellow travelers

Our intention is to use all these road maps as we chart our journey through the transition ahead.
The challenges we face in the early stage of the journey?
-- creating the transition team
-- creating a timeline
-- setting groundrules
-- getting input

Gonna be fun!

Start spreading the news

2006-07-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Once I described my plan to step down to my Board Chair it was time to announce it to the world. Well, there's a sequence to this that was important - at least to me. I wanted to make sure that my closest colleagues knew first, and knew firsthand from me, about my plans. So Greenlights Board Chair and I visited first with our Founding Chair to make a plan. I committed to telling staff, then Board, and then key donors and stakeholders within the week, inviting comments, and requesting that we embargo the news until I finished my round of calls. My goal? Two days and then the word's out.

Well, easier said then done. I dutifully made my list and started on my calls from A-Z. First calls were easy - when I reached a person. Office-dwellers are less tied to office phones than a few years ago. And the idea of explaining my step down to a person on a cell phone in the midst of interstate traffic made me squirm, so I shied away from dialing those carefully guarded numbers.

And what about voice mail? Well for some people I spoke my message before the beep. For others it felt somewhat abrupt and I just asked for a callback.

Unfortunately my system of marking who I called, what I said, and who I reached was woefully inconsistent, so by the end of the second day of calls - in between other tasks - I was hopelessly confused about who I had contacted and who was left to connect to.

So ultimately I fell back on our current favorite mode of communication - a blast email to the near and dear.

Not a 2-day task, but a week-long task. Finally, tomorrow I will send out the note, and let Greenlights staff know they are free to tell friends about the transitions ahead. Can't imagine it's important news, but it's always easier to avoid secrets.

From the Driver's Seat -

2006-07-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new blog connected to Greenlights for NonProfit Success - a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening Central Texas nonprofits through consulting, education, networking and resources. Since 2001 Greenlights has been helping nonprofit boards and staff think differently about anagement and governance issues. A big issue these days in the nonprofit sector is the changing of the guard - more than 2/3rd of the current ED's leading nonprofits will be leaving their posts in the next five years.

We know at Greenlights that the transition process is a challenge for nonprofits - it's not your everyday cycle of events. What kind of challenges? Well, a board may not have ANY experience with a transition - if it's sudden there's a flurry of uncertainty, if it's planned there's still a flurry of uncertainty. Who will take over? How do we find the right next leader? Will we lose all our funders? Should we hire a head hunter? Where's the money going to come from to pay these new bills? What kind of severance package do we provide? Do we need interim leadership? Is this a good time to merge with another group? Will this slow us down?

This week, after 5 years as Executive Director of Greenlights for NonProfit Success, I have announced to my staff and board that I will step down as ED at the end of the year - six months away. My reasons?
-- I have become involved in international NGO work, which is competing with my focus on Central Texas.
-- My sense of our organization at Greenlights is that we have the people and systems in place for it to grow beyond me, and my leadership is less critical to its success
-- I like change

Since Greenlights is in the business of helping nonprofits with executive transitions, I thought it might be instructive for readers (and cathartic for me) to maintain a blog that chronicles Greenlights (and my) transition.

So part journal, part lessons learned. Travel down the road with me....