Grateful Giving

The end of year is a good time to reflect on our own good fortune and redouble our efforts to do what we can for those in need.  With that in mind, I'd like to share a letter from the Executive Director of Decatur Cooperative Ministry, for which I am a board member. 

DCM is a forty-year old organization with a great mission and a misleading name.  DCM does not help only those in Decatur, is not truly a "cooperative," and is a ministry primarily in the context of being there to help others.  DCM's mission is simple:  

Like all non-profit organizations in these challenging times, DCM needs funds.  Please take a moment to read the following note.  If the message resonates with you, please consider a donation.  You can find out more about DCM at www.decaturcooperativeministry.org, and you can donate here: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/DecaturCooperativeMinistry/OnlineDonation.html.  Thank you. 

Dear Friend:

Thank you for this opportunity to share information about the mission and programs of Decatur Cooperative Ministry (DCM). At DCM, we believe there is light at the end of the tunnel for families facing homelessness, and we want to help shine that light. By partnering with other mission-minded people and organizations, DCM helps families settle into safe, stable homes and build healthy lives filled with peace, hope and opportunity.

We carry out this critical mission through three programs:    

•  Project Take Charge: a homelessness prevention program that helps families in danger of eviction stay in their homes through financial assistance, education and counseling. It includes special initiatives to help senior citizens and veterans facing homelessness. Additionally, it combats hunger through two food cooperatives and a food pantry. 
• Hagar’s House: an emergency shelter and assessment center that provides 30 to 90 days of housing, hospitality, and services for women with children 
• Family House: interim housing and comprehensive supportive services for six months or more to help families with multiple barriers to stability transition out of homelessness. 

These programs offer an array of vitally important, high quality services, but alone they are not enough to meet the many needs of most families experiencing homeless. That is why partners, who are equally committed to bringing hope, housing and wholeness, are critical to our mission. For more than 40 years, Decatur Cooperative Ministry has brought people together to serve the community. DCM partners with over 35 congregations from 14 different denominations/faith practices, schools and universities, private foundations, community groups, governmental entities, United Way, MARTA, and other nonprofits.

With support from our generous donors, volunteers and partners, here is how DCM helped families find their way to a brighter future last year:

• Prevented eviction and/or loss of utilities for 144 DeKalb households. Over 85% of families that received financial assistance and counseling to avoid eviction were still stably housed when we checked in with them three months later.
• Provided permanent food security to 30 households (mostly seniors) and provided emergency food for an additional 396 households.
• Sheltered and supported 43 mothers and their children, over 75% of whom were able to move into more stable housing in less than 90 days.
• Provided a temporary home, emotional support and services to 14 families participating in transitional housing; over half of participants were kids under age 13.

While these statistics speak to our success in providing real solutions for hundreds of parents and children in our community, we also know that there is so much more we can do with additional funds and resources. In that spirit, we respectfully ask that you consider making a donation to Decatur Cooperative Ministry. 

We welcome the opportunity to share more about our programs and partnerships and to give you a tour of our facilities.   Again, many thanks for your time and consideration.  

Yours sincerely,

Beth Vann-Turnbull

Executive Director

Everyone can use a little luck (and help)

It has been a long-held belief that hard work and talent are important to succeed, yet a little luck is necessary as well.  Here's a new study, as noted in the New York Times that supports the hypothesis:  

Luck vs. Skill: Seeking the Secret of Your Success

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/business/of-luck-and-success-economic-view.html

Is it possible to "make" your own luck?  To a degree, yes.  You can work hard and be prepared.  You can think through alternatives scenarios and take appropriate actions.  You can "be in the right place at the right time."

But luck is, well, luck.  Is the perfect business partner (who you don't yet know) invited to the same event as you?  Does the right person introduce you?  Is your "perfect match" in the mood to hear what you have to say? 

No matter how completely you analyze everything, it is a simple truth that you cannot think through every possible scenario.  Even if you could, there are always variables outside of your (or anyone's) control.  When one of those variables break against you, you know it's bad luck:  

"We were supposed to meet for lunch, but an accident kept me from getting to the restaurant on time.  We couldn't reschedule for over a month - and by that time, we had lost the chance."

So what do you call it when everything lines up, and breaks in your favor?

Recognize and appreciate the role luck plays (or has played) in your success.  Pay it forward.  Think about whom you know who could benefit from a little kindness, generosity - or good luck.  Do your best to give it to them.  Today. 

The Dog Days and the Top Dog

Here’s a quick read you’ll like.  It’s perfect for what frequently are called “the dog days of summer.” Makes it a good time to talk about another dog: the “top dog,” and his or her role in driving successful Strategy Execution.

It’s an interesting post with good suggestions, yet, at core, based on a common (and major) misconception.  The author implies that CEOs (the “Top Dogs” referenced earlier) have the option of "relegating" (strange choice of word. Does he mean delegating?) strategy execution.  Not true - at least, not if the CEO wants to succeed.

How Smart Leaders Translate Strategy into Execution

http://bit.ly/MAThZU

One can use others to support the execution process.  The CEO must own and lead.

I’d be happy to talk through why CEO’s (or whoever the Top Dog is in the organization executing the strategy) have to own Strategy Execution, should you like. It’s one of the core principles at RedZone.

Enjoy your “dog days.”  Stay cool.  Let’s speak soon.

The Danger of Good Ideas

Every once in a while, I'm brought up short and reminded of key strategy execution and change management "basics."  Yesterday was such a day. I led a large meeting with much presentation and some discussion.  In general, the mood was good and post-meeting comments were positive.

Then I got "the email."  This is the note (not addressed directly to me but sent to a senior associate) that questioned much of what we were doing. The note was respectful, thoughtful, and included many positive comments and sincere suggestions.  In short, it was the most dangerous kind of message.

Thoughtful messages with good suggestions are hard to simply reject. They require a response. In fact, many of the ideas require careful consideration.   That's where the danger creeps in.

It is most difficult to differentiate between a good suggestion in support of the vision of an initiative and a good suggestion that leads the effort astray. The differences are subtle.  In these cases, one must revert to the vision clarity documents created at the beginning of the initiative (you did create them, didn't you?) and "draw the straight line" from where you are today to the end goals.  If the suggestion is fully aligned with the goal, it may well be worth pursuing. If it is not - it must be rejected.

You must also decide what to do with the person who presented the good idea. Is this someone who truly believes and agrees with the direction and goals of the initiative and just looking for a different way to get there?  That person is a "keeper."  Or is this a person who, at core, really thinks that the direction is "okay," but could be better if it were tweaked just a little bit? That person is a danger and must be addressed very directly. 

This is very, very typical in strategy execution. There are several common metaphors. The reason the metaphors are so common is because the situation they describe happen so frequently:  "It's like herding cats" or "If this person isn't on the bus, she needs to be off (or under) it."  These metaphors describe the challenges of keeping people aligned and focused on the stated goals.  

There's another concept that Steve Jobs wrote about and I believe completely: You need the strength of conviction to say "no" over and over again.  It's not the bad ideas that hurt you – they're easy to reject.  It's the good ideas that can kill you – modify your scope, change your focus, get you off course.  It's also called "death by a thousand cuts."  No one small adjustment kills – but a thousand little ones do.

Our job in strategy execution and change management is to say "thanks, but no" - and keep moving in the direction we've defined.

The Oyster, the Grain of Sand, and the Pearl

It’s funny how a metaphor suddenly appears and yet is so obvious you wonder what took you so long to see it.

Over the last month, I’ve taken to joking that the name of my consulting firm should be changed to Oyster Consulting, because “We’re the grain of sand that irritates the hell out of everyone, but when we’re done, you’ve got a pearl.”

It’s amazing how true that is. 

Significant strategic change is never easy.  People resist, no matter how clear it is that the change is needed and it’s the right thing to do.  People are more comfortable with the Status Quo.

And because of that, change won’t happen without getting people out of their comfort zone. It is only then that people will be willing to move in the new direction.  Thus, the need for that grain of sand.  That grain of sand is so irritating, it makes people uncomfortable – uncomfortable enough to change.

Being the grain of sand from within an organization is career threatening.  Once the process is done, people won’t remember the benefit you delivered – they’ll just remember that you were really irritating.  That’s why bringing in the grain of sand from outside can be so valuable.  That outside grain can help irritate people, make change happen, and then leave. All that’s left behind is that beautiful pearl.