In the face of stress and disorganization I go silent to find strength, to give me some space. I get quiet. I get calm. I am thinking about implications, about next steps, about actions, about relationships, about who I need in this moment, about what will support me, about what I can do and what I cannot, about what I should do and what I should not. I am thinking and appear calm. Please don’t mistake my calm for a lack of concern or passion or commitment. It is how I gather my strength and I have an abundance it.
Tags: 100 Words
I gave a speech a week ago. I had passion about something, expressed it and hoped that passion would carry the day. In some ways it did.
While preparation and knowledge are not substitutes for passion, neither is passion diminished by preparation. But that’s what I was thinking. I was thinking I knew exactly what I wanted to say. What I forgot, is that preparation is about the how. The how is important. Thoughtfulness about the how shows that you care not just about what you are saying, but that you understand who might be listening. How is about relationship.
Tags: 100 Words · Reflective Practice
January 25th, 2009 · 6 Comments
I’ve been reading Chris Brogan and Seth and Jon and Darren and Marc for awhile now. Each site is wonderful and unique and keeps me coming back for different reasons.
Recently I have been following Jon’s posts about deliberate practice. It’s one of his three words along with focus and something else and yes, he knows that makes it four words. But in his posts around deliberate practice and links to those of others, he mentions that it takes 10,000 hours to be world class at something. You can go read about that here. My point (at least the one I’m getting to eventually) is this: What do you really do with all that stuff you are reading online?
Seth
If you read Seth Godin at all and you are even remotely responsible for marketing, building relationships, telling the story within your organization (I know, everyone in the organization is responsible), I was wondering if reading Seth actually changed not just the way you occasionally think, but the way you approach your work?
Chris
Chris’ site has evolved into something that I don’t even recognize as what he started in 2006 with 4 comments a post and a heavy dose of Self Improvement. It is however, immediately recognizable as Chris Brogan. It’s about value and relationship and breaking things down into manageable chunks and measuring and trying something new with purpose and intention. For those of you who read Chris, what do you really do with that information?
So, I am wondering. We have so many passionate, thoughtful, creative, and brilliant individuals producing piles of content emerging from their experience and constant experimentation. Are you really using this stuff? Is it changing the way you do approach your world, your business? I’m just asking.
N.B. My friend Jon has been thinking about this too and has some suggestions here.
Tags: Uncategorized · Productivity · Business
January 19th, 2009 · 6 Comments
I was sitting in my office the other day and through my window saw a gentleman walking around outside our building. He was in his late fifties and due to the fact that part of the building we are in is empty, he was wandering from door to locked door looking for an entrance.
I saw him approaching our back (locked) staff entrance and so I left my office and went to greet him at the door to see if I could help.
“Hi. Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for work……I don’t even know what this place is.”
I immediately took everything in. I looked in his eyes, at his rough, aged skin, his coat and gloves. I felt the cold air and welcomed him inside. It was -2 degrees outside. He’s walking from place to unknown place looking for work.
I explained what we did and he knew immediately it wasn’t for him but went on to say that he was really looking for the guy across the street because he had seen some “activity” over there and wondered if they needed help.
I shared what I knew about the business across the street.
“Oh” he said, “I know that place.”
Although it was clear that he didn’t know before I told him.
It was also clear as we talked that he was looking for manual labor of some sort, his rough hands belied the fact that he had relied upon them for years. Only now…
There is a part of me that wants to write about job search skills and how ill equipped this man was to find gainful employment.
There is a part of me that could talk about learning first about whom you are approaching or proposing better methods than walking from door to locked door of warehouse style buildings looking for work, but I think you might understand that. It’s not what this was about.
It is about vulnerability and this man’s polite and honest expression of his needs to a complete stranger. It is about desire and self-reliance on skills that may not be efficient or by any other measure terribly effective. It is about the idea that someone perhaps will appreciate this direct, honest approach and the expression of a willingness to do anything within his skill set (and I am guessing that it is broad and he, resourceful) to be employed. Even though it was so far from our norm of inquiry, even though we don’t generally have opportunities that suit his skills at our agency, I certainly appreciated this direct, honest approach.
I stood with him for a moment and rapidly searched my head for some sort of maintenance work that we may need done (oh, but we have him and him and her already). I searched my head for names and other businesses to approach (I gave him what I could).
I’m still not sure about the technique, but oddly enough I feel that had I something for him, I would have hired him in a minute.
Tags: Uncategorized
January 13th, 2009 · 3 Comments
I’m coming up on my five year anniversary in my position as Executive Director of a social service non-profit in Maine which serves children and families.
Truth be told it’s a few months away, but I have a tendency towards nostalgia.
I don’t remember if the interview committee asked me about where I want to be in five years. I don’t remember a lot of what they asked, but I do remember a sense of calm. I remember things feeling right. What I do know is that the kernels of where I wanted the agency to be, through an expansion of our ability to serve children and families, were there shortly after I arrived. I just wasn’t sure how.
What I do know is that I had to spend time with this agency, I had to spend time with the people and understand the mission and the history. It was crucial in my mind, to understand this history and build upon it’s strengths in order to grow and serve more children and families in new ways and at the same time honor the mission of this agency which was here long before me. I think we’ve done that well.
In thinking about hitting the five year mark, I also realized that while I have been with other organizations longer than five years, I have never been in one position this long without moving “up the ladder”. I was with one company for eight years, but in that time I held 6 positions with 5 different titles in 4 different locations. I just kept moving to what was “next”. After eight years when “next” wasn’t with that organization, I went to one that offered me “next” and within 6 months, I was promoted to “next” at that organization.
The funny thing is, when I think about what is next for me, it continues to be with this organization and it continues to be in this position. Next is linked to so many possibilities for this agency, so many ways in which we can meet the needs of children and families, so many things that are not yet done and it makes me wonder what done even looks like.
I love this work more than I have loved any other “work” that I have done and I have always been fortunate to serve children and families. However, I didn’t just arrive here five years ago, I felt led and that same sense of purpose keeps me right here.
For someone who has moved up so quickly and so often, it is an interesting feeling to see next this way.
Tags: musings · Agency · Business · family
Merriam-Webster defines Overachiever as: one who achieves success over and above the standard or expected level especially at an early age.
This sounds only partially accurate to me, based on how the term seems to be used in our culture.
I was recently having a conversation with a friend who happened to be labelled an “overachiever” by his team mates. Only the label didn’t feel like a recognition of his success but an accusation. More than that, it sounded like an excuse.
Because of this I began to wonder if there is a sub-text for the way in which this word was used and often is used in our culture. Perhaps it goes a little like this:
‘Well, you do all of this “extra” work because you’re an overachiever.’
Beyond that I wonder if we can also hear…
‘You do more work than I am willing to do, so I will call you an ‘overachiever’ so that I might find reason not to have to do the same amount of work that you do’
What about you? Are you unwilling to do as much work as the successful person in the office next to you, or are you an overachiever?
Tags: Productivity · musings · Business · friends
January is the new December.
I’m not even sure December happened with all of the preparation and travel and busyness of the holidays. When I look at my calendar I can see that I had meetings. I can see the results. I know that at home we lit candles for Advent…but I didn’t experience Advent. I don’t feel like I took the time to prepare…for anything.
January is here now and I am already reading new blogs, about new plans and strategies, about new words (3 or 300) that people are writing or using to guide them. It feels like some sort of starting gun went off and I’m not even sure what course I’m supposed to be running on. I want to yell out…”wait for me!”
OK, Maybe I am being a bit dramatic. I’m really not behind and I have begun to work on some significant changes for 2009 and beyond, many are however still in idea/plan stage and haven’t moved into full on strategy and implementation stage.
Truth be told, 1/1/09 was not a starting gun. Today and tomorrow are opportunities to begin and where would I end up if I didn’t take time to acquaint myself with the course.
So, perhaps I’m right on schedule. I have had the chance to reflect and plan some, strategies are forming and implementation must be right around the corner.
All that said, so far I like 2009. Hey, what’s not to like, it’s only a few days old.
Here are a few things I like so far.
1) I like that I get to enter this year with so many new relationships.
In the past year I have found opportunities to connect with new people and have connected with old friends in new ways. Thank you Facebook and Twitter and….
2) I am entering 2009 with some interesting new perspectives based on 2008 experiences.
A few things happened to slow me down in 2008. Some of my growth plans for the agency were put on temporary hold. A key member of my team has been out for an extended period forcing me to take on some of additional responsibilities and dig into her role in new ways. She is extremely valuable to this agency and her work is broad. This experience of digging in to her role will allow me to support her in new ways and will support the long term health and vitality of our agency.
3) My whole family feels like it has renewed energy and focus.
I am excited about the possibilites. This isn’t some sort of New Years resolution, it is something that has been building. It is something that we have been cultivating in our relationships. Meg works hard to keep our home engine running smoothly. Each one of us has their primary and supporting roles on our journey. We have always been flexible enough to toggle between the two categories when necessary. We are on the verge of a renewed understanding of this partnership as a couple, as parents, as friends and as managers of the business of family Hatch. I appreciate her greatly and know that exciting things are on the horizon.
So, if you didn’t get your plans in order for 1/1, remember that January is the new December. Now hurry up! 
Tags: Productivity · Work · musings · Networking · Business · friends
It’s hard not to see yourself in your children sometimes.
Punk #1 turns 9 today and I am awash in a broad spectrum of emotions. I can transport myself almost instantly back to the hospital room where I lay side-by-side, face-to-face on a cot with 1 day old Aidan while his Mama tried to rest and recover.
I can remember thoughts of hope and anticipation and wonder as I thought of who he would become. And while nothing turns out quite as you would expect, the surprises have been like beautiful fulfillment of hopes I simply couldn’t conjure.
As any parent does, I love this boy. More importantly though, I like him and appreciate who he is and who he is becoming. I know that there will be more surprises along the way and they may not always be as fulfilling as I would hope. What I do know is that I am his parent and partner on this journey and I could not be more proud as we discover together who he will become.
Happy 9th Birthday Aidan.
Tags: musings · family
People who have known me for years have come to expect a certain response from me. I have a tendency towards playing the “Devil’s Advocate”. Sometimes I do this for fun, sometimes it emerges in the moment as my way of providing perspective whether or not that is what has been asked for. Sometimes this annoys the snot out of people.
2008 was a year of growth and change. It was a year in which circumstances have taught me a lot about how I impact others. I’m quite certain that I haven’t learned all the lessons and even more certain of my inability to master them.
Here are a few things I am certain of:
I can’t be helpful without understanding what someone is really looking for.
Time spent listening with an earnest desire to understand allows for more discovery.
Earnestly wondering with someone about what will happen is a helpful exercise in developing this understanding.
Over the holidays, I sat with people who are holding on to pain and hurt because people they know and care about are in pain, hurting and not reaching out to those closest to them for support.
I have been watching them struggle with the how of helping and observing the oscillation between their own hurt of not being sought out for support and the concern for the hurt of the other.
I am trying to understand with them what their intervention will bring. Right now, there are still no clear answers, but I do know so much more about these people who care about this hurt and want more than anything to have relationships filled with trust and support…because they care.
Tags: musings · family · friends
Tags: Uncategorized
