It was supposed to be everything I wanted. As Visiting Assistant Professor for Community-Based Learning at Grand Valley State University, I had finally found a position that reflected my unique academic interests. The department chair and college dean were supportive and I got along great with the other three professors who were starting at the same time.
Read MoreIt was a full-blown mess. A bona fide shit-show. And she knew the bottom could fall out at any moment. She had been hired under less-than-honest circumstances, having significant financial problems hidden by her new employers during the interview process. Now, she couldn't sleep, felt like she had no allies, no good options, and a mission she deeply cared for that was in danger of being abandoned.
Read MoreIt can feel as though every decision in life and work requires a quick, and perfect action. The urgency of a faltering organization or difficult project can cause oscillation between full-bodied determination and desperate resignation. When the pressures of crushing social problems and uncertain politics compound that stress, it is common to feel
Read MoreOur biggest challenges in community leadership require thought partners. Unfortunately, our hero culture encourages us to go it alone in leadership. A Leadership Coach walks with nonprofit leaders, community organizers, faith leaders, and people working for social transformation on a journey of growth in confidence, capacity, and integrity. Here are 6 ways
Read MoreIn Parker Palmer's seminal work The Courage To Teach, he points out that conversations on teaching focus mostly on the 'what's' of teaching, i.e. the subjects of teaching, a little on the 'how's' of teaching, and even less on the 'why's' of teaching. But the missing aspect, according to Palmer, is the discussion of the 'who' of leadership.
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