The first time I submitted a manuscript to an academic journal was a slightly traumatic experience. As someone who has always written from their heart, even when the writing was supposed to come from my head, I have had a hard time not being crushed by criticism. Even though I know it's not an either/or proposition, I often feel like you either like my work or you find it imperfect and therefore do not like it.
Read MoreHave you ever experienced that sense of deep satisfaction when your way forward becomes clear? The sense that who you are and who you want to be are fully aligned? And have you experienced that sense of integrity and clarity in the pursuit of social and environmental justice? If you have, you likely know two things:
Read MoreCommunity leadership is heavily reliant on the collective wisdom, ingenuity, and active commitment of community members who choose to be accountable to one another. As many others have observed, community leadership is convening. But how we come together, what we work toward, and the way our journey together is framed are highly important.
Read MoreTeaching athletes is a lot of fun, if for no other reason, than the unending string of metaphors available to a professor. Explain to a track star that finishing a semester strong is as important as finishing a sprint with the same or greater effort as at the beginning, and she gets it. Tell a swimmer that his attention to breath and rhythm will serve him in his study habits, and he follows.
Read MoreA thought partner is a person who is skilled at accompanying a person (or group) as they seek clarity in their life or work. Their job is to understand the subject the "thinker" is considering, understand the values the thinker is operating out of, understand the outcome the thinker desires, and mobilize a variety of communication tools in support of the thinker's process.
Read More"I was a bit of a screw-up freshman year," he said when I asked him to tell me his story. "That was ten years ago, and I just don't feel like I have a plan." With sad eyes, drooped shoulders, and a quiet voice, it was clear that he still saw himself as a screw-up. This was despite supporting himself with a job that he was committed to, excelled at, and often enjoyed.
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 More"You're not really leadership material." Feeling like a fraud is one of the most common experiences leaders can have. It's a sensation that, at any moment, your community or organization will realize you're not qualified, prepared, or otherwise capable of leading.
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 MoreI can see the fear in my students eyes sometimes, as if it was written in cartoon bubbles. A sense of desperation stemming from a deep-seated fear that maybe there is no other way. That maybe the enormously unsatisfied pit in their stomach is un-healable. That selfishness, greed, and injustice are inevitable.
Read MoreMore and more organizations and community groups have a mandate or mission that requires them to engage communities of one kind or another for the purpose of creating social justice. The enthusiasm and excitement that can come with feeling that you can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives is like gasoline. It can provide energy for the work of social justice – or, it can provide fuel for a project blowing up in your face.
Read MoreBecause community is a relational word that is both familiar and ambiguous, it is easy to gloss over the kinds of relationships a leader should seek to support their work. But, there are at least three kinds of relationships that can make all the difference for a person working in community leadership and engagement:
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.
Read MoreWhen people think of changing the world, we understandably think big. We imagine a world without racism, without poverty, without violence, and so many other worthy wishes. The more we learn about complex broken systems, structural inequity, and widespread injustice, the bigger and more complex our plans become.
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