What is a “mission statement” and why do I need one?
I can't tell you how many mission and vision statements I've helped craft in my time as a consultant. The first part of building the foundation of good structure is to know what you're doing with your time. So, when I do structure checks with the companies I work...
What you need to have a good self-care practice for you and your org
During the holidays we hear a lot about "self-care." It's a very stressful time of year not only because we have a lot of external pressure for THE PERFECT HOLIDAYS. But also because we're are constantly dealing with family, lots of events, changing weather, and still...
Verhanika IRL: Realizing I’m racist
How it began A couple of weeks ago I came across a post in one of my Facebook groups about a new show on HBO called Insecure. It's in it's second season and is written by and stars Issa Rae, a millennial black woman. It's about her experience being a black woman in LA...
Theatre Dispatch: Artists and their temperament
So I spend a hefty portion of my time as a consultant helping people understand their behaviors and the behavior of others through the lens of the "artistic temperament." Like, was this person being an asshole because they have an artistic temperament or...are they...
Bad Bosses: When a boss doesn’t recognize subculture
So the whole world is ablaze right now with conversations around culture. When we use this word, we are usually referring to ethnic culture meaning people who are Black, Latinx, Native American, etc. But this word also refers to cultures that can exist in an...
Verhanika IRL: How to use bullshit from white supremacists to learn something about yourself
Social media is not the place where people’s minds are going to be changed if they are that far divided, so let’s not approach these sorts of disagreements with the intention of changing people’s minds. Let’s become more self-aware about how we handle conflict.
Tools and Theories: Talking about how much you work is boring and dumb
I have a buddy who loves to tell me how busy he is every time I see him. "I had this opening and this rehearsal and my day job has this and I'm teaching this class" on and on and on. Every time he tells me his litany of things he's doing I get tired and always think...
Tools and Theories: What to do when you’re “meeting’d out”
So you've just sat down from your most recent meeting, only to have a notification pop up on your computer telling you you have another in 20 minutes. You don't even bother to put down your notebook and water bottle because then you'll have to spend time just...
Tools and Theories: Millennials, amirite?
I’m part of a Facebook group for Executive Directors and Executive Directors in Recovery. I love this group because we not only share the common belief that working for and with non-profits is rad, but the problems presented by this group are always clearly...
Bad Bosses: I don’t care how annoying they are
I have a client who is having a really, really rough time at work right now. She and her manager are at each others' throats all the time and I was brought in to help alleviate the tension. Lots of things contribute to situations that get to this height. Most people...