RICH SOLUTIONS BLOG

Introducing a New Cohort! Due to popular demand. I am offering this workshop again in October!

This workshop is spot on! I loved the array of resources, the goal setting work we did and the shared learning. I was amazed how much I learned from the others in the group. (Victoria, business owner)

The Women’s Leadership Circle is a new and collaborative approach to leadership. This 7-week program is designed to strengthen your leadership skills, develop your network of like-minded professionals and deepen your appreciation of your innate leadership qualities.

Leadership is both an internal and an external journey. There are “hard skills” that are required for the job. But to really excel, leaders must also tap into their inner wisdom to realize their full potential. With the support of a cohort of other leaders, you will explore both sides of this experience. You will learn latest best practices in leadership development as well as develop “soft skills” that increase your effectiveness as a communicator, manager and visionary.

Through a combination of presentations, large and small group discussion as well as peer coaching, the group format will increase your understanding of leadership, support you to push beyond your default modes and expand your current leadership capacity.

Key Topics include:

• Creating a vision for your leadership.
• Exploring the systems of your organization and areas of greatest leverage.
• Improving employee engagement.
• Deepening your listening for impact.
• Practicing giving and receiving feedback.
• Working with difficult people.

WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAD TO SAY:

“Pam created a space for strong women leaders to come together across disciplines and experience to support and nurture one another. It was a wonderful experience that helped me become aware of myself as a leader and influenced how I practice becoming more authentic.” (Julie, architect)

COST: $500 (I have 2 slots for reduced fee applicants)

DATES: Mondays 5-7 Begins October 3, 2016. Ends November 14, 2016

EVENT BRITE URL:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-leadership-circle-fall-2016-cohort-tickets-26832715374

INSTRUCTOR: Pamela Rich is the Director and Founder of Rich Solutions, an organization development firm that promotes strategic thinking, equitable systems, and sustainable change. She brings warmth, humor and curiosity to her work, recognizing the virtuous cycle of learning that she and her clients bring each other. She has worked with numerous organizations to create strategic plans, improve organizational processes and support leaders. Clients include Planned Parenthood, Oakland Unified School District, University of California (Santa Barbara) and Pivot Learning Partners.

More information: contact pam@richsolutions.org / 510-326-3114

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Women’s Leadership Circle

Join us for a new, informative and collaborative approach to leadership.

This 8 week program is designed to strengthen your leadership skills, develop your network of like-minded professionals and deepen your appreciation of your innate leadership qualities.

Leadership is both an internal and an external journey. There are hard skills that are required for the job. But to really excel, leaders must tap into their inner wisdom to realize their full potential. With the support of a cohort of other leaders, you will explore both sides of this experience. You will learn latest best practices in leadership development as well as develop “soft skills” that increase your effectiveness as a communicator, manager and visionary.

Through a combination of presentations, guest speakers, large and small group discussion as well as peer coaching, the group format will increase your understanding of leadership, support one another to push beyond your default modes and expand your current leadership capacity.

Key Topics include:

• Developing your definition of leadership.
• Creating a vision for your leadership.
• Exploring the systems of your organization and your place within them.
• Improving employee engagement.
• Deepening your listening for impact.
• Practicing giving and receiving feedback.
• Working with difficult people.

This program is appropriate for all self identified female executive directors and aspiring executive directors of all racial and socio economic backgrounds.

COST: $350-500 sliding scale

COURSE SCHEDULE: April 11- June 6 (no class May 30 Memorial Day Holiday ) Mondays evenings from 4:30-6:30

LOCATION: Oakland Impact Hub, 2323 Broadway, Oakland

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The general wisdom around non-profits (for anyone not involved in non-profits) is that the lower the overhead the more effective and efficient the organization. I recently attended a presentation by Jan Masaoka of CalNonprofits who quickly put this idea to bed. Masaoka was presenting on the work of The Overhead Project which is alerting non-profits about new OMB standards and making way for some breakthroughs in how overhead is seen by both private funders and the federal government. (http://calnonprofits.org/overhead/about-the-nonprofit-overhead-project)

Masaoka told our group about the dance that all non-profits currently perform because each funding source has a different formula for how they will pay for programs. Nearly all funders currently insist that their money goes entirely or nearly entirely to support programs. That is, of course important, but in order to do the program a non-profit must also pay rent, pay utilities and buy a new computer from time to time. Despite the obvious need for these overhead costs, funders typically don’t not want to include them in their grants.

Because the cost of keeping the lights on is a real cost to non-profits, they must do all kinds of financial gymnastics to budget around the individual demands of the individual funders. Determining the actual cost of their programs can prove a daunting task.

Masaoka explained that because of these gymnastics, most non-profits spend about three times more on accounting than similarly sized for-profit companies. She insisted that this was not because non-profits do not have good accountants or that their books are shoddy. She claimed that the bookkeeping for non-profits is just that complicated.

Ironically, the funders’ desire to have as much money as possible go to programming ends up backfiring. Because of the higher cost of non-profit accounting, the overall costs for the programs end up being higher than if the operating costs were transparent and included as a budget item.

Masaoka and the folks at CalNonprofits recognize that the change needs to come from the funders and recommends educating them about the overhead issue. She also recommends not supporting groups like Charity Navigator which propel the myth that companies with low overhead are more efficient.

For more information on this topic, go to the CalNonprofits website: http://calnonprofits.org/overhead/about-the-nonprofit-overhead-project

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  A raft heads down Granite Rapid

Matt and I sat in our kayaks above Granite Rapid on the Colorado River (class 8 out of 10). We were both trying to muster the courage to plunge into the enormous wave train below recognizing the dwarfing effect the waves would have on our little boats.

I tend to be indecisive. I struggle with determining which is the “best” path to take. I become paralyzed analyzing one tack versus another. Looking at Granite Rapid and feeling both the reluctance to descend at all as well as uncertainty about which route or “line” to take, I felt certain there must be the “right” way to do it. In the Organization Development world there is a term called equifinality. It means that there are mutiple ways to reach the same end. In other words, if I have a goal or vision, there are several different ways that I could reach that goal.

I also knew there was more than one way to get down this rapid to make it safely to the bottom. But I didn’t want to mess up. I didn’t want to roll or swim. If I am honest, neither outcome would have been that bad. If I rolled, I rolled. And if I swam, others would collect me at the bottom albeit with my ego bruised. In equifinality, we learn that both in our individual lives and in our organizations, there can be any number of ways to reach a goal. The key is setting the goal in the first place and then taking the first step – the best guess – toward getting there. Then, as you move along, you make course corrections as you go. The goal becomes less elusive.

As I left the comfort of my eddy, I said to Matt, “sometimes you just have to pick your line, brace and react.” Granite Rapid was the ride of a lifetime!

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Peak Experience at Work

Why is it so hard to have a peak experience in the work place?

Through my adventures white water kayaking, I came to understand the concept of flow or peak experience.

In the beginning, I was so infatuated with the sport that I would try almost any river. My friends began taking me on rivers that I had no right to be on. I staggered and sputtered my way down the river often in complete terror wondering how I’d been talked into being there. I survived the experience but my runs were graceless, clumsy and lacked any kind of finesse. I was in pure survival mode. These experiences benefited me in one crucial way: I gained the knowledge that I could keep my head under pressure. (more…)

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What’s the goal?

#2 in a series on meetings

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In my last blog post, I focused on the question – to meet or not to meet: is a meeting the best strategy for meeting your goals? This blog entry is about when you have decided that a meeting IS, in fact, your best strategy.

While it may seem obvious, make sure the purpose of the meeting is clear to everyone who attends. All attendees should know why they are there and what they hope to accomplish during their time together.

Here are some different ways that you can inform people about what needs to get done in the meeting:

1. Announce the goals in writing beforehand.
2. Review written goals at the beginning of the meeting as part of the meeting overview.
3. Establish goals either verbally or in writing at the very beginning of the meeting in an informal way.

I have found that my meetings are more successful when I name the objectives at the outset and then review the objectives at the end to determine if they have been met. It is easy to skip this step if you meet frequently and informally but I’d urge you not to. Too often, many of us have wasted time remembering why we are there in the first place and fumbling with details of what happened last time.

Once objectives are established, the convener should address the following questions and in a timely manner so the tasks can be reasonably completed before the meeting:

1. What preparation is required before the meeting that support the work? (both for planner and attendees?)

Publicize the agenda in at timely manner (by laws generally state the timeframe but organizational culture or other regulations may dictate timelines as well). “Pre-reads” and accompanying instructions of how those pre-reads might be used should be sent at the same time as the agenda. Other pre-meeting tasks include completing pertinent reports and calling for reports to be reviewed at the meeting. The convener must consider any other materials that are needed to effectively complete the agenda. Having all these logistics worked out ahead of time will allow all participants to come to the meeting prepared and ready to address the meeting topics.

2. Who needs to attend the meeting and why?
3. In what ways will the people attending the meeting be impacted? And should any measures be taken to anticipate the impact?
4. What roles will people take and what will the follow up be?

In short, meetings are more productive if the goals are clear at the outset. Having clear goals allows the participants to stay on task, to feel a sense of completion and to build a common sense of purpose. I like to think that is what we are striving for in our work.

****Image courtesy of: http://www.petsloving.com/the-curious-puppy-cant-wait-to-see-his-best-friends-new-kitten-so-look-what-he-did/

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To meet or not to meet

Meetings 1 – first in a series about running effective meetings

Most of us attend more meetings than we would like. Far too often they feel like a waste of our time. The information that is communicated could have been given in a form that is less time consuming, less confusing and involves fewer people. Instead of team building, the meetings breed contempt.

I once had a supervisor who insisted all employees attend staff meetings once a month. The supervisor would essentially parade in front of us and hold court for about 45 minutes. Our attendance was required and we all felt trapped. This behavior was counterproductive. It wasted our valuable resources and built resentment.

I’ll bet you have stories about bad meetings. You might even be suffering from low morale because of the meeting culture where you work.

Meetings can, however, be useful. Very useful.
They can inspire productivity and camaraderie. They can streamline planning and can build good will.

This blog entry is the first in a series about how to run meetings that are more effective and efficient.

Let’s begin with the question: to meet or not to meet!

Consider: Is holding a meeting your best strategy for accomplishing what you want to get done? Or, are there other methods that could be equally or more effective in achieving that end?

Meeting can be helpful if you want to:
• Disseminate information
• Create and develop understanding
• Pool and develop ideas (brain storming)
• Develop a plan
• Provide a sense of direction
• Set targets and objectives
• Set tasks and delegating
• Solve problems
• Make decisions
• Encourage enthusiasm and initiative
• Create a common purpose and/or a common vision.
If these are among your goals, calling a meeting may make sense. There are, however, no hard and fast rules in determining if a meeting is truly necessary. There are many variables that determine how “meeting-happy” an organization is. Organizational cultures, management style and organizational demands all play a role.

Before calling a meeting, do some thinking and strategizing about what needs to get done. Decide if those goals could be better accomplished by other means. For example, instead of gathering everyone together to decide on a particular issue, send the information via email and provide a deadline for response. Employees will be grateful that you took the extra step toward valuing their time.

I am curious to hear other strategies employers and managers use to substitute for meetings.

In further blogs, I will tackle how to make meetings more streamlined when you have determined that they are the best strategy for getting work done.

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I love the river as a metaphor. It’s useful in Organization Development (OD), but it is also useful in life. I will comment on it from time to time in this blog.

The Eddy is the place on the river where the water slows down or even comes to a stand still. It is considered the quiet place in the river. Eddies form below rocks, on the edges of the river or on the inside of the river bend.

As a kayaker, I rely on eddies. I seek them out as I make my way down river. In the world of kayaking, this is known “catching eddies.” That means the kayaker works to turn her boat into this quieter space. I will catch eddies in mid-rapid because they allow me to slow my boat down and take a good look downstream. From the quiet of my eddy, I can catch my breath, gather my wits and determine my next move. Being able to take a quick look downstream helps me adjust my course and make better decisions about how to run the river. Kayakers who learn to make the most of eddies are quickest to improve their skills. They utilize the river and are able to maintain control of their progress downriver. These habits allow the kayaker to reach her goal of making it safely to the bottom of the rapid.

To me, the comparison to our organizations is clear. The organization is like the kayak. The pace of the organization is often moving so fast that we don’t take time to consider the wisdom of our choices. If we slow down, even just a little bit, we can reflect on whether we need a course correction or whether we can proceed full steam ahead. However, the organization needs to be thoughtful and targeted on how and when to make those pauses.

For example, organizations that take the time to create a strategic plan or even a shorter version of goal setting have a clearer sense of where they are headed. They establish priorities and develop a clear sense of where they are headed. They use benchmarks as their eddies to assess where they are in the process, whether the path they have determined is still the right path and whether they need to take other measures to reach their outcomes. Better yet, organizations that make a habit out of periodically assessing where they are, what is working and what is not remain more agile in shifting course and are poised to be more successful in their outcomes.

Like a skillful kayaker moving downstream, the skillful organization move deliberately and with purpose.

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A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a seminar led by Geoff Bellman, author of The Consultant’s Calling. One question he asked that has stayed with me was: What do you stand for? I often think of that question with regard to my work. I challenge myself always to be clear on what I stand for and to hold firm on those tenets. I also pose the question to clients. How do they want to put themselves or their organizations forward? What does their mission say about what they stand for? What do their actions say? The answer to that question indicates how they would like to be seen in the world.

My website is an attempt to articulate what I stand for. I realized in the process of creating this site that teasing out what I stand for, articulating it and depicting it were collaborative endeavors. This did not shock me. I work best when I work collaboratively. I have come to believe that the best ideas come from a synthesis of many ideas.

As my first blog entry, it seems fitting to thank those whose ideas I synthesized into this website. Anne Marie Praetzel, my web designer and long time family friend, is a genius for figuring out how to depict visually what I vaguely explained as my idea. Laura Marlin helped me say the words more clearly and more simply. Laura Paradise, my coach, helped me drill down on the questions: what do you stand for? What do you want people to know about you? Tom and Cara Meinholz invited me on their permit on the Grand Canyon for a kayaking trip of a lifetime. Many others reviewed the site and gave their insights and critiques

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