Optimism is a good thing, right? Absolutely! But... and this starts innocently enough... a sincere desire to be (and seem) optimistic can, over time, give way to something that is... not so good.

You have blind spots. I have blind spots. And they can impact our approach and our success. Remember, blind spots are only problematic when we ignore them.

You don't expect surprises (or at least, pleasant ones) when you conduct a strategic planning exercise. However, in my experience... recent planning projects have resulted in some important and quite helpful "ah ha" moments for boards, leaders, and staff.

Strategic planning is important and I've certainly spent a lot of time talking, writing, and podcasting about that. Today, I address the topic of strategic DOING. 

Many years ago, my son and I were hiking in the Grand Canyon when we learned a valuable lesson about hiking, life, and for me... years later... strategic planning.

I'm serious.

I recently saw that a former colleague from a company I once led posted on social media that he had fallen victim to an affiliation that was not accurately described to him as it was taking shape. Since I was the one responsible for messaging that affiliation, I took his comment as a blow. And that stung.

But... some further reflection has led me to a few conclusions.

Vision. Every organization should have one and every leader need to be able to articulate his or hers. But not all "visions" are the same. 

According to Jonathan Swift,  “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.”

So, do you help others see the invisible?

When I was starting out as a young and relatively low-in-the-chain-of-command employee, I was highly focused on the task at hand. I was clear about my responsibilities and how to be successful and I didn’t worry about a great deal more than that. If someone back then had asked me how the company I was working for was doing financially or what its main threats were in the external environment, I don’t think I could have answered. More importantly, I would have thought that those were strange questions for someone at my level to be concerned about.

Things change.

"Conflict avoided is conflict multiplied." Most people don't relish having to make tough decisions but sometimes putting this off can cause more harm downstream. Organizational culture flows from the personality of the key leaders of the organizations, most notably the CEO's. If that CEO is conflict avoidant... then that may prove to be the biggest problem of all.

Negative budget variances? Sounds like a boring and low level topic for a podcast such as this one... but how you handle them: (1) says a lot about you as a leader and (2) has the very real potential to positively transform your organization.

I go on and on about non-profit, mission driven organizations and sometimes receive friendly (usually) comments about how non-profits and for profits are much more alike than not. Sure, ok. But there are some critical ways they're different. Today, I talk about one of them.

For organizations in trouble and working to launch an improvement initiative, the diagnostic phase is critical. Sometimes, however, that is a very difficult task... partially due to the fact that neglect, conflict avoidance, politics, lack of clarity, or indecision created a mess that is difficult to sort through. I liken this to a "drawer full of pens". The analogy  makes sense, trust me.

I've seen it happen and often to tragic effect. Boards will hire a leader to bring about substantive change... only to find out later that the process of creating that change caused more friction and tension than anticipated. This week's brief episode is a reflection on how best to prevent this sort of unpleasant surprise from happening. Thanks for listening.

Have you heard this expression: "We'll fix it with a reorg..."?

Something this is a reasonable and effective strategy. But beware, sometimes it isn't.

Sometimes you have to walk lightly and sometimes you have to pound the table. 

This episode is for those times when you find yourself wondering whether it's time to pound the table.

What are you looking for in a new leadership hire? Do you prioritize and have clear selection criteria, established up front and before you even begin?

If not, watch out... you may be making a more impactful decision for your organization than it may seem on the surface.

Sacred Cows and Elephants in the Room. Everyone organization has them.

But what happens when they diminish success and hamper positive change efforts?

Bryan Stevenson, in his excellent book, "Just Mercy", describes the advice his grandmother once gave to him. She said: “You can’t understand most of the important things from a distance, Bryan. You have to get close...”

And this relates to mission driven organizations how?

Change is hard. Got it.

Being a change agent is difficult. Yup.

Bruising people along the way is just par for the course, can't be avoided, and is probably even necessary.

Really?

You get the new job and you are psyched. This is going to be awesome!

Until it isn't. 

This episode is about those situations when new leaders find themselves in a tough spot due to the toxicity of the culture they have just entered.

In this episode, I discuss the perils of an inward focus at the expense of having an outward oriented one. Some organizations (and people) don't benefit from having too much of a heightened sense of self. 

Making an interim or transitional leadership hire. Is there a difference? And does that matter?

In my book Saving Organizations That Matter, I use a waterfall metaphor to describe the challenges some organizations face as they feel the pull of the current toward danger. I read a brief excerpt this week to describe this imagery and its relevance to leaders of mission driven organizations.

Some of us kittens look into a mirror and see a mighty lion staring back at us. Some of us lions see little kittens. Honest and clear-headed self evaluation is important... but alas this is a podcast about leading mission driven organizations and I'm no pop psychologist. Nevertheless, I believe that the parallels to leadership are worth thinking about. In this week's episode, I describe how gaining external feedback can be helpful.

Classic scenario: you're at the fork in the road and up one side, it looks smooth and inviting. Up the other, challenging. But, wouldn't you know it, the more difficult side may well be the one for you.

This week, I talk about making the harder... but better choice.

All is well.

The sky is falling.

Let's face it, we all have our tendencies and personality leanings when it comes to change and urgency. In this podcast, I offer a few thoughts on this topic and the leadership implications for organizations. 

Introducing Leading Organizations That Matter, a weekly podcast dedicated to everyone who works for, leads, and cares about "organizations that matter". These include mission driven health care, social service, and community-based organizations dedicated to improving the lives of those who are vulnerable and face great challenge. Leading these types of organizations poses unique challenges and Leading Organizations That Matter seeks to explore related topics, including organizational culture, meaning and purpose in work, diversifying the c-suite, and leading turnarounds and transformations. Episodes will be brief and to the point, though occasionally will include interviews with industry experts. I hope you'll consider listening in. For more information, see RedSailAdvisors.com.

In my book, Saving Organizations That Matter, I describe the importance of "storytelling the mission", that is, describing the work of an organization and its mission in a compelling and even emotionally stirring manner. In this week's episode, I describe three quick tips for improving your ability to storytell the mission.

Thanks for listening. And please consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. It helps others find us here. Thanks!

For-profits... non-profits... what's the difference? 

In this episode, I provide six reasons that the movement toward for-profit health care has had some negative impacts on all of us. 

I suspect this is going to be a bit controversial but... I've seen what I've seen.

For many nonprofit organizations, merger and acquisition strategies are viewed as desperation moves, as a proverbial Hail Mary scenario. This is... quite different... from their for profit counterparts who see M&A options as a way of cashing out of the business or as a means to grow and increase shareholder value. In this week's episode, I argue that many nonprofit mergers fail because they were set up to do just that from the start.

Thanks for listening!

And please consider telling your friends and colleagues about this podcast. Also, positive reviews on your podcast platform help a lot. Thanks.

You're preparing your strategic plan and hoping to reflect your organization's top tier priority around DEI and anti-racism... so, you make it one of your named top tier priorities or "strategic pillars". Hm... not so fast. This week's episode offers an alternate approach and, as I state, I have come to believe that this is a best practice.

If you are the leader of an organization, what do you see when you "look in the mirror"? In this episode, I discuss that awkward situation when you realize that everyone else sees something different.

We all have differing levels of tolerance for uncertainty. Organizations are the same. Unfortunately, however, some leadership teams and boards of directors are SO uncomfortable with uncertainty that they will make rash and unhelpful decisions. I discuss this topic today and offer three potential remedies.

I'm sure everyone can think of good "less is more" examples. In this week's episode, I comment on this from the perspective of leading organizations in crisis and/or needing to undertake a significant change agenda. I cite two examples where this was exactly the right path forward.

Woody Hungarter is very uniquely qualified to speak to the daunting task of strengthening and preserving the legacy of historically significant mission driven organizations. He served as CEO of the VNA of Philadelphia, a pioneering 138 year old nonprofit, and now as CEO of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, which is a manifestation of the landmark Karen Ann Quinlan case of the 1970s and 1980s. In this episode, Woody discusses the challenges - and some suggested strategies - associated with the task of preserving the legacy of an organization well into the future.

Making difficult decisions is the job of leaders. In this week's episode, I describe the three reasons that decisions can be difficult and suggest that understanding this can be helpful to not only making the decision but also to how you communicate it down the line.

I use the term "mission driven organization" a lot. And when asked, I'm always happy to define what I mean by that. But... I've learned through the years that my definition is not the one that matters.

I often find interesting (and unexpected) inspiration and lessons from the most unlikely of places. In this week's episode, I draw from the world of art, specifically music-making and film directing.

All leaders want to be proactive, not reactive. But here's the thing: Just because you want to be proactive, be considered by others to be proactive, and do proactive seeming things, that does not mean that it’s true. In this week's episode, I point out a simple way to frame up a discussion that can help leaders make sure that everyone is on the same page for critical organizational decision making.

In this episode, I discuss the mergers and acquisitions of mission driven non-profits with industry expert, Mark Kulik, of The Braff Group. We review the whys and hows for those leaders charged with the mission, impact, and legacy of such organizations as they consider the consolidations taking place within the industry. I am hoping that this will provide an orientation and primer for those who want to learn more about this topic.

In the episode, Mark refers to an early podcast episode which is linked here.

This week, I speak with long-time colleague, Lisa DiTullio, principal of Project Chalk Talk, about managing change and how best to ensure your own - and your company's - competency and capacity for managing change.

Lisa and I were colleagues during the high profile turnaround at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, an organization that transformed from state supervised receivership to the number one health plan in the United States, an experience that impact both of us greatly.

If you are in the midst of (or contemplating) change, this episode should prove most helpful.

I am pleased to present an interview with Dr. Andrew Gerber, President of Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut. Dr. Gerber is a clinician, leader, educator, and widely respected voice on issues pertaining to mental health care. In this interview, we discuss the current behavioral health "crisis" and the various issues impacting hospitals, physicians, patients, and... all of us. Consider this to be an excellent primer on the current state of the behavioral health industry.

With appreciation to David Storto, long-time health care industry leader, in this episode we explore the topic of Medicare Advantage.

We look at Medicare Advantage from the perspective of taxpayers, enrollees, and health care providers. As we discuss, there are some very important pros and cons to this governmental health care program… ones that impact patients, providers, and ultimately… all of us.

If you’re interested in getting in touch with David, feel free to send him a message at storto907@gmail.com.

When the focus of a strategic planning initiative is to develop a "product", then that's an opportunity lost. Here, I suggest another way of thinking about strategic planning.

"We are in a constant state of turnaround!"

Yeah, I don't buy it...

If you are thinking about developing a merger, acquisition, joint venture, or strategic partnership strategy, I hope you'll find this episode helpful. Here, I outline a systematic four-step process by which successful organizations can proceed.

Does the mission, vision, and values statement on the laminated sheets in your conference rooms accurately reflect your organization's culture?

Profitability is good and essential, but the significant increase in the number of for profit hospice organizations has had an impact and much of that is not so good. In this episode, I speak with Diana Franchitto, President and CEO of HopeHealth, which is a leading non-profit hospice and palliative care organization. We discuss this trend and answer the question: does this matter? Spoiler alert - it does.

Additionally, we discuss how to choose the best hospice for your loved one, a decision that often must be made during a very intense and challenging time.

Links:

Suddenly, AI seems to be everywhere. In this week's episode, I interview renowned expert, Dmitri Tcherevik, an innovator, leader, and educator, to learn more, especially as it pertains to mission driven non-profits. Dmitri helps to explore whether leaders should consider AI to be a great opportunity, a mere curiosity, or even possibly a threat. We discuss implications for students and industry and offer thoughts on how best to stay on top of this emerging and impactful development.

One more thing... you do realize that once the machines become self aware, it will be the end of civilization? I'm joking. Mostly joking.

According to surgeon, author, and thought leader, Atul Gawande: "Everyone deserves a coach."

In this week's episode, I explore whether Dr. Gawande is right.

Noted professor, facilitator, and executive coach, Ted Witherell, and I discuss this topic and ponder some deep questions such as: (1) Are you worthy of an investment? and (2) How do you process inspiration?

For more information about Ted, please see here.