Strategic plans used to be something boards revisited every three to five years. But today, the pace of change—and the unexpected shocks we’ve all lived through—are forcing boards to ask new questions: How do we stay involved over time? And how will we know when it’s time to shift?

In this episode, I share three practical strategies that can give boards a clearer line of sight into progress, keep goals measurable, and build in a refresh point that ensures plans stay relevant. If you’re leading in health care or the nonprofit sector, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

One of my most popular episodes was about building a personal knowledge management system. And here’s the surprising truth: the system itself matters less than the discipline of using it. Today, I’m sharing a simple life hack that’s saved me countless times—because let’s face it, our future selves are often forgetful, distracted, and, well… a little doltish. The trick? Leave breadcrumbs. Clear instructions. Notes that anticipate what your future self will need, right when they’ll need it. From everyday tasks to professional deliverables, this practice has transformed the way I work and live. Be kind to your future self—they’ll thank you for it.

In this week’s episode, I dive deeper into a powerful lesson drawn from my journey as a photographer—why falling in love with what you create transforms not just your art, but your life and career. From average snapshots to meaningful images, I share how shifting focus from process to passion unlocks greater fulfillment and impact. Whether you’re navigating your career path or reflecting on what truly motivates you, this episode offers a fresh perspective on finding joy and purpose in the work you do.

What do photography and career planning have in common? More than you’d think. In this episode, I share how years behind the lens—starting with a beat-up rangefinder—taught me the art of seeing, of waiting, and of wandering. Whether you're a sunrise-chasing planner or a thrill-seeking discoverer, this conversation explores how balancing preparation with openness can shape not just your images, but your life.

Because sometimes, the best shot—and the best opportunity—is just around the bend.

Accountability isn’t rocket science—it’s a notebook. In this episode, we skip the complexity and spotlight a painfully obvious yet wildly underused leadership tool: writing things down. From toxic cultures to missed follow-ups, we explore how a simple habit can transform organizational trust, clarity, and follow-through. No apps required. Just a pen, a plan, and a little discipline.

What if the loudest leaders are the most insecure—and the quietest, the strongest? In this episode, we unpack a paradox at the heart of leadership: how humility, not bravado, shapes resilient cultures and lasting impact. From personal reflections to a poignant story of legacy and retirement, this is a candid exploration of what strength really looks like when the stakes are high. If you lead—or aspire to—you’ll want to hear this.

We all learned a lot about life, leadership, values, and priorities during the Covid pandemic. I recently was reminded of one while in the drive-through line at Starbucks. 

Some mission driven organizations benefit from considering their purpose, their objective, their very reason for being as a diamond that is distinct from its setting. This week's quick episode is a thought experiment that several of my clients have found helpful. Perhaps you will as well.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"... sang The Clash all the way back in 1982. Let's say you have been debating this same question at your job... and ultimately conclude: I'm so done here.

As an executive coach, I have been in a number of conversations with individuals who can relate. I sometimes then find myself in a "how do I quit?" discussion. I hope my advice here helps if you find yourself in this sticky situation.

Figuring out what went wrong and then learning from our mistakes is vital to an organization's long-term success and impact. Unfortunately, some organizations struggle to move past the woe-is-us wound licking phase. This is a topic of great interest to me personally and one I have studied and written about quite a bit. The key to progress here is for groups to lament... for a bit... and then to move forward into the learning mode. In this episode, I suggest a distinct and simple set of steps - in this case, four questions - to help leaders get over this hurdle.

Finding meaning at work impacts organizational culture.

Organizational culture impacts our ability to retain and hire the necessary talent for our mission driven organizations.

Finding talent to fill our key positions is essential to the success of our "organizations that matter".

In this week's episode, I discuss this phenomenon cut against the backdrop of the rapidly changing (i.e., for-profitization) of the hospice industry.

I took a leap of faith, left behind the world I knew and tried to do something completely different. Yet somehow, in the process, I rebuilt everything I had just walked away from. For me, wisdom, insight, and inspiration came from the unlikeliest of sources: Jerry Seinfeld.

Perhaps his own self reflection can help you too.

In my work with mission-driven organizations, I’ve seen how trust isn’t just a virtue—it’s a strategy. The way we initiate conversations says everything about our integrity, our intent, and our respect for others. Sales and development efforts rooted in honesty build relationships that last. The rest? Just noise that is best ignored.

This week, I discuss the impact of busyness on the business of health care with author and expert, Susan Keane Baker. We review issues related to kindness, accountability, presence, leadership, and the state of the industry when it comes to elevating the patient experience.

Thank you to Susan for her time and insights. She can be reached at her website here: https://susanbaker.com/.

You need to determine whether change is necessary and then, if so, how best to accomplish that change. This week, I offer another important question that must be considered: is the organization ready for that change? I then discuss the implications of high change readiness and the actions you can take if you encounter low change readiness.

Sometimes the most important lessons are also the most obvious ones.

Ok, let's say it happens. Zombies take over. Which side are you going to be on?

Teaching.

Management.

Racquetball.

Consulting.

They actually do have something in common and it's instructive for anyone responsible for choosing a consultant for their organization.

This week, I discuss the connection and differences between having a sense of balance versus integration in your life.

And no plates were harmed in the production of this episode.

I'm pleased to interview three guests today from The Ignatian Spirituality Project, an organization that surely "matters". It's a conversation about hope and healing... and second chances and redemption. I hope you'll find this to be inspiring.

For more information, see here.

Ask your staff this one question. You'll learn something and they will appreciate being asked.

Here I discuss a valuable insight gleaned from Navy Seals training. And from my mentor.

In this week's episode, I describe the art of management as too many new and inexperienced leaders tend to focus on the science. 

Forget the tools—do you have a system? In this episode, I explore why personal knowledge management isn’t about the latest app—it’s about discipline, consistency, and devotion. From steno pads to second brains, I discuss what separates high performers from the forgetful, and why even seasoned executives need a system they trust.

You remember those early days of Covid - back then, we didn't know what we didn't know. It's not too early to begin thinking about lessons learned and so today, I discuss the restaurant industry and how some of them demonstrated critical leadership skills. And some did not.

On my podcast, I often cover topics associated with meaning, purpose, impact, and personal values… though I have not as of yet discussed issues pertaining to faith. I’m happy to change that with today’s interview. Matthew Potter is a co-founder of the Pray.com platform which contains over 1,700 years of content consumption. We discuss his fascinating path to the point of developing the app and several of the cultural trends that have supported its incredible success and impact.

Podcast listeners can receive a full year of free access by going to Pray.com/Matt. With gratitude to Matthew and the Pray.com team!

In this episode, I speak with change and leadership expert, Jim Carlough, on the topics of change management versus managing change, the six characteristics of effective leaders, building strong and effective teams, and the common mistakes that leaders make. 

This week, I had a chance to chat with Professor Erin Sullivan (Harvard Medical School and Suffolk University) about physician and provider burnout, a problem that is getting worse and negatively impacting all of us. How did this happen and what can we do about it?

Strategic planning exercises offer a unique opportunity to gather feedback from employees. In this week's episode, I discuss recent trends in this regard.

Have you ever been in a meeting and someone (or perhaps you yourself) said "I wish we had more accountability here." In this week's episode, I suggest a strategy for moving in this direction.

Peter Drucker said: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." I actually see it a bit differently.

Some organizations and their leaders struggle to make and execute on critical decisions. In this week's episode, I discuss why this might be the case.

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.

It's time for a change in your organization... but how do you get started? In this brief episode, I offer some advice on how to begin the process. 

I refer to my "Four Values" methodology in this episode. Link here.

Can you really have your cake and eat it too in nonprofit M&A? In this episode, we explore the mindset behind mergers, acquisitions, and strategic affiliations—not the math, but the meaning. When organizations face pressure to scale without sacrificing identity, leaders are often sent on a quest for the impossible. Tune in as we unpack the cross currents, the trade-offs, and the conversations that matter most before the deal is even on the table.

Do you and your organization possess the necessary capabilities in order to manage a change agenda? In this brief episode, I suggest an equally important question: does it possess the commitment?

This week, I speak with leader, consultant, and professor Gina Mazza about a topic that is anything but the new, new thing: Servant Leadership. It's a leadership style and set of values that does, however, seem to be making a comeback.

In this episode, Gina I I discuss what servant leadership is and why it's gaining more attention.

Hospice Nurse Penny is on a mission to demystify death, help all of us to become more comfortable with the dying process, and alleviate something she herself has experienced: death anxiety.

Moving from bedside hospice nursing to social media platforms, Nurse Penny uses education, humor, and direct talk to accomplish her mission.

In this episode we discuss all of these matters, the hospice industry, and her own personal journey to this point.

Link: Hospice Nurse Penny

In this week's episode, I speak with Attorney Robert Griffin, a renowned expert on non-profit organizations. Our topic relates to what causes such organizations to go sideways from a legal and governance perspective, the causes of decline and trouble, the marks of good governance, and the many lessons learned from his forty years of policy-making, legal practice, and contributing over 170 cumulative years of service to non-profit boards.

This episode is a great resource for leaders and board members of non-profits who are committed to the mission of their organizations... and keeping them on track.

Link: Massachusetts Attorney General Guide for Board Members of Charitable Organizations

“Don’t waste your suffering.” — Deborah Grassman

In this week’s episode, I speak with the founder of Opus Peace, an organization that was founded based on the important life lessons gained from working with 10,000 dying veterans. Deborah Grassman and I speak on the topics of childhood scripting, unprocessed trauma, personal pain, and peace and healing.

This is a powerful topic and I hope you’ll find it to be moving, motivating, provocative, and perhaps even the beginning of a path to peace.

Links:

Opus Peace website
Online courses
February 2, 2025 event

Dr. Annie Brewster is a both a physician and a patient and in this week's episode, we explore the incredible (and I dare say surprising) healing power of storytelling. We cover Dr. Brewster's personal experiences and the ensuing work that she and her colleagues have done to empower, inspire, and... to heal. Her work is meaningful and will, I hope, help you to consider your own personal journey as well.

We also touch on issues related to physician burnout, the lack of integration within our current health care system, and ways that this work might benefit our listeners and their organizations.

Dr. Brewster founded the Health Story Collaborative, linked here. On this website, you can also find information about her outstanding book, entitled: "The Healing Power of Storytelling".

It's not every day that the owner of a multi-billion dollar global for profit entity decides to convert to his company to non-profit status. In what can only be described as a  profound "put your money where your mouth is" statement, Bayada Home Health Care did just that. In this week's interview, I discuss this conversion - along with some broader health care industry topics - with company CEO, David Baiada. I hope you find this to be as interesting and inspiring as I did.

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.

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.

In a world flooded with AI-generated content, standing out is harder than ever. In this episode, I explore what it really takes to rise above the noise—and why your unique voice matters more now than ever.

Fountain pens. Film photography. Franklin Planners. Maybe the future isn’t faster. Maybe it’s more… rum raisinish.

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.

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.