Do you have a parent who is trying to downsize and doesn’t want or need anything new? Do you have the person on your list who is THE hardest person to buy for? Do you have people on your list that you want to give a gift to (perhaps as a thank you), but you just don’t know them well enough to know what to buy?

The month of November, the month of Thanksgiving, is often filled with lots of focus on gratitude. It almost feels competitive at times. We MUST be full of gratitude and express it freely and widely.

We are heading into the season of holidays, and some believe that October 31st is the best of them all. I always believe that there are things we can learn by making connections between people, places, things, and events. It is a part of keeping our creative minds active and allowing for more effective problem solving.

Know your priorities. Direct your resources (time, money, talents) toward those priorities. Don’t create unnecessary barriers.

There is something really important about continuing to learn, even if we never do so again in a classroom like format.

How I view succession planning is a readiness to implement a plan at the time of the announcement of a departure or an emergency plan ready to implement if the departure (temporary or permanent) of the leader is sudden.

There are many things organizations can do to help facilitate good “use” of the summer season.

I have hit my 10 year anniversary of Program Savvy Consulting. I feel fortunate to have been busy and happy serving my clients for a decade now. There are many things that I have learned from my clients and from my experiences as their consultant. In recognition of 10 years, I offer my top 10 list!

My Dad was accepted for hospice care just days before his 90th Birthday. He had been agitated even if his overall health had not seemed to be worse. At the end of the interview with the doctor who assessed him, it became clear to me why. He had set a goal for himself to live to 90, and he was so concerned about not living those last few days and not succeeding in achieving his goal.

“Who is ‘Tired Chick?’”

Collaboration is on the “wish list” of many funders and regulatory agencies, but collaboration done for no other reason than to please someone else is not likely to generate positive results.

Meet Meichle Latham! After a nearly 30-year career in the non-profit human services field, she chose to pivot and create, design and operate her own business as a Coach and Counselor with a mission to guide others along their journey to achieve greater purpose, harmony, and impact.

I am getting better at not interrupting your weekend! (Now, I need to get better at carving out more of mine!)

There are clearly some people who do not like icebreakers. I find, however, that that number is significantly higher when the icebreaker is labeled as such and is disconnected from the purpose of the gathering.

People are working really hard and yet, find themselves exhausted and too often, frustrated. It’s hard to experience those things and simultaneously invite the idea that perhaps your own practices are contributing to it.

Not all work is created equal. Not all work requires, demands, nor should be given the gold standard.

It probably isn’t surprising, and I’m not trying to be judgmental, but the staff is ahead of you in leading on this issue. And they would really like you to partner with them.

Don’t underestimate what your meetings can do for your organization and for your reputation.

Receiving feedback is hard (and so is giving it, a topic for another day), but it is critical to our ability to contribute, to make a difference, and to grow. It matters regardless of what we do.

You truly are interviewing for your next position each and every day. And that is powerful because you always have an opportunity to make a positive difference.