leadership

Boardroom and church – how much difference?

By Ann Macfarlane / December 20, 2018 / Comments Off on Boardroom and church – how much difference?
Photo of David Rumsey

David Rumsey, past president of the American Translators Association, offers thoughts for the holiday season in this guest post. 

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Put away your cell phone on the dais

By Ann Macfarlane / December 7, 2018 /
sign restricting cell phones

Jurassic Parliament strongly recommends that local governments establish a policy requiring elected officials to put away their cell phones while on the dais.

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Make better decisions using Exploratory Round Robin

By Ann Macfarlane / November 23, 2018 / Comments Off on Make better decisions using Exploratory Round Robin
Three individuals sit at a conference table taking notes during a meeting. A can of soda and a snack bag are on the table, while one person looks visibly uncomfortable after inappropriate remarks were made.

You can make better decisions about complicated proposals by using the Exploratory Round Robin.

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Expectations are planned resentments

By Ann Macfarlane / November 16, 2018 / Comments Off on Expectations are planned resentments
A group of people sits around a round table in a conference room, engaged in discussion. A man speaks, outlining expectations while facing the others, and a projector screen is visible in the background.

Guest post by Craig Freshley. We have been big fans of Craig’s wisdom for years and are honored to share this guest post with our readers. Visit Craig’s website for more superb tips on meetings and leadership.

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We need to be brutally honest as Election Day approaches

By Ann Macfarlane / November 2, 2018 / Comments Off on We need to be brutally honest as Election Day approaches
A woman with long, light brown hair wearing a black turtleneck, a golden scarf, and a necklace with a red heart pendant is smiling honestly in front of a brick wall.

My friend Donna Cameron writes, “We need to be brutally honest with ourselves.

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Beware of negativity bias

By Ann Macfarlane / August 25, 2018 / Comments Off on Beware of negativity bias
A woman with long blonde hair sits in a black office chair, holding a pen and making a doubtful expression. She is wearing a black blazer and white shirt, her face subtly reflecting the negativity bias she's wrestling with.

Human beings have a sharp and useful instinct for the negative.

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Use Board Action Request form to make better decisions for your nonprofit

By Ann Macfarlane / September 29, 2017 /
The image shows the official seal of the U.S. Department of State, featuring a bald eagle holding arrows and an olive branch in its form, with a circular border that reads "Department of State, United States of America".

When I was serving in the U.S. Department of State, I sometimes felt in danger of becoming too wrapped up in bureaucratic machinations. There were so many angles to foreign policy, and so many different folks were involved!

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Be a crouching tiger at meetings

By Ann Macfarlane / July 13, 2017 /
A Bengal tiger reclines on a rock, its intense yellow eyes gazing forward. The distinct black stripes on its orange coat contrast with traces of white fur around its face, reminiscent of a crouching tiger ready to spring.

As I watch meetings roll along, the good, the bad and the ugly, I often wish that chairs would observe the habits of the crouching tiger. This Sumatran beauty is lying on the rock, perfectly calm, alert and at ease – but ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. If you are chairing a meeting,…

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How well do you walk this meeting tightrope?

By Ann Macfarlane / March 8, 2017 /
Illustration of a person falling from a tightrope into water filled with shark fins.

Chairing a meeting requires two skills that are not easy to combine. The presider has to control the meeting, which requires strength. At the same time, he has to remain emotionally connected to the members, which requires warmth. Put too much strength into your voice, and you come across as cold and uncaring. Put too…

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“Ann, nobody wants your job”

By Ann Macfarlane / November 28, 2016 / Comments Off on “Ann, nobody wants your job”
card showing king of golf

Arnold Palmer passed away in October. I was interested to read in one obituary that he hated his nickname, “King of Golf.” He was quoted as saying, “There is no king of golf. Never has been, never will be. Golf is the most democratic game on earth. It punishes and exalts us all with splendid…

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