S2E3:Refine Values, Anchor Your Roots
Today marks the first full week since transitioning out of a full time, senior executive role in the nonprofit sector.
Because I have joined and left organizations quite a few times, there is a familiar energy:
Realize and sit with the fact that the chapter is over
Flood with things that you wish were better
Really push myself to remember all the good
Name my takeaway and what I want to do differently
Part of the index cards of memories and next steps, are my values. And I sit in the part of the pond that believes my values change over time.
Training offering that get’s to the point I’m about to make:
“I once ran a training on values.
Instructions: Pick your top five from a list of about 50. Reflect. Then, pick your top five values if you were in a season of change management, regardness of whether or not its driven by leadership change, financial distress, or a new program. Did your values change?”
Some people said yes. Others said no.
I’m a hard YES - my values do change depending on the situation, what skills I need to do to succeed, and what process I want to run to get to the finish line.
This is what it can look like:
My Values:
Truth Telling
Strategy
Collaboration
Learning
Communication
My Values Under Pressure:
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Strategy
Learning
Communication
Did I stop caring about collaboration and results? No. I’ve just learned that different circumstances require conscious selection of the tools to get you through the moment. Yes, I still hold onto collaboration and results but I won’t be rigid to them if something is at odds with those two values.
Why do I share this? Because my circumstance has changed. I no longer have to think about the organization I’m representing. Which means I can move through the open streets of southern CA on different values.
Now, this means that I’m about to LEARN: is this a good idea? What happens if I show up this way? How can keeping it real go wrong?
So here is the REAL reflection to this blog:
I recently had a conversation with someone on the philanthropy side seeking to find 501©3s to implement their program. They will give you tools out of the box - but will not offer a operational grant, programmatic grant, or any financial support to help the nonprofit.
To me, this is violation of my values of collaboration. Why? Because I do not want to promote free and forced labor on nonprofit employees. I have NEVER heard any nonprofit worker - entry level or in a leadership role that they love providing more mission-driven services without pay, operational support, or increased bandwidth.
And so, I said something. Or somethings:
Consider partnering with mid-to-large sized nonprofits who can financially support the program.
What is deemed as an hour of labor ends up actually being 5x the amount of work. Doing marketing, program enrollment, and customer service is work work.
Consider leading the work with other foundations to find the funds as opposed to putting the burden on the nonprofit to do this work without money.
I think I would have keep these ideas to myself working in an organization because these type of statements can make or break relationships, collaborations, etc.
But I am a free agent. Having worked on the ground and being known as a truth teller, I can say things like this.
But its scary cause dang, what if I sabotaged a consulting gig?
Look, the point is that in practicing saying what I believe, there will be people who are turned away. Others will get closer. And I will reflect on the most strategic way to navigate my truths and social critiques.
Who knows, maybe being Direct may be a value that drops off my top 10. [I don’t think so]. What is most important is that I am in a season of practicing. And I practice because I feel grounded. Self-assured. Supported by spirit. Open to the process of learning.
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I felt my body react in the meeting - “I have to speak my truth.”
And I did, but left with a headache. That could have been the effect of no coffee, a financial advisor meeting before hand, taking care of a banking issue via phone, and refining slides before that for my 3 hour presentation in a few days.
So I reminded myself: I did WAY to much for someone on sabbatical. LOL.
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Reader, I leave you with this:
It is your divine right to practice speaking your truth
It will be messy so aspire to find your “right”
When you don’t have to reserve your thoughts given your organizational affiliation, you’d be amazed how your leadership identity cultivates.