The leadership team, often comprised of the executive director and board chair, can be thought of as the engine of the organization.  When it is working well, the organization is sustainable with momentum and mission focus flowing from the working relationship.  When it is unbalanced or running without sufficient engagement, the organization may stall and bump along.  The executive director and board chair can have a powerful alliance fueled by their passionate commitment to the organizational vision.  This alliance can model shared leadership and inspire others to become actively engaged in the work of manifesting the vision.

Mary Hiland's (2006, Fielding Institute) study explored what leads to strong partnerships between a board chair and executive director.  Her research highlights the essential role of trust and elaborates on what behaviors and characteristics create and develop trust.  Hiland's findings support the importance of leveraging the benefits of developing this pivotal relationship as a powerful resource.

We focus on the leadership team as we believe that leaders, whether executive directors or board chairs, should not feel isolated or that they alone are carrying the weight of the organization.  This is not a sustainable model.  More than one person needs to be holding the big picture of where an organization is headed.  The leadership team is a potent and dynamic partnership which can think strategically about the future, challenge each other's assumptions, and align the work of staff and board in service of the vision.
 

Join us this Tuesday to learn how a Paddling the Rapids group can support your leadership and help you strengthen your leadership team. We know that meeting with colleagues has many benefits : increasing vitality, breaking isolation, exchanging resources, building leadership muscle, defining values, celebrating successes and more.  New Paddling the Rapids groups are being planned for executive directors, board chairs, managers, and emerging leaders. Groups are scheduled to start in Bangor and Portland as well as a new group near Kittery and in other areas.  Want us to come to you?  Join a call.

Curious?  Hear our plans, ask your questions, and meet other leaders.  Invite others you think would like to know about these opportunities by forwarding this newsletter. We will be hosting calls monthly.

The next calls are:

• Tuesday, June 16, 4-5PM; (518)-825-1300, use code 271884#
• Thursday, June 25, 8:30-9:30AM; (518)-825-1300,use code 271884#
  

Email us to reserve a line at info@paddlingtherapids.com

"A facilitated forum is an extremely helpful and supportive way to tackle the particular challenges of the ED role. I would recommend this to all EDs of large or small organizations. It's a unique opportunity to examine your own leadership practice." participant

Check out our website for more testimonials as well as a list of participating organizations.

There are benefits to doodling!  Recent research supports the strategy of doodling to help with concentration.  The cognitive theorists suggest that the mind has a limited amount of attention to give and, once occupied, stops processing other stimuli. Multi-tasking is a myth.  However, daydreaming diverts a large amount of attention while doodling requires a very small cognitive load.  It actually may help to keep the majority of attention on the task at hand.  Try distributing paper and colored pencils at your next meeting and watch what happens to attention.  And a free doodling tool that is easy to use can be found at Online sketchpad.