From Carol:

Re-envisioning this newsletter was a process of pausing to consider its value - to us, as consultants, and to you, our friends and colleagues.  Given that a major life event has forced a disruption to my life as usual - the notion of taking a sabbatical came into our business planning.  Embracing the concept and taking the time to ask "what is my work now?" was both a relief and exciting.  Scheduling the time to pause and reflect with Deb gives me the structure that supports the commitment to continued exploration of this concept.  Today I sat with how much my sense of purpose comes from my work.  Without that focus my grounding shifts - and I am somewhat adrift.  There is some fear and also the thrill of possibility.   

The images we chose (with the help of our talented web designer, Thierry Bonneville)  speak to the power of pausing (the tent), reflecting (the still waters),  shifting (the canoe and paddles), telling the stories (around the campfire), changing perspectives (the transformative power of fire), and celebrating the journey.  I am looking forward to coming to this page with you.  And am curious about what will unfold this year. 

From Deb:  

The notion of a sabbatical has oft-intrigued me. Being an experiential learner, I loved the idea of setting aside one day a month as a "reflective day." Reading is what gets shoved aside in my full schedule. I was longing for the pure pleasure of not just scanning a piece, but sinking into it. Creative Disruption (see resource below), a study by Compass Point offered just this pleasure. I read with a yellow pad beside me noting words or concepts that resonated or warranted further thought.

Throughout the day I enjoyed the pleasure of focusing on just one thing. Knowing Carol was also taking a reflective day evoked a sense of camaraderie, and starting off on a new journey brought a sense of excitement.

Considering a Sabbatical? Want support in framing it? Questions?  

Sabbaticals for non-profit leaders can be a relatively inexpensive but highly productive capacity-building tool that yields measurable results. Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building and Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector provides emerging evidence of the benefits to non-profit organizations, leaders, funders and the sector.

This study, written by TSNE's (Third Sector New England) Deborah Linnell and CompassPoint's Tim Wolfred, exposes the myth that an executive sabbatical will be a chaotic disruption, finding instead that the creative disruption of a well-planned sabbatical can be productive for the entire leadership of an organization.

• Organizational capacity is increased as the second tier of leadership takes on new responsibilities.
• Governance is strengthened as a result of the planning and learning that goes with a sabbatical process.
• Executive directors come back rejuvenated, with a fresh vision and innovative ideas, and tend to extend their tenure with the organization.
• And funders gain a deeper perspective on community needs from the feedback, networking and innovative ideas that sabbatical alumni bring.

This study recommends funding sabbaticals as a best practice in philanthropy for leadership development, succession planning and organizational capacity building. Sabbaticals can be an investment in the long-term health of non-profit organizations-and the sector.