eNews from Lead Centre for Not for Profit Leadership: December 2018
Leading is like swimming toward the horizon
By Hilary Star Foged
Leading is like swimming toward the horizon: the more you go the more you see needs doing. But it's important to keep swimming.
At this time of year, I find myself reflecting on how it is that leaders rise to the challenge of leadership while personally coping in a world filled with challenges. Letts and Johnson talk about the relentless work of leadership that makes us feel the horizon can never be reached. We live in a world with unprecedented challenges: climate change, the rise of extremism, and massive inequities between those that have and those who do not, so how do we keep going?
At the turn of the century the Hopi Elders provided a metaphor of wisdom that might contain an answer for us:
“It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for your leader.
Then the Hopi Elder clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.
The time of the one wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word ’struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
For me personally, swimming is not something I have felt confident about or skilled in for most of my adult life.
Continue reading this article from Hilary Star Foged.
Turning the Curve: Capacity Building for Capacity Builders
Date: Friday 12th April 2019.
Location: Auckland. Venue TBC.
“We must never become too busy sawing to take time to sharpen the saw"
(so says Dr Stephen Covey)
You're invited to LEAD's inaugural one-day workshop for consultants, trainers and facilitators who work in the field of building the capacity of not for profit organisations.
Together will explore what effective capacity building is within the types of organisation we each work with; how we effectively engage with groups to make sure they are getting what they need; tools for coaching & mentoring; and facilitating groups to achieve their highest potential. We will look at capacity building through a leadership development lens and will draw on both theory and good practice, as well as the collective experience and expertise of Aly, Garth and Sandy. We hope you will join us, and your fellow capacity building colleagues, for this new training - a great addition to our learning community.
Details of venue, cost etc will be mailed out shortly. Express you interest or any questions to Sandy at LEAD (sandy[at]lead.org.nz)
National NFP Conference 2019
Dates: Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th February 2019.
Location: Auckland.
We'll be there and look forward to meeting you!
We call not for profit leadership the extreme sports of leadership. When you add change to the mix, it gets even harder. Come to the 2019 NFP Leadership conference to be inspired by those who navigate and bring about a change in both mindset and expectation. Ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things.
Earlybird tickets available until 21 December, so have a look at the programme and be prepared to learn the secrets to succeeding in a world that offers more challenges and opportunities than we can imagine.
Aly McNicoll is one of the keynote speakers and will be facilitating a workshop Getting on Board - Leading the People Side of Change.
Give LEAD a hand
We need your help to make our training workshops and other programmes as relevant as possible to meet your needs.
Please give us your thoughts via an online 8-question survey and your name could go into the draw to receive a free place at a one-day training workshop of your choice - Thanks!
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