1 in 100

At a dinner recently, guests were asked to go around the table and share what was on their mind.  One guest said,
“I often imagine myself on a platform, waiting for a train, with 100 other people.  And I think that I am the most fortunate of those 100 people, which makes me feel blessed and [...]

The real role of mentors and coaches

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” goes the old one-liner.
“Practice.”
But practice what?  Diligence and hard work aren’t enough – you have to know where to place your energy.
At first, the roadmap can seem pretty clear.  You want to get good grades?  The teachers will tell you what to study.  Want to be a good [...]

Be a Sawgot (SWGTD)

Are you a “sawgot,” Someone Who Gets Things Done?
If you’re not now, what would it take?
With an ever-shifting economy, and all of the challenges in the job market, I can think of few skills more universal than being a sawgot.  Because when it’s crunch time and something absolutely needs to happen, the people in charge [...]

Changing practice by practicing change

New Year’s resolutions.  Diets.  Vows to arrive earlier to work.  Promises to keep calm while in traffic jams.  All worthwhile attempts at change that often fail.
Why?
“Change is hard,” right?  Maybe.  We try changing so rarely, so why should we be any good at it?  Same schedule most days.  Same people we work with.  Same friends, [...]

“We need your help” (caveat emptor)

It’s so flattering to be called in to save the day.  This happened to me once – being hired to “take a team to a new level.” (not my words, the words of the person I went to work for).  I wish I’d asked a lot more times, “Why are things not yet at that [...]

The finish line mirage

A friend shared Paul Hawken’s moving, challenging commencement address and it got me thinking: we are constantly confusing starting lines with finish lines.
Getting married is a starting line, not a finish line.
Landing your dream job?  Starting line.
Getting VC funding? Starting line.
Graduating college?  Easy. Starting line.  (It’s even called “commencement.”)
Having a child?  Definitely a starting line.
Promotion? [...]

Why do you read?

You’re reading this blog right now.  Why?
It might be for entertainment, or a diversion.  Or it might be because you want some ideas about how to do things differently.
If you’re interested in doing things differently, you have to ask yourself: do I want just to be exposed to new ideas, or do I actually want [...]

A week to smooth some edges

Once not so long ago, when I was working hard in a yoga class, I heard the teacher suggest, “If you are a Type A, if you’re always striving and pushing, try working a little less hard.  And if you know that you tend to slack off, push yourself today.”
We are (mostly) who we are.  [...]

What is your theory of change?

(Note: this post first appeared on the Acumen Fund blog.)
On Sunday, March 1st, I had the opportunity to speak on two panels at the 10th Annual Harvard Social Enterprise Conference.  The SE Conference is an impressive, energetic gathering, that packed in more than 1,000 attendees on a snowy day in Boston.  The backdrop of the [...]

Would you rather work for change?

Sooner or later, you have to choose.  Are you going to work for change or just complain?
Funny thing is, once you start working for change, you usually don’t have much time left to complain.  There’s just so darn much to do.
I’ve already been overwhelmed with the response, interest and support for the job I’m looking [...]