Monthly Archives: June 2018
← Older postsMobilizing ≠ Organizing
June 30, 2018Mobilizing isn’t the same as organizing. From Marshall Ganz: “I want to make a distinction here between mobilizing and organizing. Mobilizing is getting people to sign the petition, show up at that rally, or click the mouse. Often that’s a tactic …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged marshall ganz, mobilizing, organizing | Leave a commentSuccessful Organizing
June 29, 2018For any type of work, defining how to measure success is a critical undertaking. Clarity around success metrics helps us make decisions big and small. Yet defining success is especially tricky if your work involves organizing people towards a common …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged marshall ganz, organizing, success | Leave a commentCommunities and Structure
June 28, 2018My former boss Jerri, once said: “A community isn’t a community unless it’s organizing itself.” Structure like guidelines, hierarchy, roles, and expectations can help a group of people effectively organize and operate. But too much structure can be stifling. Too …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged community, jerri chou, structure | Leave a commentHow to Keep Track of Your Community
June 27, 2018Today I wrote about what data to monitor as you or your organization work to cultivate a community. The most important thing is to pay attention to who keeps showing up. Observing how many people regularly participate, discovering who they …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged community, data | Leave a commentBuilding Blocks
June 26, 2018A few years ago, I was introduced to house dance—a dance style that originated in Chicago and New York clubs during the 70s and 80s. I’d seen the movements before but it took awhile to match the dance with its …
Posted in Blog | Tagged cooking, creativity, dance | Leave a commentYou Can’t Fake the Funk
June 25, 2018I thought about Austin‘s quote today while I drafted a short section for the book I’m working on with Bailey and Kai. Here’s an excerpt from Monday’s stab at a chapter entitled “You Can’t Fake the Funk.“ (Thanks Sharon for saying …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Leave a commentBrevity Through Structure
June 24, 2018Ten years ago, I participated in my first facilitated workshop. Our facilitator Helene kicked off with how to write on post-its: “Use the thick sharpie. That way you can’t write too much.” Communicating with brevity is a challenge. But when …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged a3 thinking, brevity, business model canvas, post-its | Leave a commentWhy Why Why Why Why
June 23, 2018Early in the 20th century, Sakichi Toyoda of the Toyota Motor Corporation developed the 5 Whys Technique to determine the root cause of a problem. Taiichi Ohno, a pioneer of the Toyota Production Systems, described the 5 Whys succinctly: “Ask …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Leave a commentHow Communities Start
June 23, 2018You care about something—an interest, activity, cause, profession, person, place, product, or some part of who you are. And you have a hunch: there are others who care about the same thing. So you do something …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged communities, plant a flag | Leave a commentPlant a Flag
June 21, 2018Last week, I spoke with a fellow Cal grad about how to kickstart a community she’s working on. We discussed strategies for getting the attention of the specific group of people she aims to serve. Even with good intentions, it …
Posted in Blog, People Systems | Tagged plant a flag | Leave a comment ← Older posts