A New Soulful Read: 37 Days

I’ve been blessed to discover a new blog: 37 Days. A few weeks ago, Patti sent me an email saying that she found my blog through a mutual friend. Turns out we’re both Guilford College alums, have non-profit association experience, and she lives in one of the places that I would dearly love to migrate to: Asheville, NC.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg. Her blog is one of my very favorite reads and I look forward to each post as if it was a Christmas present. Take this week’s entry, Fund Your Own Revolution. She reminds us that change usually doesn’t happen "out there" by "them" so don’t wait around for it. It happens within us, by own desire to transform our offices, our lives, our world.

Here’s my personal challenge. Her post mentions the seemingly inherent tension between employees and their managers. I am working to create the space necessary for my staff to generate change while maintaining the kinds of boundaries that they need. It comes down to sharing both responsibility and authority for making things happen and then sharing the outcome regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. As I assume a greater leadership position in my organization, I try very hard to not be a "them" in the most derogatory of terms.

My second challenge is to not give in to the temptation of scapegoating "them." No matter where you are within the organization, there’s always going to be a them. But who loses if I give in and forfeit my drive to transform my staff’s relationship to their work, my volunteer’s connection to their organization, my own desire to build a lasting legacy in all parts of my life? Here’s Patti’s idea: We give up our power to the very people who took it away from us in the first place. Ah, but giving it up is always our decision in the first place. It’s time to take it all back.

Finally, what I love is her 37 Days Do It Now Challenge at the end of each entry. This week it’s an appeal for us to stop saying "they;" find the change we can make and must make.

Take some time and visit Patti and her 37 Days blog. You’ll be giving yourself a gift.