März 5, 2026 | Capacity-building, Leadership, Strategic planning, Taking action
I’m not afraid of bureaucracy. As a music historian, I spent years studying the network of East German state, party, and professional organizations that influenced the country’s musical development during the Cold War. The East German musical bureaucracy was, in...
Feb. 18, 2026 | Communication, Leadership, Writing & Editing
Which of the following statements best describes your situation? A. You are expected to produce grants, reports, strategic plans, policy briefs, or other lengthy texts B. You spend much of the day in meetings and attending to time-sensitive tasks C. You rarely have...
Feb. 5, 2026 | Communication, Connection, Writing & Editing
When it’s time to write a report, grant proposal, or strategic plan, most people focus on two elements: ideas and words. Yet when I have a writing project on my desk, I actually spend quite a bit of time thinking about a third—and perhaps less obvious—element: the...
Jan. 23, 2026 | Communication, Writing & Editing
For both professional and personal reasons, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the craft of summarizing ideas through writing. A significant portion of my consulting portfolio involves creating what I collectively think of as summary documents: reports,...
Jan. 8, 2026 | Capacity-building, Leadership, Strategic planning, Taking action
There’s something undeniably exciting about the start of a new year and the brimming possibilities of a (nearly) blank planner. Yet for many organizational leaders, January’s energy and ambition can eventually lead to paralysis. This is the paradox of overwhelming...
