The Next Big Thing

In follow up to my recent screed about the potential FAA decision to let people use cell phones in flight.

I read with interest in the NY Times the other day that three congressman (two Democrats and a Republican) are introducing a new bill called HANGUP which would banc such an intrusion on our limited peace and quiet while airborne. 

A coach seat on a transcontinental flight has got to be the most expensive piece of real estate in the world - recently $989 for a 2 square foot piece, so the least we can ask for is not to have to listen to our neighbor yelling at his ex.

These guys have my vote!!

In follow up to my recent screed about the potential FAA decision to let people use cell phones in flight.

I read with interest in the NY Times the other day that three congressman (two Democrats and a Republican) are introducing a new bill called HANGUP which would banc such an intrusion on our limited peace and quiet while airborne. 

A coach seat on a transcontinental flight has got to be the most expensive piece of real estate in the world - recently $989 for a 2 square foot piece, so the least we can ask for is not to have to listen to our neighbor yelling at his ex.

These guys have my vote!!

I just read with horror a report that European authorities are moving to allow cell phone use on airplanes.

Can the U.S. be far behind?

While it would be nice once in a while to make a call from a plane, to let my family know I am late, or to confirm something with the office, that convenience is far outweighed by the necessity of listening to obnoxious and loud conversations for five hours.

On a recent flight, before the doors closed, I overheard a grandmother talking to her grandchild in alta voice: “No dear, Grandpa won’t be coming along, he is still in rehab.”

Then there was the young guy talking to his buddy - also full throttle: “You know how she is, she just kept coming on to me, asking why I wouldn’t let her…” you can fill in the rest.

The hassles of air travel are at least offset by the fact that, once airborne, there may be on food, no room, and little comfort, but at least it is peaceful. I never watch the movie. I work, read or sleep. But not with someone blaring on the phone from the next row.

And what are we to do? Can we turn and ask the person to keep it down? “I gotta right to talk on the phone, screw off!” is likely to be the answer.

Please FAA, let them text their little fingers to the bone, but keep the phones off!!!

The new book is out and the Nonprofit Strategy Revolution seems to be getting a warm response.

People are buying 6, 8, or 11 copies to distribute to their boards and management teams, which is certainly a switch from my previous books.

And that makes sense.

The merger books are very much niche focused: if you are contemplating a merger you need them, otherwise you don’t have time. Play to Win appealed to those with a special interest in nonprofit competition, which is not everyone in the sector. But everyone is interested in strategic planning, and specifically in how to do it better.

Our brisk early-sales figures are the proof of that. The new book is out and the Nonprofit Strategy Revolution seems to be getting a warm response.

People are buying 6, 8, or 11 copies to distribute to their boards and management teams, which is certainly a switch from my previous books.

And that makes sense.

The merger books are very much niche focused: if you are contemplating a merger you need them, otherwise you don’t have time. Play to Win appealed to those with a special interest in nonprofit competition, which is not everyone in the sector. But everyone is interested in strategic planning, and specifically in how to do it better.

Our brisk early-sales figures are the proof of that.

When I founded the firm, in 1998, my first hire was a young soon-to-graduate MBA from Haas Business School at UC Berkeley, where I taught. 

Heather Gowdy was at my side as we built the firm. For five years her advice, consulting skills, and project management ability (for example leading our five year R&D effort on mergers), were something I always counted on. After the birth of her first child, she went to part-time work, but that worked out fine for everyone. After her second, and her husband’s job move to Boston, she left us, staying on as a contractor.

This month, nearly five years later, Heather is returning to us full time,while staying in Boston. Needless to say, we’re thrilled.

The airlines have got to change that line to "Lean back a tiny bit, cramming the seat tray of the person behind you into their face, and try to survive the ride." 

Sometimes I think I travel as much as most pilots, and as the quality of the experience has steadily deteriorated, I have often wondered where this was heading. In the past two weeks we have seen the demise of four carriers, the proposed merger of two more here, and the revival of merger talks between Alitalia and Air France in Europe. 

The rise of better video-conferencing, coupled with the ever-worsening flight experience may lead to less business travel, which will further imperil the airlines, who rely on us for their profits - such as they are. 

As a consulting firm with a national practice, we are responding by adding more dispersed staffing capability. We now have staff in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Boston, and are contemplating other geographically dispersed hires. This strategy allows us to hire the best talent regardless of location, and is leading to less cross-country travel for everyone. 

Are others doing this as well?      

I just read with horror a report that European authorities are moving to allow cell phone use on airplanes.

Can the U.S. be far behind?

While it would be nice once in a while to make a call from a plane, to let my family know I am late, or to confirm something with the office, that convenience is far outweighed by the necessity of listening to obnoxious and loud conversations for five hours.

On a recent flight, before the doors closed, I overheard a grandmother talking to her grandchild in alta voice: “No dear, Grandpa won’t be coming along, he is still in rehab.”

Then there was the young guy talking to his buddy - also full throttle: “You know how she is, she just kept coming on to me, asking why I wouldn’t let her…” you can fill in the rest.

The hassles of air travel are at least offset by the fact that, once airborne, there may be on food, no room, and little comfort, but at least it is peaceful. I never watch the movie. I work, read or sleep. But not with someone blaring on the phone from the next row.

And what are we to do? Can we turn and ask the person to keep it down? “I gotta right to talk on the phone, screw off!” is likely to be the answer.

Please FAA, let them text their little fingers to the bone, but keep the phones off!!!

The March 6 edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy featured a series of articles about the upcoming generational shift in nonprofit leadership. I have been keenly interested in this topic for several years so I read it the articles closely.

One aspect of the shift was the issue of whether old timers (that would be my generation) are holding back younger leaders due to a concern that the less experienced 20- and 30-somethings are really too inexperienced to lead.

I read comments from both sides of the generation gap, then recalled my own experience.

 I first became an executive director at the tender age of 26. I had very little experience, having passed through several jobs in the past year due to Prop 13-caused budget cuts, no mentoring, and few relevant skills (two years earlier I had been in grad school studying literature). Still, no one questioned whether I could lead.

It occurred to me that perhaps this was because I am a boomer, and virtually all of the nonprofits in my community were being led by relatively young people. It was just assumed I would figure it out.

Now that we boomers are starting to retire, could it be that we still assume that only our generation knows how to lead?

The arrival of my new book, The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution, came just in time for a series of scheduled workshops in the Midwest.

In fact, the book arrived at the Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan about the same time I did.

Battle Creek is not easy to get to, especially the way I did it. I started in San Francisco, sat on the runway for 2 hours, then missed my connection from Chicago to Kalamazoo. Luckily United rebooked me on the last American flight out and I arrived in Kalamazoo late at night, then I got a ride for the last half hour of the trip into town.

The reception in Battle Creek was warm and enthusiastic, with a capacity group of local nonprofit leaders and consultants. I had a panel discussion in which three local leaders described their own experiences with strategy and planning, and overall it was a success.

On to Detroit, then Minneapolis.

I am eagerly awaiting the appearance of my newest book, The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real-Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World.

It is due out in time for this year’s Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ conference, which will be held in San Francisco beginning March 10. Vance Yoshida and I are giving a workshop for funders on this new approach to strategic planning.

After four years of research and testing, and a year of writing, RTSP is ready for prime time. We need funders to get behind us though, since they often require traditional strategic plans form their grantees. If a few forward-looking funders can support the new approach, we may be able to begin to break the lock the old approach has on strategy, and the nonprofit sector will be freed from its deadening effects.

For information of the new book - contact the publisher, Fieldstone Alliance (formerly the Wilder Publishing Center), using this link.