LUE-42 Enterprises March 2021 Ezine

I Believe In Fairness, Fun, And Sharing What I’ve Learned With The People Who Make This Planet A Great Place To Live

Issue 121, March 2021

Hello, what are you doing to take care of yourself? My February life was so jam packed that apparently some readers think I am not following health guidelines. Not so! With very few exceptions I only leave the house once a week for necessities and I see only those in my bubble (and them, only rarely). So all this excitement is solo and/or on Zoom. I'm doing my part.

I continued my Indigenous Canada course (UofAlberta). It blows my mind (and hurts my heart). You can do this course from anywhere for free, so why not join me?

Black History Month saw a big jump in the quantity and quality of content to help you learn and see life through a different lens. I recommend "John Ware Reclaimed" by Alberta documentarian Cheryl Foggo (NFB) and "Move the Chains Podcast" ep.1 (BC Lions). I upped my reading and also re-watched older films like Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing." It shocked me 30 years ago, and I see it completely differently now (and the punch it packs may be even harder).

I also sought a physical challenge and (d'oh!) accidentally signed up for a race. I wanted the True North medal, so I begged a friend to let me access her basement treadmill. When I realized I'd get the same medal for 5k or 10k, I tapped out after 5k. I was bored and also I am not a runner! I commit to more discernment choosing future physical challenges. I enjoyed on-line Bhangra dancing and took a couple of breathing workshops (new and powerful).

I started (and finished) another 4 week beer course (Canadian craft) through UofA with instructor Jason Foster. I'm preparing for the Certified Beer Judge designation. It's much harder than it sounds and my vocabulary still doesn't match what they expect of a pro judge. So I keep trying.

I attended webinars with great speakers on varied topics: "Resource Sustainability and Governance", "Working with Generations: Unlocking the Best In Each" (Jason Dorsey), "Every Conversation Counts: How to Build Extraordinary Relationships" (Riaz Meghji). This one taught me:

social skills atrophy from lack of use
instead of "How are you?" ask "What are you doing to take care of yourself?"
We have finite number of conversations: If you could have one more, who would it be and what would you say?

"Moral Courage for Messy Times" (Irshad Manji) was also excellent, with reminders on building trust, listening, seeking common ground, and taking a deep breath before jumping into difficult conversations.

I also attended an Edmonton Arts Council session with Abstract Rabbit Productions "Live Performance for the Virtual Stage." The three facilitators (Miranda Allen, Carisa Hendrix, Richard Lee) were so smart and helpful that I bought a ticket to their on-line cabaret/magic/ escape/variety show -- in French! I understood about every 5th word, and really enjoyed it anyway. How did magician character Lucy Darling get my correct card via Zoom?

Bottom line, take a risk and buy a ticket for an on-line performance of any arts genre that excites you.

“The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” -- Bertrand Russell

The Non-Profit Sector is Diverse, Right?

Canada's NFP and Charitable sector is better with diversity in governance than the corporate sector...but not as much as we think.

In February 2021 the Toronto Star published "Numbers Reveal a ‘Diversity Deficit’ in Boardrooms of the Charitable and Non-Profit Sectors" by Nicholas Keung. Keung reports that a Statistics Canada survey found 59 per cent of responding board members in the sector were women, but designated groups appeared to be under-represented in governance of these organizations.

6,170 board people responded
14% of them identified themselves as immigrants
Of those, 11% belonged to a visible minority group (8% as LGBTQ2+; 6% as persons with a disability; 3% as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)
42% of their organization had a written policy on board diversity.

With respect to our population (StatsCan):

22% are immigrants
19% belong to a visible minority group
22% of those aged 15 and above have one or more disabilities; and 5% are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit

Additionally, a 2015 Canadian health report:

3% of those 18-59 self-identified as gay or bisexual, and other estimates have been significantly higher.

Keung's article notes that "survey data was collected through crowdsourcing from professional networks within the sector — and not through probability-based sampling." Still, it does provide a glimpse into how well diversity is expressed in NFP leadership, and it appears there is a diversity deficit.

Ontario senator Ratna Omidvar said, "It’s important for all of the society, particularly for charities and not-for-profit organizations because governors set their missions. They decide how dollars are spent. They make decisions on how an organization will respond to this or that. They are in control of the resources that come both from the government and donors.”

Scope distribution of the respondents:

75% operate locally
13% operate provincially
8% operate nationally
3% operate internationally

Activities included:

22% social services
17% arts and culture
13% sports and recreation
12% education and research
9% health

More than half of respondents said their organizations served at least one designated minority group. Organizations engaged in sports and recreation or in religious non-profits and charities were least likely to have a written policy on board diversity.

In comparing the NFP sector to corporations, Omidvar added, “We ask nothing of the charitable and non-profit sector. We all think of them as angels and they are, but even angels need evidence to take further actions. We need reliable, ongoing surveys and data that’s analyzed to move forward.” She would like to see governance diversity reported annually in order to renew registration. “It requires political will. There are candidates who are qualified, willing, ready, and able to sit on boards. They did not get that opportunity. It’s time that Canadians woke up to that diversity deficit in our charities and non-profit sector.”

Here is the article

For better Zoom results?

Some People Who Made My Life Better in January

MaryJane Alanko, Shelley Carmichael Silins, David Cheoros, Scott Coxford, Jonathan Crane, Brian Edwards, Leo Ezerins, Liz Garratt, Marilyn Hooper, Dave Hughes, Sue Kruszewski, Angela Larson, Lynn & Don MacAskill, Kelly McClung, John Mellec, Erin O'Neill, Hector Pothier, Connie Pruden, Darlene Ramsum, Kathy Roy, Lori Schmidt, Misty Sklar, Sabrina Sperber, Ralph Suppa, Theresa Tsoukalas, Lindy Tuppen, Gerry West, and my Flummunity

“Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions

in good company.”

-- Rachel Naomi Remen

Some Links I Like

Ending Board Micromanagement (Great reminders & new tips)

Great Board Induction Processes (Might be time to update yours)

Mentoring Guidelines for Boards (If you do this, some good ideas here)

Using the Vision to Get the Board on Track (I believer in this technique)

Digital Literacy of Canadian Directors (I really hadn't thought of this before)

A History of Pockets (From Victoria & Albert Museum -- you know you care)

Toxic Positivity (Useful and timely)

10 Historical Words We Misunderstand (Guilty of a few!)

All About Roadrunners (Coyote didn't stand a chance)

Origin of Mac & Cheese (Now I know)

Grief When Everyone Is Grieving (Some good tips from Chatelaine)

"Leadership Lessons from the Mafia, Hell's Angels, and Gangbangers"

They had me with the title. Dan Rockwell (Jan 12/21 (leadershipfreak.blog) distills how these criminal organizations keep on going, despite countless resources spent trying to shut them down.

Rockwell interviewed experts Jerold Zimmerman & Daniel Forrester ("Relentless: The Forensics of Mobsters' Business Practices"). Turns out the key to their success could be (should be?) the key to YOUR success, too!

Forrester says, “Organizations that last a long time ‘Hold on to a credo’.”

1. Attract the right people (“Passionate believers deliver great results”)

2. “Embrace values: customer focus, freedom, loyalty, resourcefulness, speed, and immorality. (The inclusion of immorality is not an endorsement but an acknowledgement of criminal values).”

Common characteristics of Criminal Organizations:

1. Decentralized decision-making (push down day-to-day decisions to the people on the streets)

2. Long-term recruiting mechanisms (difficult to get in, could wait years)

3. Incredibly strong culture (a badge of honour to belong)

Conclusion in next column

Some Quotes I Like

“Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes its built on catastrophe.”

-- Sumner Redstone

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” -- Walt Disney

“With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.“ -- Zig Ziglar

“You cannot afford to wait for perfect conditions. Goal setting is often a matter of balancing timing against available resources. Opportunities are easily lost while waiting for perfect conditions.” -- Gary Ryan Blair

“No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new

heaven to the human spirit.” -- Helen Keller

"Barriers, blocks, obstacles, and problems are personal teachers giving me the opportunity to move out of the past and into the Totality of Possibilities. - Louise L. Hay

"Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable."

-- Franz Kafka