Feedback

After playing the New York Times Wordle, I open the Wordle Bot to gain insights into my results. The bot generates screens, including metrics and feedback on my guesses as I attempt to solve the puzzle. It is quick and easy to access.

After a consulting engagement, I will ask the client for feedback on what went well, what could have gone better, and areas for improvement. It is typically productive and allows for improvements and a better understanding of what was overlooked. This type of feedback can feel much more vulnerable and create areas of misunderstanding.

Because the bot is AI-generated, the feedback feels less emotional and somehow data-driven. Feedback from a client is human-to-human and not only assesses the work produced but also engages the human relationship.

How might we find the right balance when seeking feedback? How might we recognize that the environment we work in may impact how feedback is delivered? In an emergency room, feedback is often brief, definitive, and directive because interventions must be adjusted or corrected immediately. Working with preschool children often dictates a more passive and empathetic approach.

How might we support and engage our teams with evaluations that foster engagement?

Defending or Earning

Are you defending a position or earning the merits to receive a ranking? Two different mindsets and approaches.

Do you start your board service believing you need to maintain the achievements accomplished by those who preceded you, or do you believe your board term is an opportunity to navigate the unknown and leverage your strengths on the organization’s behalf?

Before You Fly

It is best practice to know what type of aircraft you are flying before taking off. How do you get out of a flying aircraft to determine its type once in flight?

The same is true with your organization. Best to be able to describe its Magnetic North (purpose, vision, mission, and values) before you decide to launch into strategic planning, expansion, capital campaign, or commitments for the future. If we do not know who we are, how are we going to wayfind in a way that accentuates our strengths?

Choices

All of these airlines perform the same core operation: they safely aviate from one spot on the globe to another. The initial distinguishing feature is the city pairs they serve. If there is overlap, we can start deciding based on price, schedule, features, and amenities. Sometimes we spend too many resources evaluating choices that are not viable. Singapore Airlines might offer a better in-cabin experience than United Airlines, but it was not scheduled to fly where I needed to go.

How might we evaluate the key components of a decision before we get caught up in subtle distinctions?

First Glance

Upon first sighting an iconic peak, do we start climbing? Do we presumptively assume we have the right equipment, sufficient fuel, a safe weather window, and critical beta to launch our summit attempt?

Most expeditions prepare and conduct research before launching (see the Hudson’s Bay Company philosophy). How might we balance our enthusiasms with a culture of curiosity? Some opportunities need to be seized in the moment, such as catching a foul ball in the stands at a baseball game. Most epic opportunities allow for a moment of reflection and consideration.

How might we build tools to navigate between immediate actions unhindered by the thought process and preparing to act?

Spotlights

Shanghai at night, without the illuminated skyscrapers and spotlights, might be just another city. However, Shanghai has leaned into nighttime illumination and developed a palette of architectural and marketing features. When we shine a spotlight, we are drawing attention to an area of focus. The spotlight also obscures peripheral features and adjoining parts of our work.

How might we use our spotlight intentionally (and possibly collectively)? How might we avoid appearing like a desperate roadside attraction that is just trying to catch anyone’s eye?

Equity

Stripe, a financial services provider, continues to raise capital from investors by allowing its employees to sell privately held shares every 6 months. This allows the company to defer an Initial Public Offering (IPO) strategy but rewards employees with access to a limited equity market at set intervals. Investors can deploy their funds into a privately held company.

Nonprofits mirror this activity in their fundraising efforts. At specified intervals, social sector organizations appeal to donors, foundations, and companies to make philanthropic investments in their missions. Those organizations perceived to have a remarkable impact, the ability to scale, or to generate visibility for a cause often receive greater support than those that may be less effective or working on causes not as valued by large segments of society. Although the nonprofit employees are not selling shares to enrich themselves, they are putting their work on public display and having it evaluated by the philanthropic market.

What if the nonprofit sector took a private equity mindset at times? What if we offered a limited number of spaces to donors to fund our enterprise, so the return on investment was better for the community, individuals, and the environment? How might we recognize that passively passing a hat around may be a legacy that does not work for all our supporters?

Specialist

At a farmer’s market, specialists are celebrated. The strawberry farmer is the person to buy from if you want strawberries. However, if next week they show up and expand beyond strawberries to offer cleaning detergent, sunscreen, energy drinks, and lottery cards, they would suddenly disrupt their standing as a cultivated specialist. They would be moving into the realm of a convenience store.

Adding services and expanding programs may seem like a great way to scale. However, if it undermines our specialty, we might be on a collision course with existing as average and easy to disregard.