Go to the head of the class

Hal’s Blog- I can ‘t help myself. I am drawn to lists of the best and the worst.  The best colleges and universities, The most livable cities.  The worst cars.   The question this blog entry pushes me to think about are the factors that determine the ranking.

Participant Activation

Hal’s Blog- In 2016 I led an inquiry for NACHC (National Association of Community Health Centers) into just what defined and explained The Great Community Health Center. 

How to Pick Um

Hal’s Blog – Interviews are close to worthless in selecting great people. Regardless of the question, the response favors the slick talker. 

Hal’s Blog- This Wednesday Whimsey is about a person whose last name I do not know. The reason is that only her first name appeared on her name badge at the paint section of the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center in Bradenton, Florida.

A Highway Worth Traveling

Hal’s Blog 12/22/2021 Did you happen to read Amor Towles bestselling and wonderful book, A Gentleman in Moscow?  Towles has a new book out called the Lincoln Highway.  I noted a number of passages I found both gentle and provocative. Here are four of them with what sticks with me from each.  

“Data Driven”

If I had a penny for every admonition heard or read to be driven by data, my financial cup would runneth over.

Innovation at the top and the bottom

I have been revisiting recently one of my favorite subjects, innovation. Two abiding challenges stand out for me when it comes to harnessing the power of fresh approaches.

Issue Forth

Do you sometimes read an issue of a favorite publication and find yourself picking up on snippets you see as valuable? And do you forget them just as easily? I do both. Here’s an example and what I have learned to try and tie to use. The case in point is the Fall 2021 issue of the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) where I came across four passages that rang a bell for me. They are in...

Simplifying Success

Less is more often the short stick when it comes to aspiration and activity but the trump card when it comes to impact.  Studies repeatedly show, for example, that people buy more when they have four choices than when they have 20.  If you are selling something — whether carrots or an idea — that’s important.I once worked with a Washington...

Alignment, Plans, and Priorities are Not Results

Alignment, Plans, and Priorities are Not Results After a break for moving from Florida to the Adirondacks for summer and fall, I am back with weekly blogs. My entry this Wednesday muses on how easy it is to ignore results in the language we use to distribute and use charitable giving. Here is the first item in the Donor Bill of Rights published by AFP-the Association of Fundraising...