ATTENTION!
Hal”s Blog- In an achievement framework, we speak of defining results and designing programs to achieve them. In these times, it is just as hard, however, to stick to results as to anything else. Gloria Mark points out the challenge in her new book Attention Span: A groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity. She has found that people spend an average of 47...
The Report or the Change?
Hal’s Blog- My partner Robyn and I had a great discussion the other day about how nonprofits typically hire consultants to do one of two things. The first is to study an organization and provide observations and recommendations in an area the organization wishes to improve.
On the virtues of the unexpected
Much of our life is spent living in the land of expectations met. What happened yesterday happens tomorrow. I drink the same coffee, use the same toothpaste, greet people with the same expressions. We assume the expected and value it. More people rate McDonalds high because they offer the same things everywhere than because it serves great hamburgers. Where it gets interesting is in the ways...
Through the looking glass
Hal’s Blog- Back when airlines published magazines for their seat backs, I read an inflight article nestled among the ads for cars and credit cards that I put in a file of stuff to think more about. This one finally rose to the top. I know it has been a while since it was printed in the last year of US Air!
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.
What does having a Credential or meeting a Standard mean?
Hal’s Blog- The word “standards” sounds great. We all want people whose standards are high. The real question is whether the standards forecast the desired outcomes.
At rest or in motion?
Hal’s blog- “…products stay at rest because they are internally defined by what they are, not the motion to put them to use. People stay at rest not because they don’t want to do better but that they lack clear steps forward…”
Paying for Results…or the motivation to achieve them
Hal’s blog-I once worked with a Connecticut foundation whose grantee ran an afterschool program for struggling middle school students. We had been provided a list of students who did significantly better in school during the year they attended this program.
Increasing the voltage of ideas and their impact
Hal’s Blog- ….Understand the role of key people and how difficult they are to scale. Design for what you will get….