2020 was essentially a max turnout election. We hit all of our numbers. But we were matched, blow for blow, by energized republican voters. There is VERY little evidence of partisan defections or cross-over. We won some, we lost some. But the data shows some dark clouds ahead. Clouds that challenge our conventional wisdom. Clouds that we ignore at our peril.

So… what do we do now?

Albert Einstein was asked what he would do if he had an hour to solve world hunger. He replied by saying “I’d spend 55 minutes defining the problem and five minutes defining the…

I have a theory…

Throughout human history, as advancements have been made, practices and skills that have been made obsolete are replaced with new ones. Those modern practices and skills bring prosperity to the practitioners, and people shift to the new paradigm of how things are done. Some won’t adapt, but things move, generally, slowly enough that they can continue to exist in the halo of what will soon be bygone.

Regardless of the social, economic, or political system in which you exist, this has always been the case. Those that participate in the new system are ascendant, while those…

America is a funny culture, littered with contradictions. Like a messy house, over time you just don’t notice it anymore. But if you step back, there are a whole lot of things about our culture that are just — well — weird.

Take death, for instance.

In the abstract, we use death, whether natural, premature, or deliberate (even gratuitous) as entertainment. Our movies, stories, games, and music are laden with it. We use it as a vehicle to pull out emotions, to appropriate and vicariously live the thrill, fear, or tragedy of others. …

For the life of me, I’ll never understand it.

People work so hard to build a good operation. They hire great people, know all the data and the market. They have awesome pitches, killer marketing plans. And yet… when you ask them, they can’t describe where they are going.

People are great at telling you what they do. When it comes to the change they are trying to make, that’s a lot harder. And, if you’re a leader in a Cause Organization, the change you’re trying to make is what you do.

That’s where a Vision Statement comes in.

A…

Every time I’m joining a new team, I ask myself the question “what does this group need from me?” The answer is always different.

For most of the last 15 years, I’ve been operating in leadership roles where I was not the direct supervisor of anyone on my team. In business, we call these “matrixed teams.” They’re a common way of running development projects and strategy efforts. In my activist role, it’s just called “life.”

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen a team spin apart because the person in the lead role didn’t distinguish it from…

The One, Universal, Indispensable Law of Leadership

If you’ve read my introductory story, you’ll know that my writing is focused on helping Cause Organizations develop and thrive with a strong leadership culture. Despite all the hard work, energy, and passions people put behind this important work, they often go through cycle after cycle of growth and collapse. It’s my hope to give activists and organizers the tools they need to break that cycle.

Often, people find themselves in leadership positions in Cause work because they were the most passionate, most committed, or most available. …

In my previous article, I outlined the problems Cause Organizations (non-profits, political organizations, and other issue-driven chartered organizations) have due to a lack of leadership culture. I also identified six points that indicate you have a problem.

In this article, I get you started on the road to recovery with three simple things you can implement right away: a shared mission, a shared vision, and shared core values.

Alright, I can almost hear you rolling your eyes through the screen. But stick with me; I promise it will be worth it.

While I’m at it, I want to draw your…

Cause Organizations, in my experience, have a unique Achilles Heel when it comes to their leadership culture. That is: they don’t think they need one.

You’re in leadership for a non-profit, political organization, or other cause-driven platform. Your mission is important, your cause is just, and, from the numbers, people (and dollars) should be flocking in. Instead, attendance is down, volunteers are lackluster or downright passive, and, worst of all, you’re not making the money you need to get your message out.

I’ve had the opportunity to lead programs, organizations, and campaigns of all sorts over the past 25 years…