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(Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Tuti Scott, our leadership expert.)

In a room full of women leaders I remind them that power is not a bad word – only the abuse of power is.

Power is simply the ability to motivate people to do what you want them to do; to influence others. Power is manifested by how you communicate and how others receive you.

Often power is a subjective experience. There are three factors which influence the perception of power:

• Power of position – hold title and/or authority/access
• Power of wealth – have or are connected to wealth
• Power of knowledge or expertise – master of facts and arguments

Power of wealth and power of title or the ‘corner office’ are places that women and people of color have not traditionally had access to. Centuries of structural and systemic sexism or racism have kept us out of these spheres.

There are hundreds of folks who have spoken and written on the ‘light’ topic of “The history of patriarchy and the creation of race as a construct for domination.” Feel free to read bell hooks, Gloria Steinem, Barbara Jordan’s speeches, and others.

Without equal access to positions of power or power stemming from wealth (which women and people of color generally do not have) what is the best access to power in this framework? For many of us it is the third frame or knowledge, data, and expertise.

Having knowledge and data gives you the power to think, to rationalize, and to make the best choice so that you and your organization can be successful. You are more likely to get a CEO or leader to commit to a project if you make your case using established facts, data, and by explaining how the choice will impact society, the staff, and the constituents the organization serves.

We can all work toward the three ‘stations’ of power being broadened with smart community organizing, increased social capital, and the changing of who sits in the corner office. In the meantime, and on this auspicious day of celebration of International Women’s Day,  let’s also keep framing a powerful story and case that offers what we stand for rather than what we are against.

P. S.  For those of you who have a spiritual or physical understanding of the connection of sport and how this can help shape one’s approach toward power, feel free to check out an organization I serve on the U.S. Board of and their brilliant launch of International Sports for Women’s Rights Day.

(Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Sande Smith, our communications expert.)

I finally found it – my new apartment in San Francisco. In a little bit more than a month, I saw 40 apartments!

When it came down to the final two, I was stuck trying to decide between an apartment with lots of sun, bay windows and French doors or one with arched doorways, 1,000 square feet and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I chose the view.

At first my choice felt frivolous, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. First of all, every time I look out the window, I stop and I breathe, deeply. The view literally compels me to expand my sights – to look out beyond what’s right in front of me.

And it resonates with a goal that I’d set two years ago, when I took a 3-day class on facilitative leadership presented by the Interaction Institute for Social Change.  Facilitative Leadership calls upon leaders to be “servant leaders” who involve others in the process of change and continuous improvement that our organizations and communities require.

In preparation for the class, we were asked to think about the seven practices of facilitative leadership and then decide which one we wanted to focus on during the three days.

1. Share an Inspiring Vision
2. Focus on Results, Process and Relationship
3. Seek Maximum Appropriate Involvement
4. Design Pathways to Action
5. Facilitate Agreement
6. Coach for Performance
7. Celebrate Accomplishment

It was hard to choose, because who doesn’t want to be great at everything? But I decided that I wanted to improve my ability to convey a clear and compelling vision, closely followed by designing a pathway to action.

Why? Because I have spent much of my career being the one who does what needs to be done, rather than leading a team that carries out the work. As I’ve grown, and increased my area of responsibility, it’s become clear that not only is it impossible to do it all myself, but the outcome is vastly improved when a team of people skilled at working together produces the work.

I wanted to learn how to be the kind of leader that brings out the best in the team and in myself, while also deeply enjoying the process. After setting my focus on learning how to imagine and articulate a clear and compelling vision, the three days of the workshop proved to be just the beginning.

Everywhere I turned, I saw examples of how to do it. I saw it when a colleague insisted that we do regular presentations to staff about the work of our communications team. I saw it in Obama’s campaign, which not only included inspiring articulation of a vision of unity and hope, but was accompanied by a social media campaign that gave people the tools they needed to run their OWN campaigns on behalf of the candidate. And I saw it in fundraising letters that do a good job of describing both the problem and a vision for how the world will be different.

We will not be able to transform the world if we don’t become very good at stopping, taking a breath, and giving ourselves space to widen our sights. We must imagine, describe and co-create our vision of the world that all of our fundraising and advocacy is trying to create. Research shows that people work with greater commitment and excitement when they are guided by a vision and feel their efforts can make a difference.

Can YOU see it?

(Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Sande Smith, our communications expert.)

The movie Avatar has set off quite a buzz.

For some religious conservatives, it’s a blasphemous film that advocates the worship of nature. For some progressives, it’s a film that tells the same old story of racism and colonial domination.

Despite any shortcomings, I am still deeply touched by the film – its messages and its imagery. Having seen the film a second time, one of the messages that resonates most profoundly for me is the power of collective intelligence.

When the Nav’i, the people of the planet Pandora, first meet the human, Jake Sully, the Nav’i tell him that his people are ignorant, and unwilling to learn. They say they have not been able to teach his people because you cannot fill a cup that is already full.

Sully answers that anyone will attest that his cup is empty, because he’s never been a smart man. He’s not a scientist; rather he’s a member of the “Jarhead clan” – a warrior. And he’s a broken warrior at that. A man who’s entire identity has been shattered by the loss of his legs through war. Broken, he is ready to learn a new philosophy, and a new way of being.

What heals Sully is opening up to a different kind of intelligence – one that is informed by interconnectedness. The Nav’i can physically link in to the creatures and the trees of their planet, and literally upload and download memories, sensations and insight from all living beings, past and present.

They have access to a shared pool of meaning, a phrase coined by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Greeny, Al Switzler and Ron McMillan, authors of Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes are High.

While researching why some people are more effective influencers than others, the authors found that the super-influencers excelled at managing and facilitating high-stake conversations. These are conversations where big decisions are being discussed and made: salary changes, whether or not to move a facility, a promotion, misunderstandings between staff, giving a boss feedback on how to do her job more effectively, asking a friend to repay a loan.

They found that the people who excel in holding these crucial conversations are able to find a way to get all of the relevant information (from themselves and others) out into the open. “At the core of every successful conversation lies the free flow of relevant information. People openly and honestly express their opinions, share their feelings, and articulate their theories. They willingly and capably share their views, even when their ideas are controversial or unpopular.”

Of course, that’s the key to true collaboration and connection. If I believe that I have all the relevant information, then I feel connected, trusted, part of the whole. The group mind is nourished and the best decisions can be made by drawing upon the pool of shared meaning.

The authors explain that in a very real sense, the pool of shared meaning is a measure of the group’s IQ. The larger the shared pool, the smarter the decisions. And even though it may seem excessive to have so many people involved in decision-making, when people openly and freely share ideas, the increased time investment pays off because of vastly improved decisions and greater buy-in.

The film Avatar invites us to imagine what it could be like – a community that has access to and is enriched by the knowledge that has been accumulated and cherished over generations. Any person can tap in and be simultaneously fed by and contribute to the whole.

What are you doing to make it safe for people to share their experiences, concerns, their dreams and vision? How are you contributing to the development of collective intelligence in your own family, your organization, or community?

(Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Tuti Scott, our leadership expert.)

Anais Nin said “Life shrinks or expands directly in proportion to one’s courage.”

When you are trying to influence someone, when you are trying to have power, it helps to share a vision of the future – to take them some place, and better yet, to use archetypes, stories, and images while painting the picture of a new future.

People love archetypes because they conjure up the notion of all things that stem from that original prototype. Images, literally imagining the outcome you want, helps mobilize unseen energy – a phenomenon which has actually been proven through the study of particle physics.

A practical way to start this process of visioning is in every meeting, whether it be with a donor or a staff member or your boss, in relationship to any project or goal, ask them: “What would success look like?  What would “winning” look or feel like?”

If you can imagine your goal and give it texture and shape, it is much more likely that you all will achieve the outcome you are seeking. It’s all part of “shared power.” If you build it, they will come…

People frequently ask me about female sports champions and what I’ve learned of their careers and their success. I often share stories about coaches who have their athletes visualize themselves at the gold medal ceremony and how this practice motivates and focuses their efforts.

All of the successful athletes I’ve met had this in common: they worked incredibly hard and diligently at their skills and their sport. If you want to reach your goals, then you must believe that if you work harder and smarter, you will win.

Sure, you and all athletes know that you may not win every time and there will always be someone who is more powerful, but in the long run, longevity and “stick-to-it-iveness” will prevail… potentially even over those who may be more powerful! This has been shown over and over in many advocacy efforts for social change.

Look forward with courage, play with ‘winning’ in mind and work hard – these are three essential components for realizing your goals.

( Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Tuti Scott, our leadership expert.)

Each time I lead a board retreat or staff management seminar, the question comes up from at least one of the women attendees:

“How can I keep my confidence level up in _____ situation?”

I had the privilege of being an athlete and playing numerous sports roles such as coach, sports administrator, and colleague to many world class athletes.

I know the sensation of ‘walking like I own the earth’ – feeling I could accomplish almost anything no matter what the odds.

This is one of many elements that all of us can model from being around athletes as a participant and/or fan.

Here are three characteristics of high performance athletes and some cues that I find the most helpful to offer folks who may not have had the chance to compete or may have overlooked the connection between their performance on the field to their work product and practice.

1. Visualizing Success – Every athlete goes into a game imagining they will win. They have practiced the same skill for hours on end, they believe in their abilities, and they have visualized success. As part of a team, they have a level of surrender and trust that their teammates also have the skills for success. This positive team attitude is led from the top (coach, manager, owner) and expressed on the field by the captain.

Application – whatever your next ‘performance’ at work is, visualize what a ‘win’ looks and feels like. Be specific! Perhaps it is people applauding a speech, staff being motivated to work smarter, a proposal being approved, a check or new client coming into the office, etc.

Model this behavior in how you stand tall and proud, how you look people in the eye with confidence, and how you express a “captain’s positive attitude” to others around you. Your self-esteem is an extension of what you say and think about yourself so choose your thoughts and words wisely.

2. Discipline and Goal Setting– I can remember at age 12 having a list of drills and exercises that I would do every day. Each time I got to 10, I would push myself to get 15 with a new twist on the drill. Set a goal and then see what happens when you ask yourself to do more or to do it in a unique way. Putting your goals in writing and reviewing these regularly reminds you why the ‘daily drills’ are important.

Application –Each time you create something (speech, letter, budget, etc), pay attention to the detail and see how you can bring the product to a new level. When you have finished your project, read it one more time before you go to sleep and one more time when you get up.

Repetition and ‘practice’ makes you better. Put in writing what your goal and intention is for a project, for your career, for your organization, etc. Review your goals with loved ones and encourage them to support you in ‘doing the drills’ to achieve success.

3. Risk Taking and Empathy – There is nothing like sports to teach you compassion. When a good softball batting average is .350, this means you miss 65% of the time. Same with basketball with the best player making her shots 40% of the time. There is no team or player that has not experienced a loss and then gotten up and played the next time with a desire to win.

Application – Possessing empathy for people when someone loses, understanding the feeling of being on both sides of an issue, having a willingness to take risks; this is the type of emotional intelligence that employers and leaders look for in members of a successful team. When you enter a conversation or negotiation, imagine what it feels like to hear it from the other side of the table. Express yourself with words that honor the experience of the recipient.

And when the opportunity arises to move a step closer to your goal, don’t hesitate to ‘grab the ball’! There’s an athlete in each of us because confident performance truly is a state of mind.

( Happy Monday! Today’s post is from Tuti Scott, an inspiring thought leader on women’s philanthropy, leadership, and social change. Tuti will be sharing her Imagine Philanthropy insights with us periodically. You can read her bio here. Thanks Tuti!)

How people are treated and how customers and clients ‘feel’ about the changes a leader or team implements has a ripple effect on the brand and the organization’s mission. Without a guiding set of values to anchor the ‘heart’ of an organization, one tends to drift aimlessly from project to event to meeting without a sense of conviction.

Values and principles are essential starting points for organizations seeking to create change. Most donor activists want to be part of an organization that has a sense of sincerity and passion.

A friend was walking on a college campus in Virginia and texted me the statement she read that was engraved in stone across the entrance to the student union; “hearts on fire” – compassionate, confident, change makers. What that statement implies about the schools’ values excites me. Hillary Clinton’s campaign t-shirt that reiterated her June 7, 2008 speech line “For everyone who’s ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out and for everyone who works hard and never gives up, this one is for you!” spoke volumes about her values as a public servant in one sentence.

Before I digress with too many examples, I want to make sure that we understand the intersection between productivity and values. People often think that what they ‘do’ and what services they ‘offer’ are their values. A mission or vision statement is not an organization’s values.

The principles and values of an organization are how you expect the organization to act toward its consumers, how you expect people to work with each other and the feeling’ that you want to leave with your clients and community about how every staff member related to them. Ideally everyone affiliated with the organization should be able to recite the values from their heart.

Whenever I am asked to be part of a strategic planning or visioning exercise with a group, I first ask to see what values have been established. Often they may not be there or they have not been dusted off for ten years, so we go through a series of steps to help shape these. Feel free to notice the connection between imagination and creating values (a not so subtle link to the reason behind the name of Imagine Philanthropy.)

1. First, imagine how you would like a constituent to view your organization.  Are you approachable and transparent? Are you innovative? Do you engender respect or courage?
2. Second, imagine a cocktail party where one of your clients, community members or donors is describing your organization to someone. What words are they using? Maybe they are saying energetic, smart, collaborative, warm, and effective.
3. Third, determine the rhythm you would like to have in your office or headquarters. If a visitor comes into the building, what do they take away? Similarly, today, we need to think as well about a web site as the place where people feel the rhythm of your organization. Contemplative space, cluttered desks, open doors, fluid movement, laughter, playful spaces, color, imagery – all of these say a lot about the culture and values of working for your organization.
4. Fourth, think about the mindset and behaviors of the people who work and serve the organization. Are they inclusive and do they embrace diversity? Are they risk takers? Do they express themselves freely and with humor? Do they exude energy?
5. Fifth, and this is where the vision and values really intersect, imagine where your organization is five years from now. What do people see in the world that would not be there without you? What difference did you make and how did you make it? What made you think you could do this? What values enabled you to get here?

The more people involved in this conversation – staff to Board leadership- the better. Set a stage to allow full expression and conversation. Once crafted, see what changes in your synergy, productivity and interaction with your constituents. And, most of all – enjoy flexing your imagination muscles!