Getting to Transformation

Why lighthouses?

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 07:50:59 -0700

I have always been fascinated by lighthouses.

And, now, I live in a home in Mukilteo, WA where I can see the one pictured on the home page of the Getting2Transformation website from our deck! Completed in 1906, the Mukilteo Lighthouse makes me smile whenever I spot it, whether it is during the day or as it serves as a beacon in the dark.

According to Wikipedia, “A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs and safe entries to harbors; they also assist in aerial navigation.”

Lighthouses seem to me an apt metaphor for the work I do.

As a Board Director, I work to assist executives as they seek safe opportunities for sailing, while avoiding dangerous hazards. I help them dream of new seas to explore while ensuring they have the right captain and crew to get them from here to there.

As a Keynote Speaker, workshop leader and adjunct faculty person, one of my great joys is shining a light on new ways of thinking and acting, especially as organizational leaders in companies, not-for-profit agencies or faith communities need to adapt to rapidly changing waters.

And, as an Interim Executive, my goal is not to do the work of the captain of the ship, but to assist with navigation as the organization transitions from one leader to another. This often requires being a temporary leader, working with key stakeholders to determine priorities for action. This often includes making and implementing difficult decisions that won’t be popular but are essential to build a...Read More

Remarks on academic/scholarly publishing in a post-pandemic world

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:45:29 -0800

On November 3, 2023, I was privileged to be invited to be a part of a panel
discussion for the faculty of Seattle University. The topic was academic/scholarly
publishing in a post-pandemic world by Rev. Dr. Michael Trice, Director for
Seattle University’s Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement. It
was a delight to share thoughts on this topic with Al Bertrand, Director for
Georgetown University Press.

Because so many of my friends, colleagues and former colleagues are affiliated with publishing
and/or higher education, I am posting my remarks via my personal blog.

Blessings,

Beth A. Lewis

Principal, Getting2Transformation

Executive Director, PCPA

The pandemic didn’t fundamentally change academic publishing, but it accelerated trends that had already begun. I want to quickly mention six areas:

• Enrollments

• Technology

• Channels of distribution

• Pricing & inflation

• Downsizing

• And, a bit of crystal ball gazing.

1. Enrollments: As I’m certain you know well, there has been a 10-year decline in the number of higher education students in the US.

• Ten years ago, the total post-secondary enrollment was 20,377,000….that was the peak.

• In 2019, total post-secondary enrollment was 19,630,000

• And by this fall, it dropped further to 18,940,000. That’s a decline of nearly 1.5 million in 10 years.

That enrollment decline certainly impacts university budgets. It also puts a squeeze on the number of textbooks sold. For many...Read More

A Blog Post re: Respectfully Recruiting People of Color to your Board

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 13:21:35 -0700

I just came across an excellent blog post with practical tips for organizations wanting to add diverse voices and perspectives to their Boards and Councils.

First, good for you for wanting to add people of color, people of different genders, sexual preferences, sexual identities, people from varying generations, people who are differently abled, etc. to your governance leadership!

Second, read this blog post from BoardSource, written by Jim Taylor. It is chock full of examples of what to do and what NOT to do in terms of respectfully recruiting people of color to your Board. Read it once, then bookmark it so that you can refer to it when the time comes for you to recruit newcomers to your board!

If you aren't sure what the specific skills, perspectives, and gifts you need for your board, be sure to read my blog post, Top Talent: Identifying Effective Board Members and then put in place a plan of action with your full board or board nominating committee before you recruit anyone else!

As always, if you have questions or would like some assistance with learning how to strengthen your Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, Church Council, etc. I would be happy to hear from you.

Beth A. Lewis

Leadership Essentials: Trust & Connection

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 20:03:40 -0700

I read (ok, scan) dozens of eNewsletters and blog posts each day. I often think, "Oh, I wish I'd said that!" One blogger I find offers bits of wisdom on a fairly regular basis is author/speaker/teacher Seth Godin. Sometimes what he shares isn't really new to me, but the way he words it goes right to the heart of the matter as a fresh reminder of something I already know.

Yesterday's post from Seth (I use his first name because I feel like I know him after reading him for many years!) is just such a post:

I love having current and pertinent data to use when making decisions. Sometimes that is research done by a highly respected research organization like Pew Research. Or, analysis done by media outlets such as the New York Times or National Public Radio. Sometimes it is informal research gathered through a small group poll that I have put together using a tool like Survey Monkey. But, all the data in the world doesn't really matter unless we have worked at building trust with those with whom we interact.

This is especially critical if you are a leader, whether of a business a classroom or a not-for-profit organization. It applies to those serving on Boards of Directors or Church Councils as well as to those who are in executive leadership roles. It is important for those who take on more informal leadership roles. Trust and relationship matters!

But, in these challenging COVID-19-isolation days, how do you build and maintain trust? The techniques may be a bit different from what we're used to, using Zoom instead of an in-person meeting, for example, but the essentials remain the same:

LEAN IN

Listen more than you talk.
Engage people you know as well as people you don't know, but you'd like to know.
Ask...Read More

2 Dozen Marketing Ideas for Publishers & Authors

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 14:40:11 -0700

“Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together.”
---Robert Redford
For publishers and their creative partners (authors, writers, composers, artists, etc.) these are certainly problematic times. But, Redford’s optimism about pulling together “the right people,” whether via conference call, email or your favorite teleconferencing tool inspires me.
Many publishers rely largely on the big retailers to sell their books. But as Amazon has been focusing on shipments of “essential” items (not including books) and Barnes & Noble has closed 400+ of their 627 retail stores, publishers must pivot not only to stay afloat financially, but to connect and support their readers. Much of this means focusing on partnering with independent stores who are creatively offering curbside pickup of purchases to their local customers and reaching out for more direct to readers sales by offering specials and utilizing creative marketing techniques.
Here are some ideas I have gleaned from listening to and monitoring the actions of publishers over these past few weeks. While this post is geared to publishers, authors who self-publish or who simply want to partner creatively with their publisher to promote their works might find some useful ideas here, too. Here are the ideas I’ve observed or thought of. What is working for you?
Offer limited time discounts on direct purchases on the publishers’ website, but with an extra incentive (10% more discount? A free eBook?) when someone purchases 5 or more copies.
Consider offering free (or flat fee, low cost) shipping via your website.
Communicate regularly with your friends & fans via email & social media. Remind them that you are still shipping books (assuming that you are) or provide links with places where they can purchase your books. Share reviews, author interviews, excerpts….anything that will engage...Read More

Resources for Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 11:31:15 -0700

The good news is that both the US government and state governments are making available some financial support for organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) as well as individuals during these challenging times.
The bad news is that this situation is moving fast (and on the virus's timeline, not one of our making). So, organizational leaders need to be constantly scouring for new information as programs and policies shift.
I have come across a few documents that I think might be helpful to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizational leaders trying to navigate these waters and they are posted here.
Here is a helpful chart, created by Sherman-Howard, a law firm headquartered in Denver, that clearly outlines the differences between the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). There is more detail from the same law firm on this page on their website.
The Non Profit Times, has published a helpful article, "7 Ways CARES Act Financially Supports NonProfits."
Here is a link from the US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship to "The Small Business Owner's Guide to the CARES Act," a helpful FAQ. Please note that while this is focused on "small business" it also includes financial support for 501c3 organizations with fewer than 500 employees.
In...Read More

Resources for Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:16:35 -0700

Are you tired of working at home yet with kids, dogs and other distractions in the background?
Me, too.
And, if you have employees who are working from home, you can bet they are tired of it, too.
One way to break the monotony of Zoom meetings, emails and financial scenario planning (rinse and repeat) is to take a break from what you are doing and try out something new.
Have you been meaning to brush up on the Spanish that you took a long time ago?
Or, perhaps you are nervous about employment and new coding skills would be beneficial.
Or, it might be fun to finally figure out how to use all of those features on your smart phone.
Dance? Watercolor painting? Woodworking? Yoga?
No matter what interests you or what skills it would be advantageous for you to polish related to your work, you can find free or low-cost online courses to help.
If you have employees, this might be an excellent time to encourage them to regularly take a break from whatever work they are doing and stretch their brains in new ways.
A few sources:
LinkedIn Learning has a wide range of online classes, primarily geared to business people: project management, entrepreneurship, human resources, video production and more!
Babbel, Rosetta Stone and other language companies can help you learn a new language or polish one that is a bit rusty.
The online magazine Quartz recently posted an article, "Read More

Resources for Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:49:38 -0700

Many businesses, not-for-profit organizations and households live week-to-week or month-to-month on cash flow. As long as it is "business as usual" with invoices being paid, donations being given and paychecks being deposited, all goes smoothly. But, in this uncertain time where nearly every aspect of our culture is upended, it is anything but "business as usual." Many of us will need to be creative in terms of managing our cash.
One of the very first things leaders need to do and need to continue doing on a regular basis throughout this pandemic is re-forecast their budget for this period of time. Unfortunately, the timeline belongs to the virus and is not something any of us can directly control. So, this becomes a critically important time for scenario planning.
Will revenue flow at 50% of what we usually expect? 25%? More? Less?
Develop several scenarios with your estimates at various levels and for various lengths of time. Through May? Through August? Through the balance of 2020?
Immediately stop all "nice to have" spending on operations
Only essential capital spending should continue
What reserves do you have?
What other sources of cash might you have? If you have a line of credit with a financial services institution, it would be wise to have a conversation with your banker regarding whether you could/should draw down that line of credit now or wait for some future date. Openness and honesty will help preserve your relationship with this important partner not only for now, but for the future.
Is there anything you can put up as collateral to obtain a line of credit or extend your line of credit?
If you decide to draw down your line of credit now in order to have it readily at hand, think carefully about where to keep it. Make sure that it is with a safe institution and will be easily accessible.
If you are a non-profit organization, is there an opportunity to obtain...Read More

Resources for Publishing/Media Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 13:56:06 -0700

I spent nearly 40 years working in the publishing/media industry. While I retired from my full-time leadership role about 18 months ago, I still do a lot of consulting for and speaking to publishing industry executives. During these challenging days for all of us, I have been compiling links to articles, blogs and other resources that I hope are helpful to leaders in a variety of industries and not-for-profit sectors. But, I have been especially attentive to compiling links for my many friends in the publishing and media industries. While there may be some things here of interest to those of you who don't work in this arena, this particular blog is primarily for those who do.
Publishing Perspectives article re: ways US & UK publishers are responding to this crisis.
Book promotion ideas from Fauzia Burke, especially for authors
Free webinar “How to Sell Books When the World Shuts Down” by Rob Eagar
A blog post by Jane Friedman with things other publishers & booksellers are offering to generate good will and, in some cases, revenue. And, another blog post on the early effects of the coronavirus, also by Jane Friedman.
Bookseller article on virtual book launches in the UK
NYT article “Curbside Pickup. Bicycle Deliveries.Virtual Book Discussions. Amid Virus, Bookstores Get Creative”
The...Read More

Resources for Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 15:22:18 -0700

Yesterday, I was talking with the CEO for one of my consulting client companies and, as with most conversations these days, it began with "so, how are things for you?" He immediately shared how surprised he is that some of their staff who are suddenly working from home are having trouble adjusting to that.
For those of us who have traveled a great deal for our jobs, we have developed skills for remote work that we don't even know that we have until we need to help others learn those skills....and learn them fast! We take for granted things like having a good laptop, having excellent wifi, finding a quiet space or at least having a noise-cancelling headset, etc.
So, whether you manage a small team or an organization with hundreds or even thousands of employees accustomed to coming into an office each day, it is imperative that you help your staff adapt to the "best practices" for working remotely.
Fortunately, I have found a number of excellent articles and blog posts to help with this. They are listed below. But, if you (or your colleagues) have time for just one, be sure to download the first one from Morning Brew! It is the most comprehensive and is very helpful.
Morning Brew collection of work-at-home (and more) ideas “Morning Brew’s Guide to Living Your Best Quarantined Life”
Chief Executive magazine article: Leading the New Normal: Everyone Working from Home
Business Insider article: Read More