| Upcoming Events SEPTEMBER |
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SEPTEMBER is Classical Music Month
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Intern'l Day of Charity (UN)
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Intern'l Literacy Day (UNESCO)
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TV Dinner Day
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Positive Thinking Day
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N'l Play Doh Day
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Rice Krispies Treats Day
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World Gratitude Day
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Intern'l Peace Day
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N'l Punctuation Day
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World Tourism Day (UN)
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Beer Drinking Day
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Shout Out!
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A big thanks to some who made my life better in
August
Michael Anderson
Pat Bragg
Carol Ann Burrell
Leo Ezerins
Kimberley Hunter Lee
Greg Swanson
Lyle Vigne
Rob, Ginny, Emily, & Brodie Wood
My Twisted Sisters Mandy, Dianne, & Margaret
"
Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
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| Websites/Links |
| CSAE National Conference Click Here Jon Ronson's TEDTalk on Shaming Click Here Check out Jon Ronson's Book "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" Click Here Casey & Finnegan: Retired on Hornby Island Click Here 24 Stuck Cats Click Here LUE-42 Enterprises
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Unbelievable Answers
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"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body."
-- Winston Bennett, UofK basketball player
"Outside of the killings, Washington
has one of the lowest crime rates in the country." -- Mayor
Marion Barry, Washington, DC
"Half this game is ninety percent mental."
-- Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environ- ment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." -- Al Gore
"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" -- Lee Iacocca
"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people." -- Col. Gerald Wellman, ROTC
"Traditionally, most of Australia 's imports come from overseas."
-- Keppel Enderbery
Do you feel smarter now?
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Reader Notes
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Delightful, as usual. Thanks for making my day! LB
***
Contributors to this issue: Michael Anderson, Jeff De Cagna, Brian Edwards, Tim Essington, Joseph Parenteau, Laureen Reagan, Jill Roszell, Debra Wingrove, Joe Wood
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Wish I'd said that...
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"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."
~Alan Watts
"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another."
~Anatole France
"In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy."
~J. Paul Getty
"Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better".
~Sydney J. Harris
"When it becomes more difficult to suffer than to change... you will change."
~Robert Anthony |
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Humour
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My therapist said that my narcissism causes me to misread social situations. I'm pretty sure she was hitting on me.
My 60 year kinder-garten reunion is coming up soon and I'm worried about the 195 lbs. I've gained.
I always wondered what the job application is like at Hooters.. do they just give you a bra and say, "Here, fill this out."?
If I make you breakfast in bed, a simple "Thank you" is all I need...not all this, "How did you get in my house" business!
The pharmacist asked me my birthday again today...Pretty sure she's going to get me something.
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| Books by Moi |
| Understanding Bylaws: A Guide for Directors of Not-For-Profit Organizations ISBN 978-0-9866030-0-6 Exceptional Board Members, Exception Boards ISBN 978-0-9866030-1-3
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| * |
| With fond acknowledgement to Douglas Adams and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy |
| Join Our List |
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Spread the Word!
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To use the content, please include this blurb: Linda Wood Edwards and LUE-42 Enterprises produces "Life, the Universe, and Everything" for her clients and subscribers. Visit www.lue42.com for more information
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| Issue: #55
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September 2015 |
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It was odd to experience another August without having a play in the Edmonton
Fringe Festival. Thankfully I had friends' plays to watch and friends to go with me to watch. I'm proud of all of them and I accept the reminder that I need to get myself in gear and
write!
My trips to Golden are usually for writing, but my friend Kim came along on my latest trip and it was all about
adventure! We had a great time white water
rafting on the mighty Kicking Horse River and
flying to Salmon Arm BC and back in a couple of small planes. I've never viewed the glorious Rocky Mountains from that angle and such close range, and we even buzzed the lake where some friends were camping!
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| My plane from Kim's plane |
I also had a trip to
Ontario to enjoy some
family,
friends,
football, and
focus groups (yes, it was an f'n good trip!).
Some of you know that the Canadian Society of Association Executives is working on a new tool to assist boards -- the
BoardReady Card Deck. I got to spend two days with some very bright people trying to sort out the "must-have" content for this tool. There are so many topics that impact boards, it was a daunting but fun process. Sample cards with links to additional content will be ready for the
CSAE Conference in October in Calgary. I can't wait to see how they turn out, and then I can't wait to
share them with boards!
I saw
football games in Toronto and Hamilton and was privileged to have ring-side seats at STILL MOSCA, a spectacular event celebrating the life and career of CFL great
Angelo Mosca. Both my dad and my brother loved watching Mosca because he "played to the end of the whistle." I remember winning 25 cents off my dad (effectively doubling my weekly allowance) when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats won the
1972 Grey Cup. The picture of a bloodied Mosca hoisting the Grey Cup is the stuff of
legends, and it was the last Grey Cup my dad was alive to see.
Sadly, Angelo Mosca was recently diagnosed with
Alzheimer's. His sister's prayer the other night still rings in my ears:
Please take the bad memories away first and leave him with the good ones -- his family and his legacies -- as long as possible. The event raised funds for the Alzheimer's Society and the
CFL Alumni Association's Support Fund.
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| My brother Rob and me with Angelo Mosca |
I am grateful for all the feedback I received on
shaming and
mob mentality after last month's e-zine. One friend (who lives more in the
spiritual realm) said, "
I look at everything as a mirror, so public shaming is mirroring back our own shame...much of us harbour vast amounts of conscious and unconscious shame, a very low vibrational emotion. Public shaming is very 3D/4D (aka pertaining to the mundane world) response, not from love and light (which is 5D)." It is certainly apparent that the melee I mentioned was not even remotely doused in love and light, even though an improvement emerged.
Another friend (who lives more in the scientific realm) said, "
Rene Girard, one of the great philosophers of the last hundred years, postulated that culture originates in murder...that a scapegoat is required to focus the violence of the group against a single individual to keep the group from destroying each other. He proposes that this mechanism is in play in every culture in the world. The scapegoat is typically innocent but goes unrecognized as innocent by the group. A blind eye is turned. The scapegoat must be killed to protect the group. The death of the scapegoat results in vindication for the action because change will necessarily result from the murder."
Girard's work can be taken both literally and figuratively, and there is direct evidence in the social sciences to support his assertions, as well as parallels in the world's religions. It's clear to me that one needs to read Girard to understand the cycle of violence, innocence, and victimization but it's equally clear to me that his theories are alive and well in social media shaming. If you want to learn a bit more about Girard, check out History is a Test. Mankind is Failing It. by Cynthia Haven in the Stanford Alumni magazine (August 2009).
Click Here
Whether we come at life from intuition or science, we have a choice to think before we act. Let's choose the kinder alternative more often.
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| The Answer |
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| Q: HOW DO WE ENSURE BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED? A: GET CREATIVE WITH OPTIONS TO ENGAGE THEM, AND MAKE SURE YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS PERMIT THEM The question of board member engagement comes up at every board meeting, and I know for a fact that most boards have some really good ideas on how to do it. So why doesn't it work more often? I just purchased Boardroom Chemistry: Getting Your Board to Govern as a Team by BoardSource. The publication has 24 tools plus 50 tips on this subject. Tool 11 is called Involved Board Members. None of these were new to me, most make sense, but some also have barriers to implementation. You need to start with an excellent recruitment process and orientation program, but it's also important to find a graceful way out for those who do not fulfill the expectations of the board. It's recommended that the Chair grab a few board veterans and discuss why some have lost interest. Is it a personality conflict? It it the board's working style? Have other priorities taken over? Find out and adjust accordingly. These are some of BoardSource's recommended ways to boost participation as well as my comments on them: Institute a required rotation. Best practice indicates that after a period of consecutive years (say 6) a board member should have at least 1 year off the board before being re-elected. I've tried to do that with association bylaws, but sometimes term limits are resisted (most often if the organization's founders are still on the board). Having an end date for even the best of our board members is a good thing to do! Appoint nonboard members to board committees. The bylaws may need to be amended to permit this, but it's worth it. I confess I love this idea for Finance/Risk Management/Audit committees and CEO Review committees, but I resist it for Governance and Nominations Committees. Perhaps I'm just a late bloomer on this one. Again, several boards resist this as they fear their business is more confidential than it actually is. Have friendly, nonthreatening conversations. The Chair or the person who recruited the board member should do this. Sometimes it's a misunderstanding of expectations that is easily fixed and sometimes it's a matter of releasing guilt for delinquent behaviour and finding a safe way out. Either way, the outcome is good news. I like the idea of having the person who recruited the board member leading this talk! Establish a board alumni council. Find a formal way for a long serving board member or donors to stay engaged while exiting the rigours of board service. Here I have to say Be Cautious! You don't want a second board and you don't want confusion about who is actually governing. Also be wary of automatically appointing past board members to a fundraising body -- not everyone is cut out for that important work. I had a chat recently with some association executives about "kicking board members to the curb" (and in fact I've been the board member who was kicked to the curb). It hurts the individual and it's harmful to the organization so, if at all possible, don't set up another board or council for board alumni, but DO find a way for a graceful exit and get more creative about ways to keep departing board members engaged. Establish attendance rules with automatic termination. Many boards have a bylaw or policy about termination after (2-3) unexcused absences, but the trick is defining "unexcused." Typically it means a no-show. In my experience, most boards want this rule, but few have the will to implement it. Try harder, because it's the fair thing to do and that's important to everyone. Develop an annual affirmation statement. Get a statement of obligations and expectations signed during the nomination/ election process. If people are honest about their ability to commit, it works very well and opting out should leave no hard feelings. Include things like support of the mission, time commitment, financial contribution (if required), compliance with conflict of interest policy, and a willingness to resign if circumstances prohibit appropriate participation. I like this device, but it is important to remember to revisit it annually as circumstances do change. Do you have other board engagement tools that you'd like to share? /lmwe |
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Spy Secrets
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Former CIA agent Jason Hanson has published a book called Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life and it's directed at people like you and me. Here are some self-defence tips:
1. Stay on high(ish) alert. There are four stages of alert ranging from Condition White (totally unaware) to Condition Red (produce your weapon of choice). Hanson says be at Condition Yellow (relaxed, head up, aware of surroundings).
2. Think like a criminal. Case your own house. Can someone hide behind overgrown bushes? Can you see the TV from the street? Also watch for criminal behaviour in others such as staring too much and walking at the same pace as you.
3. Your purse is an escape and evasion kit. Carry a knife, lighter, bobby pin (to escape handcuffs), a pen that writes and can be used as a weapon, credit card knife, duct tape, gauze, and a paracord keychain. Find out why and how at spyescape.com
4. It's better to run but sometimes you have to fight. Remember ETGS. Eyes (gouge them), Throat (strike it), Groin (kick it), Shins (kick repeatedly). If attacked from behind, break the pinkies. In short, create a situation in which you can escape.
Feel better now?
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| About LUE-42 Enterprises |
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I help associations and boards with tasks that can't be done in-house due to lack of capacity, time, skill, or a combination. I spend most of my time with governance, planning, bylaws, board development, interim management, and writing. I'm also a playwright, a funeral celebrant, and a big fan of the Canadian Football League. I have a great life. If I can help to improve your life, let me know.
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Contact LUE-42 Enterprises lue42@shaw.ca www.lue42.com |
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