“Uncertainty is the name of the game right now,” writes Kate Skokan in a post entitled Authenticity is the crucible of authentic leadership. It does seem as if things are more uncertain than they were in the past, and that problems both metastasize faster and are more complex than in the past.
I think we can all agree that it feels that way. And having an active community of fellow Ridgers to help navigate the world today, especially given the unique roles each of you plays in your communities, well–it’s hard to put a price on that!
Have you engaged with our private BRI Forum on Facebook recently? There are active conversations related to strategic planning, performance measurement, and surveys. Weigh in, and help your colleagues. Or perhaps you have a question, or challenge you’d like help with, or an area where you’re struggling. Skokan writes that “In the face of ambiguity, employees crave a leader who is not afraid to reveal their vulnerabilities, doubts, and share the same concerns and struggles.” Consider the BRI Forum, and the entire BRI experience, as a place to be real, and to give and receive the support you need to be the leader you aspire to be.
Sixty years ago, after being elected president of BRI for 1964, William Kaufman, Executive Director of the Mobile, Alabama United Fund (United Way) said this:
“In these rapidly changing times, it is imperative that those of us engaged in serving the human needs of people working exceptionally hard in trying to solve today’s complex problems; while at the same time making adequate plans for solving tomorrow’s problems.
The membership of this Institute, long dedicated to the broad field of making communities better places in which to live—through services to people—will continue to provide the vital leadership necessary to assure we reach these goals which affect the lives of us all.”
Mr. Kaufman’s words are just as true today as they were then, and the BRI community’s role is as important now as ever.
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