Category: perspective

leadership dot #5054: hot seat

September 21, 2026September 20, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When you’re a low-level individual contributor, your primary job is to keep your boss happy. You may do that by keeping customers happy too, but your overall focus is pretty narrow.

As you climb the ladder and have a wider scope of responsibility, you have more stakeholders, and the higher the position, the more the work becomes managing the interests of others. A CEO has to balance the desires of employees, customers, suppliers, the board, regulators, and community interests. A superintendent tries to find a middle ground between teachers, staff, students, parents, the board, unions, legislators, and the public. A nonprofit leader must manage donors, national foundations/funders, staff, financial advisors, and community needs.

The more stakeholders are involved, the more likely they are to have competing interests. When people wonder why leaders are paid higher salaries, much of it is because of their skill in balancing multiple demands — knowing what to prioritize, what decision to make, and being able to successfully articulate to the other parties why their preferred course of action did not happen.

Many think of the leader as being at the top of the organizational hierarchy. In reality, they’re the ones smack dab in the center, getting input and taking heat from all sides. If you aspire to move up, start by practicing being in the middle.

leadership dot #5053: life stages

September 18, 2026September 17, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Most people are conscious of the evolving developmental stages in children or pets, but fewer consider the life stages of an organization.

A recent board training reminded me that nonprofits (among other organizations) move through stages as the organization evolves.

Stage 1: Vision: where a founder(s) sees a possibility and imagines how an organization can fulfill it
Stage 2: Start-up: the organization becomes a reality and begins implementation
Stage 3: Building a foundation: Where processes allow the organization to grow
Stage 4: Maturity: The focus shifts from an entrepreneurial beginning to one of sustainability
Stage 5: Change: Requiring a refocus and review of the original mission and how to meet it
Stage 6: Dissolution: When the need has been met or the infrastructure to proceed ends

Organizations don’t move through stages linearly; instead, they may move back and forth between earlier stages as personnel, the environment, and circumstances change. I think of leadership dots and the decision to rethink the number of days I publish (stage 5), allowing the organization (me) to continue (stage 4). Without this renewal, I think I would have been close to stage 6.]

Where is your organization today? Assessing your organization through this lens may clarify where to focus and what resources you need to thrive.

Source: Board Bootcamp, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque

leadership dot #5052: resources

September 17, 2026September 17, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I think about all the times we do things ourselves instead of taking advantage of available help, and I wonder why. Sometimes money is an issue, but often enlisting a professional feels like admitting defeat or going against our identity as someone who can do it on their own. It’s odd to feel guilty about using resources, but I think it often happens.

Examples include:

Believing you should be able to train your puppy yourself instead of taking it to obedience lessons
Thinking it’s just that you don’t have the willpower to diet on your own vs being prescribed GPL-1 medications
Feeling that you should just know how to handle supervisory situations instead of hiring an executive coach for help
Believeing you must spend hours doing your own analysis for it to be real instead of deploying AI to compile a project for you
Thinking you should be able to see organizational issues and solutions yourself rather than needing to bring in a consultant
Expecting that you should be able to bring your home’s vision to life on your own rather than needing an interior decorator to pick out colors and furniture
Feeling like you should have the internal discipline and knowledge to regularly work out on your own instead of hiring a personal trainer
Struggling with over-the-counter meds rather than making a doctor’s appointment

Using resources is a sign of strength, not weakness. You don’t always have to take the hard road.

leadership dot #5050: slights

September 15, 2026September 14, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you’ve participated in any type of DEI training, it’s likely that you are familiar with the concept of microaggressions — small, often unintentional actions or language that are offensive to others. By understanding the history or context behind these microaggressions, you can avoid using them and communicate more respectfully.

The same premise applies to slights against women. Taylor Black compiled a collection of microfeminisms that may cause you to rethink whether you have unknowingly been favoring men over women in your speech or actions. Examples include:

I work at a school, and when I have to call parents to pick up their sick kid, I call the dad first.
I ask my kindergarten students what dad cooked for dinner last night and get very shocked if they say their mom cooked.
I introduce my friends and their husbands in that order and add a superficial adjective before the husband. Like, this is Jane and her beautiful husband, Joe.
I call male politicians by their first names only.
I’m a yearbook editor, and for all the women’s sports, I simply have the sport’s name. But for the men’s, I put boys’ in front of each of them, i.e., soccer and boys’ soccer.
Whenever a dad says he’s babysitting the kids or watching the kids, I say, Oh, so you mean you’re just parenting?
I’m a travel agent, and I always book the flights to pair the child with the husband.
I ask men, “Do you work?” instead of “What do you do for work?”

I admit that some of these hit home (Kamala or Hillary, anyone?), and it raised my consciousness about other ways that I make assumptions that stereotype women in lesser-than ways. Continue to learn about micro slights that can have macro impact, whether about gender, race, or any other distinction. We all have opportunities do better.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #5049: bulldozer

September 14, 2026September 13, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

There is a difference between what you say and how you say it. People who come across as bullies may have great ideas, but resistance to their tone often overshadows their message. Those who speak more than they listen may find themselves ignored, and shouting is rarely effective. People who want to make change are usually more successful when they ask questions and seek input, rather than make declarations.

Even if you wear your bravo with pride, there are few roles where being a bulldozer is an asset, especially on a team. The method matters.

leadership dot #5047: more appealing

September 10, 2026September 9, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A Budweiser Clydesdale, one of the most pampered animals on Earth, chose to eat the food of the horse in the next stall instead of his own. It was the exact same hay, in the same quantity, served at the same time, but Simon preferred to reach through the grate instead. His feeder was more convenient to him, but the neighboring hay was more appealing.

People sometimes act like Simon and make decisions that defy logic. You can spend your time lamenting about how their behavior doesn’t make sense, or how it “should” be different, and try to alter their actions — or you can accept that sometimes people opt for the other bucket.

Let people choose which grass is greener.

leadership dot #5045: playlist

September 8, 2026September 7, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

With the midterm elections fast approaching, many organizations are engaged in get-out-the-vote efforts or campaigning for candidates. Much of the work is behind-the-scenes grunt work, but to make it more palatable, people often do the tasks in groups.

Signs of Justice encourages volunteers to host a party and invite several friends to write postcards during the gathering. They sent supporters an email with party tips and even included a Spotify playlist of inspirational music to enhance the festivities.

Whether you are involved in political action or doing a routine task elsewhere, consider involving a group in the effort. A pizza and a playlist can make a dull job much more enjoyable.

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leadership dot #5043: penny pinching

September 3, 2026September 2, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Shonda Rhimes is one of the most successful television show producers, creating for ABC a lineup of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder. She earned them billions with her shows.

Rhimes’ contract included free Disneyland tickets for her family. When her sister wanted to take Rhimes’ daughter to the park, Shonda called ABC and asked for an additional pass. Allegedly, she was told, “Don’t you have enough already?” After the insult, Rhimes ended her contract with ABC and moved to Netflix, where she produced Bridgerton, another wildly successful series that earned millions.

The short-sightedness of an ABC executive cost the network (b?)millions, whereas a free pass to Disneyland (worth only $150) would have cost them nothing. It was a really dumb move.

Stars have options, and the confidence to exercise them. Don’t penny-pinch with your best customers or employees. Happily giving them the ticket is the best investment you can make.

Thanks, Meg!

Source: The Real Oshow

leadership dot #5042: firsthand

September 2, 2026September 2, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A school district community task force has been meeting for several months, and most meetings are held in a different school building. We build a brief tour into the agenda, allowing people to see the facilities and hear from the principals. We did this even in a non-air-conditioned building (in July!) to experience the difference climate control makes for the learning environment.

Long after the task force concludes its work, I think our rotating meeting schedule will help community members carry with them a better understanding of the district facilities and their needs.

I am a big believer in rotating meeting locations. When I worked at a college, each of my senior staff meetings was held in a different spot on campus. People whose organization has multiple buildings can utilize that variety to meet other colleagues and stimulate creativity. Even those who have limited office space can meet outside or at a neighboring organization.

Get outside the conference room and experience something firsthand.

leadership dot #5040: in stages

August 31, 2026August 28, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The Detroit Riverwalk features 5 miles of amazing — a free carousel, public restrooms, biking paths, greenery, places to rest and eat, and beautiful views of the river and Canada. It has been voted the #1 riverwalk in America for three years in a row…

…and, it’s not finished. In between the lovely landscapes, vacant lots, rundown buildings, and abandoned warehouses still remain. It’s a stark reminder of what “before” looked like on much of the banks.

Detroit could have waited until it had the funds to acquire all the property and perform the transformation, but, of course, it’s much better that they made improvements in stages. Not only does it provide present-day recreation for residents, but the visible progress creates momentum that can spur on future developments.

Are you waiting to complete your “riverwalk” until conditions are perfect, or are you following Detroit’s example to show incremental success? It’s almost always better to get started.