Leadership, Culture, People
Matthew Harrington
The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, ...

Remote and hybrid work models have reshaped the workplace, with high-performing leaders often excelling due to their autonomy, discipline, and results-oriented approach, while lower-performing employees may struggle without direct supervision. Research, such as the Stanford University study, highlights the benefits of hybrid work, particularly in enhancing productivity and retention, though challenges arise when remote work is poorly managed. The future of work requires organizations to balance flexibility and accountability, fostering environments that empower diverse employees and adapt to changing expectations.

The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, and the Leadership Question
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of ...

This post explores the critical role of strategic planning and visioning in helping organizations navigate uncertainty and long-term challenges. It emphasizes the importance of staying at a strategic level, resisting the pull toward immediate tactical fixes, and focusing on the pillars that drive success: leadership, innovation, operations, and customer focus. With actionable steps and insights, it provides a framework for crafting meaningful, future-oriented plans that transform strategic dreams into achievable realities.

Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of Vision in Uncertain Times
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
The Overlap of Conflict, Vulnerability, Trust, ...

True innovation exists at the intersection of trust, vulnerability, and constructive conflict. As leaders, our role is to create the conditions for innovation to thrive. That means checking our egos, fostering trust, and modeling vulnerability. It means leaning into conflict, embracing discomfort, and having the courage to confront the most brutal facts of our current reality.

The Overlap of Conflict, Vulnerability, Trust, and Innovation
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
Putting Values Into Action: The Cornerstone of ...

When teaching or coaching emerging leaders, one topic I push hard on is values. Values refer to the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that define what an individual, organization, or community stands for. These principles act as a moral and operational compass, influencing behavior, decision-making, and culture.  They are part of the magic three: mission, vision and values.

Putting Values Into Action: The Cornerstone of Leadership
Leadership
Matthew Harrington
Election Reflection: When Does a Vision Become ...

Reflecting on the recent election, the Harris campaign's lack of a clear and compelling vision became evident in contrast to Trump’s well-communicated stance, making it challenging for voters to see her future for America. Drawing from the change formula, a successful campaign requires acknowledging dissatisfaction, defining a visionary goal, and setting clear steps toward achieving it—elements that were more apparent in Obama’s 2008 campaign, where “hope and change” aligned with voters' aspirations and activated widespread engagement. Ultimately, the Harris campaign's struggles highlight the need for leaders to craft a vision that resonates powerfully and unites people around a shared purpose, as fear alone can often overshadow hope if it lacks sufficient clarity and preparation.

Election Reflection: When Does a Vision Become Lost—or Was It Never Realized in the First Place?

strategic planning

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Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of Vision in Uncertain Times

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Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of Vision in Uncertain Times

This post explores the critical role of strategic planning and visioning in helping organizations navigate uncertainty and long-term challenges. It emphasizes the importance of staying at a strategic level, resisting the pull toward immediate tactical fixes, and focusing on the pillars that drive success: leadership, innovation, operations, and customer focus. With actionable steps and insights, it provides a framework for crafting meaningful, future-oriented plans that transform strategic dreams into achievable realities.

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Mastering First Steps in Community Change and Transformation

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Mastering First Steps in Community Change and Transformation

Expanding upon the element of the F in the formula, or First Steps (DxVxF>R), it's crucial to understand that this phase is where the rubber meets the road in implementing change. Simply talking about change isn't enough; action must be taken to initiate the transformation process. 

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Navigating Change: The Different Styles of People and How They Deal with Change

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Navigating Change: The Different Styles of People and How They Deal with Change

Navigating the dynamics of change with insights into different change styles—Conserver, Pragmatist, and Originator. Discover how understanding these styles can empower leaders to navigate change effectively and foster a culture of innovation and growth in their communities.

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Why Vulnerability Matters When Creating A Vision

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Why Vulnerability Matters When Creating A Vision

Relationships matters when creating a vision for your organizations because you cannot create a vision without being innovative, creative and ready for change. Brene Brown once wrote about vulnerability saying, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” Vulnerability is the ability to handle uncertainty, to take risks and most importantly embrace emotional exposure. This makes sense. Are you more likely to risk sounding “in left field” if you trust the team you’re with and can be vulnerable around them? Would you mention the “unmentionable” at a board retreat if you trusted that the board members have your best intentions at heart? How can we ask people to tell us their best, perhaps wackiest ideas if they can’t be vulnerable around us?

Preparing for Strategic Planning Season After A Pandemic

Preparing for Strategic Planning Season After A Pandemic

August is a time when a board or organization should start to look at their strategic plan and decide whether they need to update it or create a new one. One such organization did reach out, having not a lot of other options, and decided to work with me on their strategic plan. Here’s what we did in 30 days…