My farewell letter to Vincent R, new NetHope Chariman
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May 16, 2014
Vincent,
First and foremost, congratulations on your election! Well deserved! There is a tradition in my home country for the outgoing president to leave a personal letter for the incoming president. There’s always been speculation as to what these letters say. I suspect there’s a bit about where the good whiskey is stored. But all kidding aside, there are some things that should be passed on 1:1 that won’t be found in the archives or minutes of the meetings.
So here’s my list of a dozen things for you, in no particular order:
1) You’ve already thought through the value of having your critics close; in the tent pissing out is better than outside the tent pissing in. I believe Lyndon Johnson offered that sage advice.
2) Play the movie forward: some decisions and options are in the first five minutes of a two hour show. Imagine how the last five minutes may play out. That always gives me pause and tempers the temper, if you will.
3) Listen long and hard, but in the end, make your case and stick to it. I’ve found value in saying that we need to do a, b or c, and let’s live with it for six months and see if needs changing then. NGO people will accept deferrals over denials.
4) Watch the CEOs time. Now that Lauren has come through her first 100 days, “drinking from the fire-hose,” she needs to narrow it down and start pushing some things to the periphery (see #3). You are a guardian of her energy; don’t let her burn out. Keep the wolves at bay. A new CEO search is a bitch.
5) Detail people are great at embracing the complexities; but for a small organization, the simplicities are more valuable. Relentlessly simplify! Put it on a banner for the Board.
6) Go around the table: when you have a loud naysayer, don’t modify your position to accommodate them. Go around the table and ask for each person’s thoughts. The group will correct the outlier every time.
7) Watch your time. You can’t be all things to all people and solve all the problems (see #4). Wives are a great barometer; when they start to complain about the evening work, that’s usually a good sign to back off (see #5). As Chair, you have a unique authority to delegate. Use it.
8) Laugh: some of the bullshit is funny if you step back and watch it fly. Also, humor disarms a heated discussion faster than anything I know. You have that gift. Use it.
9) Use the historians. Between JL, Kelvin and me, we know where all the skeletons and potholes are. We can be the light in the dark; and the book of precedents. NGO people react well to precedents (see #3)
10) Risks are your friend. First, if you are not taking enough of them the organization will stagnate. Second, if you state a problem in terms of risks, people can't avoid them. Don't waste a good audit.
11) Road trip. Venice. Need I say more?
12) Break bread. Never eat alone. Come and have dinner
And the final word? Write a letter :-) You'll be great! |