Week 21.41 Reparative Leading

Here in New York, we are just at the onset of fall, which is a curious season of the blooming of the changes of the colors of the leaves, the brisk winds that have sailboats flying on the Hudson, and the fresh cool air of evening that combines with the still warm air of the afternoon. Fall feels like a new beginning because I was indoctrinated with fall as the new school year. Other people see fall as the gateway to winter, the last throughs of summer, the descent into cold. They see leaves turning color as the sign that trees are giving up on this year and going into hibernation. The cold north wind is a harbinger of colder days to follow. This is the final quarter of the year that will quickly yield to the quick step of the holiday season, and then the New Year begins.

The season is what the season is to you. There is no right or right. There is just your experience of it. And, if you are old enough to see it happen, your understanding of something can change over time. When you are young, you may love jumping into a pile of leaves; as you get older, you may despise raking them. And as you get older still, you may realize the beauty of seasons and appreciate change. Nothing is static over time.

Leadership is a balancing act made harder because we live in a chromatic world, and decisions are often black and white. It is the leader's job to gather inputs from the entire team with a generous and discerning eye. The first pass is embracing all information with gratitude for having been given it. The second pass is to determine which information is helpful for the particular decision at hand and how to apply it.

I was recently introduced to Eve Sedgwick's idea of reparative reading in contrast to paranoid reading. In paranoid reading, the reader is searching for the problems in the text, sniffing out the flaws, distrusting the narrative. The paranoid reader maintains distance and approaches the material cautiously. The reparative reader is more generous, trying to see what is helpful in the material presented. It is an approach that expects to find something valuable in what is offered. It is fascinating to think that this approach opens the door to finding value where none was intended. By generously accepting the material, and then with a discerning eye that looks for what the material can give, the reparative reader can draw out the extra value that the paranoid reader fails to see.

In the process, reparative leaders receive the information with more gratitude, unaware of what information will be meaningful either presented in the summary or buried between the lines. And simultaneously, they reward the sharer of the information with acceptance and partnership, encouraging even more information sharing and receiving more nutrients to make the best decisions. By being open to what might be awaiting them, reparative leaders take what they need from the material presented when they encounter them.

The idea of the reparative reader was initially conceived for the world of criticism as a way of approaching art with a more open mind. It is the antidote to the us/them, right/wrong black/white world. It serves us well in interpersonal relationships as well. It is an approach that understands that in each book, work of art, piece of must, or interdepartmental report, there is the potential for information that is valuable to you. It may be that one piece of the puzzle you were missing; perhaps it merely stimulates you to find the answer. By applying the idea of the reparative to leadership, and as an approach to the world, there is the opportunity to find surprise and delight in the most unexpected places. New beginning or end of summer, fall will be fall. What you find in it is up to you.

Week 45 of 52 Weeks of Giving: City Harvest

With the thinking of fall and its bounty and harvest, I am also thinking about the issue of food insecurity. With all of the abundance in the world, getting food to those who are hungry is not easy. City Harvest is New York City's largest food rescue organization, helping to feed the more than 1.5 million New Yorkers who are struggling to put meals on their tables. We will rescue 111 million pounds of food this year and deliver it, free of charge, to hundreds of?food pantries,?soup kitchens?and other community partners across the five boroughs. Our programs help food-insecure New Yorkers access nutritious food that fits their needs and desires; increase our partners' capacity; and strengthen the local food system, building a path to a food-secure future for all New Yorkers. Facts About Hunger - City Harvest

THE HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PROJECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK ?(release date: October 19) is the first pragmatic, hands-on book for anyone looking to lead more successful projects and for executives who aspire to become better project sponsors.

The failure rate among projects remains high and business transformations continue to fall short. To execute truly successful projects, there are specific skills, tools, and techniques that must be developed and honed. MG100 proud member, author, and Thinkers50 & PMI Fellow award recipient Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez helps bridge this gap by walking managers and executives through the Project Canvas–a simple and smart tool suitable for any project, whether agile, traditional, or hybrid. Brimming with case studies, accessible tools, and proven methods, Antonio's Project Management Handbook is the one guide every manager needs to execute higher quality and effective projects.

Has There Been Inflation In Disruption?

The most recent episode of the M&M show went LIVE today, October 12, at 12 pm eastern, and this is one that you won't want to miss. This week, we were joined by?Sanyin Siang , Thinkers50 #1 Most Influential Coach in the World, and?Whitney Johnson , Award-Winning Author, to discuss if there has been inflation in disruption. Click the link now to watch the recording of the show: https://tinyurl.com/MandMDisruption

FROM START-UP TO GROWN-UP the podcast by Alisa Cohn

Matt Blumberg is the founder and CEO of Bolster, a new talent marketplace for on-demand executives launched in 2020. Before Bolster, he was the CEO of Return Path. He has authored two books, namely: The Startup CEO and The Startup CXO.

In this episode, Matt will take us through his entrepreneurship journey. He will give us in-depth details on how they founded Return Path, how they built the company culture, and their exit from the company. Matt also shares how he creates a support system, learned to say" no," and became a two-time CEO. From Start-Up to Grown-Up: Episode 1 - Matt Blumberg on Apple Podcasts

?And, as always, thank you, Marshall, for making all of this possible.

With love and gratitude

Scott