learning new things

been traveling quite a bit so i haven't written anything for a while. i learned something new recently that has stuck with me so i'm sharing.

i attended a session on how to be a great non-profit organization, and the presenter provided examples of some "great" organizations that were chosen after extensive research. some of those mentioned were habitat for humanity, america's second harvest, the exploratorium, and teach for america. these were chosen not only for their outcomes but for their impact on society.

the part that stuck with me was their discussion of best practices of these organizations, i.e., what they had in common that made them so great. one of the characteristics was named "mastering the art of adaption" and it included the ability to adapt to the changes in the environment (society, economy, etc.)

the point was made that these organizations did make mistakes but they were able to quickly recover and redirect efforts. they would take input from their environment, experiment with new models, and do quick evaluations to see what was working or wasn't working. the key wasn't necessarily to make as few mistakes as possible because of course we all make mistakes. the key was how to let go of models that didn't work and to try something new -- this was "the art of adaption" for the purposes of the presentation.

being not so good with the change, i figured that i could learn something from this perspective. the letting go seems to be very difficult for me. part of the problem may be that to some degree, it's admitting i'm wrong. i can admit it...i just don't particularly like admitting it. add to that the idea of not following through to the very end and the hope that things will turn around, two very important ideas but not required (or advisable) in every situation.

whatever combination seems to be mine, i'm going to try to be kinder to myself and others. work on being a bit more adaptable to changing situations. now, i can see in a spiritual context many might be thinking, oh great, that's what we don't need more of, spirtitual "flexibility"! i was thinking more in terms of being easier on myself and others about making mistakes. making it easier to admit them and to do something about them. also, embracing that as i (or you) grow needs may change, and that spiritually we need to be doing evaluations regularly to see that we are being nurtured and challenged appropriately.

that is all. a lot for a monday, huh?