Leadership
A Bit of News
I’ve been struggling with how to begin: how should I make this information public, and what is important to share. My hope is that through honesty and openness, your trust in me and my work with Cultivate will be strengthened. How it Began I started Cultivate in 2016 after dreaming of doing so for several…
Read MoreHeroes Are Merely Human
We like to look at heroes and point to the leaders who “changed everything for the better.” If you take a moment to think of a few heroes, you might come up with names throughout history of men and women who have been heroes of science, or humanity, or of your faith. We look at…
Read MoreA Clearer Purpose and Direction
Robert did not have any formal training on how to effectively serve his community until working with Cultivate. His community organization is working to address extreme poverty in Kampala, Uganda. Because of Cultivate, Robert is learning how to manage his time better, improve his computer skills, and set clear goals for himself and his organization. He…
Read MoreThe Challenges of Funding for International Development
There are many challenges international development organizations face. Often, they work in a context where poverty and oppression are commonplace for most members of the community, and where the lack of infrastructure, good governance, and human resources creates even more difficulties. However, for most nonprofits and NGOs, having adequate funding is still the biggest challenge…
Read MoreTrying a Different Approach
How can we best work with communities and their members to produce lasting change? We must ensure they are the ones driving and determining what happens to their community.
Read MoreOvercoming Learned Helplessness
How can we support people in finding ways to overcome their dependency and helplessness even when they are not the ones to blame? The process of overcoming helplessness and dependency starts with the heart and mind, and is anchored in hope.
Read MoreSelf-Reflection: Time Management
How Do You Manage Your Time? In our intro course, we ask our trainees to evaluate their time management. Whether you are in a culture that highly values time, or in a culture where time is held more loosely, your relationship to time is important. As leaders of nonprofits, NGOs, and community-based organizations, we likely have…
Read MoreIn Remembrance of 9/11
Today is a day of remembrance and mourning in the USA for the terrorist attacks that happened 18 years ago. The world changed after this event in so many ways, not only for Americans, but for humanity as a whole. We now live in a world where people have more fear, more uncertainty, and more…
Read MoreTwo are Better Than One
This weekend I had the opportunity to collaborate with some very intelligent and insightful people, and was reminded that two are always better than one. A dozen is even better! On Friday night, I was the guest of honor at a beautiful dinner party hosted by Kate Shannon of Merrill Lynch and Christy Morrell-Stinson of…
Read MorePrepare For What’s To Come
Working towards something that has not yet arrived is tough. You must have a strong vision to keep you moving, and when your energy falters, you must have something to cling to just so you can keep moving. That’s where I feel right now. I spend so much of my time and energy working on…
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