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| Our New - First - Artificial Tree |
I wish all of you a joyous holiday season and a blessed New Year. This holiday letter is being posted both at Marion Conway – Nonprofit Consultant and The Grandma Chronicles.
Every year, I take some quiet time to reflect on the year that is
coming to a close and the one that is ahead. I am so lucky to have my grown children live
nearby and to be able to see my grandson several times a week. We made it
through Hurricane Sandy unscathed. I
have been busier that ever with strategic planning and board retreat clients
this year. With family, nonprofit
clients and summer community responsibilities I have had a very full year.
Traditions are important to me but adapting to change has to merge
with traditions. Since my daughter and
son both spend Christmas Eve with their other families, I had my family
traditional Christmas Eve dinner last Sunday featuring an extensive antipasto,
favorite fish dishes and special desserts. For the first time this year our tree
is a small artificial tree (I love the prelit lights) instead of a large real
one. Adapting tradition and giving it a makeover
is working out just fine.
For the nonprofits I work with this has been a year of adapting to
the new normal. This has meant adapting
programs to new funding realities, new forms of fundraising, getting serious
about social media, and new staff finding their sea legs and bringing new perspectives
to organizations which - like me – are steeped in tradition. There has been an increased serious interest
in strategic planning and desire to discuss vision for the future. It has been a privilege to work with
nonprofits as they navigate through these changes. I have been in awe of the
leaders of so many organizations I’ve worked with. I have seen difficult situations dealt with
and stronger organizations emerge – even if they don’t recognize that yet
themselves. It has been inspiring.
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| I definitely have to get the piano tuned. |
On a personal level, it has been a year of change for me too. My son has become engaged and we are
welcoming a new family member. She
brings a new culture to our home and this morning my son called and wished us
Feliz Navidad. My daughter and her family live just a mile away. My grandson is
now 3 ½ and change is constant for a child this age. He is independent, curious and full of
life. It is rejuvenating and exhausting
at the same time. It is such a joy to
still be a big part of his life.
For nonprofits 2013 will beckon more change and adaptation. Nonprofits are becoming more nimble and
finding their own voice. There is less
of this “you should run more like a business” and more of “we need to establish
priorities and focus on what we do best.”
I see a new energy among Boards and readiness to try new
approaches. Like me, many Boards have
strong ties to traditions but we both must realize that traditions must find new
ways to manifest themselves.
Each year I offer a wish for you in the new year. This year my wish is for merging strong traditions
with new vision. Let’s use our
imagination to make it happen.
Imagination is on my agenda for forging a Happy New Year with joy and
courage to face what the world brings us.
And this is my wish for you.
May You Have a Blessed and Joyous
Holiday,
Marion
Marion
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