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Acting As One™– book in progressThis year I continue writing my book, Acting As One™. I have been asked numerous times through the years to write a book and so I’m answering the call. Acting as ONE™ is a ‘how to’ guide for the most difficult part of any change initiative - making the change happen - effectively and efficiently. While most ‘how to’ books focus on the planning and strategy, or on the psychological and human relations approach, or on leadership skills and working relationships, a high percentage of efforts still fail – needlessly. Recent Presentations Non-Profits: Risk Takers Recently, I gave a speech entitled “Critical Information and Approaches for Effective Decision Making” sponsored by several Foundations that benefit rural development. Specifically, I discussed the importance of effective Not-For-Profits. Lately, these types of organizations have become more visible, employ a larger segment of the work force, and are important financial contributors to the economy. The future prediction is that Not-For-Profits will receive even more attention. Non-profits are big risk takers – how can they wisely manage and mitigate the risk? This was my introduction to the Building Your Non-Profit Conference: Warren Buffet once said, “ Non-profits take on the risk that others don’t”. That’s true – they take on the difficult projects and issues that are risky – probably won’t make money, encounter difficulties, are frequently unpopular or contentious, long term and complicated, etc. They are the projects that people with for-profit motives won’t take on. But, since that is the case, how can those organizations survive and grow to accomplish more in the future? How can the risk (and the losses) be minimized? Who will fund them and why? What do the funders want in return for continuing to fund the organizations? How to get the needed hordes of volunteers and talented people motivated to give their time, talent and treasure to sustain the organization? The answer is for the nonprofit to perform in ways to reassure stakeholders that their gifts - whether volunteers, paid employees, or donors – of time, treasure and talent are being maximized and used well, for the purpose for which they were intended – to achieve the organization’s Mission. Therefore, responsible management, prudent stewardship, and effective communication are as important, or even more so, for not-for-profits as they are for for-profit organizations. The challenges in doing so are as great or greater than for for-profit organizations. Certainly as many, or more, people are watching and judging their actions. The techniques are probably different, however. My speech was titled, “Critical Information and Approaches for Effective Decision Making” because the demand for change in nonprofit operations is a major but surmountable challenge. Oregon's Ancient & Evolving Land I always enjoy visiting Fossil, the headquarters of the Oregon Paleo Lands Institute, for which I am the Vice Chair of the Board and chaired its Strategic Planning Annual Meeting. The Paleo Lands are in the John Day River Basin, the foremost place to view 50M+ years of life on the planet. It is a beautiful, powerful and awe-inspiring part of Oregon, visited by archeologists, geologists and paleontologists from all over the world (but little known by Oregonians). The Institute, now transitioning to its “grown-up” phase of development, has a tri-part Mission: 1) Promote public awareness of the world heritage landscapes, 2) Reconnect people with the natural world and natural resources, and 3) Bridge the urban-rural divide; support the rural communities and businesses of the John Day Basin. We learned that there was an interesting fossil find in the John Day Basin a week before – remains of a beaver that was estimated to be 2M years older than any found before, anywhere else in the world. This means that the beaver, as a species, is 2M years older than previously thought. I also learned that during this period of the earth’s history, John Day was at the edge of the ocean. This fossil find would have been approximately 100 miles out in the middle of the ocean. So, what was the beaver doing there? Fascinating information! News Protectors of the Public = Police, Fire, CPAs! I recently attended the Western Regional Conference of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), where I presented a session on the importance of communicating to the public the role of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and of the state regulatory boards that license and oversee them. As former Chair of this national (and international leader) organization which serves those boards that regulate and oversee CPAs throughout the United States, I understand the critical importance of CPAs to the effective functioning of the national (and global) financial systems. CPAs are licensed to provide services that help to protect the public in their financial activities. The audit and resulting report which CPAs add to the financial statements of governments, corporations and not-for-profit organizations enable banks and other lenders, donors, investors and citizens to trust the information in the financial statements. When CPAs do their jobs in the way that their CPA license requires them to, that trust helps to maintain the functioning of the financial system. When CPAs don’t do their jobs competently and ethically, the stability of the system is jeopardized. State Boards of Accountancy (SBA) are established by law in every state to assure that CPAs perform competently and ethically. Members of the State Boards are appointed by each Governor and take an oath to protect the public by their activities. These are designed to assure that licensed persons have the on-going education, experience, ethics and that their performance complies with required professional standards and state regulations in doing their jobs. The Boards receive no funds from taxpayers or any government source. The operations of the Boards are funded primarily by the license fees required of all CPA firms and licensed CPAs. University of Portland Franz Center for Entrepreneurship I am working on (Advisory Board member) a unique, award-winning, exciting, fun and rapidly growing Center for Entrepreneurship in Oregon – the Franz Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Portland. It is an interdisciplinary organization that provides a four year program for students to develop entrepreneurial skills. It fosters entrepreneurial thinking and creativity in special ways:
Major new activities are being developed for 2010! The Aging Brain In some ways our brains get BETTER as we age; who knew? In middle age (now defined as 40 – 70’s) our brains are smarter in areas of logic, vocabulary, verbal memory, and spatial skills compared to our twenty-something selves. NPR had an interview with Barbara Strauch who in her book The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, describes this fascinating research. It reveals the first “gold standard” longitudinal study ever done in this area of brain development tracking six thousand people over more than forty years! Did you know that the middle aged brain is better at getting the gist of arguments, recognizing categories, sizing up situations, making financial decisions, and in social expertise or judgment of people’s intentions? How do we keep our brains sharp and keep it growing? They suggest doing something outside of our comfort zone; challenge yourself, challenge your ideas, challenge your physical being, seek new experiences. I encourage you to read the article, listen to the interview online, and discover what you can do to improve that brain! Speeches
Frequent Instructor and Speaker at national and regional conferences: Managing change in for-profit, not-for-profit and governmental organizations
Articles "How to Implement Change Effectively" - Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance - Publisher: Wiley Periodicals, Inc., January/February 2003 "Suran's calculating work changed city" - Beaverton Valley Times - December 29, 2005 Magazine Articles "Professional Services - New Net Export" - The Legislative Review, AOI, September 1997 "Change or Die" - Tennessee CPA, Magazine, June 1996, p.14 "On The Road To Greater Value" - The Oregon Certified Public Accountant, January 1996, p.9, Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants, Magazine, February / March 1996, p.12 "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur - To Accomplish Constant Change" - CPA Management Consultant, Summer 1995 "Oregon On The Brink" - Oregon Business Magazine, April 1994, p.80 "Do Homework Before Completing Mergers, Acquisitions" - The Business Journal, December 30-January 5, 1992 "Stagnant Companies Need Injection of Entrepreneurialism" - The Business Journal, November 11-17, 1991 Published Reports Business Survey of Oregon Professional Services Firms, published June, 2000 by the Professional Services Coordinating Council of Oregon Business Survey of Oregon Companies, published 1993, by Oregon Business Research, a division of Oregon Business Media Oregon Small Business Survey, published June, 1989, by the Oregon Economic Development Department Awards & New Positions New Board Position - Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, Finance Council, 2010 "Distinguished Alumni" award, University of Portland, 2009 Center for Entrepreneurship - Grant County Governance Honorary Member, Beta Gamma Sigma (National Business Honor Society), 1989 Abigail Scott Duniway Award for Improving the Status of Women in Oregon, 1989 Distinguished Service to the City of Portland, Portland Rotary, 1998 White Rose Award - Outstanding Women in Oregon, 1987 Who's Who in American Women Who's Who in the U.S. Honorary Member, Beta Alpha Psi (National Accounting Fraternity), 1984 Recognition Award for Contributions to the Accounting Profession - American Women's Society of CPAs Oregon Chapter, 1983 Small Business Administration National Accountant Advocate of the Year, 1983 Partner-in-Residence, University of Oregon, 1982 Beaverton Business Leader of the Year, 1981
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