[Below is my open letter to the PSNS & IMF 2011 Guiding Coalition since I’m out on maternity leave and can’t be there with them at their last meeting of the year.]
Dear 2011 Guiding Coalition members –
Each year brings its own wins and challenges. This year you saw many of both. We had several firsts. The first three lead team. The first team to split into sub-teams and then split again. I never thought we’d find a topic more broad and hard to define than Communications, but we managed to with Develop the Future and we generated wins. We got into the “work” of the organization further than we had before when we took on Work Practice Innovation and we learned a lot about how to approach the hierarchy with important “work” changes.
You have taken the Guiding Coalition model beyond our 2010 best, made it through past Dennis’ departure, and put up with an ever growing and ever tiring program helper in me. Thank you for your willing spirits, your joyful energy, and your hopefulness in the future of the organization.
Each of you has left your stamp on the organization. It is changed because of the work you’ve done. Many people can look back on a year and say they have done their job. Few can look back and clearly see that they have made a meaningful difference. Treasure that perspective on your year, because you earned that look back with every hard step you took.
Many of you are departing the Guiding Coalition in 2012, but I know you won’t be far away. Take with you what you’ve learned about driving change. Use your skills to make a larger and larger difference wherever you set your eyes, be that with a 2012 Guiding Coalition team or in your own work group, department or even your personal life or volunteer work. Thank you for everything. I’m better for having known you and worked with you. Great job all!
All my best – April
