Strategic planning doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. What it does need is readiness at the outset and commitment all the way through. Because the true measure of a plan isn’t how impressive it looks on paper—it’s how fully it comes alive in practice.

When we learn to redeem the free spaces in our days, wherever we can find them—be it a brief walk during a busy day, 10 minutes of meditation between meetings, or an hour of quiet unstructured time—we learn to regain control of our days, our decisions, and our actions. Free space can bring us back.

In a world that prizes polish, the Parody Principal reminds us of the power in being unguarded, joyful, and in the moment. For leaders in purpose-driven work—where heart often matters more than the headlines—it’s a message worth remembering: the most resonant message may be the one you share when you’re just being yourself.

Leading through sustained change and uncertainty is complicated, but not impossible. If you're standing at a crossroads, remember what you're standing on. Let your values be your compass so that you can move through this period of change with clarity, compassion, and courage. Your next big decision may be the start of your best chapter.

To believe in diversity and interconnectedness is to ALWAYS believe in that power, not just when it’s easy or convenient. Soccer Without Borders is a lovely reminder that bringing people together across divides is like planting a garden—the more diverse and interconnected we are from the start, the more fruitful we can be.

We all have moments that shape us, and what we do in those moments ultimately defines us. We're once again living in a time when truth is muddied, and our role in it is often less clear. So here's an invitation: What incomplete truth are you living? And what might change if you told the whole truth? 

If you are trying to instill a deeper sense of belonging on your team, or if you're searching for a sense of community, take a page from We Run Uptown. Lace up, metaphorically or literally, and get out there. Because when it comes to building community, you don’t need to move faster, you need to move closer—to each other.  

Take what you need, give what you can.
 That’s the motto on Baltimore Beat’s 30-plus Beat Boxes (and a pretty good motto for life, too) that have popped up throughout Baltimore City in recent years. These boxes are home to the weekly nonprofit newspaper and double as a community exchange.

The day was January 15, 2009—now 16 years ago—when U.S. Airways flight 1549 landed deftly in New York’s Hudson River, at the hands of Captain “Sully” Sullenberger. The passenger jet had suffered massive damage after hitting a flock of birds, and its fate was doomed, but all 155 crew members and passengers on board survived—and lived to tell about it…

 What a difference a year can make.
 On the eve of this Juneteenth 2025, a different story is taking shape—not of progress, but of pull-back, as national leaders try to bend truth, bury history, and change facts. This is not the year for Juneteenth to simply come and go. It’s not the year for the history of this day to be lost. 

Lead With the Message You MOST Need Your Audience to Hear. If you need to communicate with your team about upcoming changes, avoid the urge to bury it or sandwich it between other key points. Instead, practice leading with the most important message you need your audience to hear and then build on it.

If you're feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed by it all today, counter that feeling with some small acts of appreciation. Not only will you brighten someone's day, but you may also feel the glow of the gesture for days to come.

Even in challenging and uncertain times, there will always be people who light the way and protect the truth; leaders who bring their souls to work, and who care without condition, as I felt repeatedly in this hopeful series of conversations. Thanks to each of these special guests for joining me this season and to you, for being along in this learning journey with me.

As we've learned well over the years, any strategic planning process—from launching a prize to setting an organization up for its next five years of impact—requires a fierce commitment to focus, a shared understanding of the goal, and a collective commitment to the target. 

Your role might change, and your job might evolve, but your mission can always remain intact, whether you choose to stay or leave a certain environment. When everything around feels upended, stay planted in what you know for sure, even if that means advancing the work a different way, and from a different place.

There’s no other way to say it. These are difficult days that require difficult conversations and decisions. We can either feel defeated and come into each new day unsure if we have a chance, or we can align around what’s in our control and maintain our best game plan discipline.

So, while the headlines may lead you to believe that DEI is dying, look closer, and you'll see that most organizations remain just as committed to their core commitments, even as pressures mount. Look beyond the headlines. You'll find positive actions and adjustments being made to keep DEI efforts on track and moving forward—and excellent inspiration to keep your efforts moving forward, too.

Take 10 minutes today with this playlist. Sit on the ground or get out in the fresh air and find a song that speaks to you. Tune out the chaos of the world if just for a few minutes and let music do what it does best... Let the music ground you. Let it calm you. Let it meet you wherever you are.

This roller coaster ride will likely have more dips ahead. If you're already feeling queasy, focus now on grounding yourself and your team in careful planning so you can be here for the long haul.  

The power of communication is that we can use it to diffuse heated moments, we can use it to soothe people feeling uneasy or upset, and we can use it to bridge divides. If you find yourself communicating in ways that are elevating situations, then try some of these tips—or pass them along to someone who might find them valuable.