“…that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act; and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road…”

This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD.

Reflection question:

• As we are facing scrutiny, is our posture one of defensiveness or invitation and curiosity?

Reflection on quote:

When we are at the beginning of a capital campaign, it is like standing at the base of a mountain where the trail is obscured from view by the undergrowth of the forest. It is a step of faith to stride ahead from the trailhead, but that is just the first step for a journey in building trust that is both exhilarating and challenging as we make our way to the mountain top.   Similarly, in capital campaigns, as leaders, our role is to lead both our organization and the community along the trail that begins obscured. This journey requires honesty, clarity, openness, and curiosity in our leadership. So, this month, we are starting a series on leading with integrity.  The first principle is to be curious when faced with scrutiny. 

When the trail is obscured from view, it is a natural human reaction to wonder if we are going the right way. In the same way, those within our organization, our current donors, and the community will all wonder if the capital campaign is the right path for the organization. Our vision for the project, the work to accomplish the vision, and the project itself will be scrutinized.    We can either become defensive and see the scrutiny as hindrance and obstacle.  Or, we can lead with curiosity and invite the scrutiny to help us be successful in the capital campaign.  We can be curious to use the scrutiny to improve our planning.  And, we can be curious to understand the motivations behind the scrutiny.  Often, those who are scrutinizing the project when invited with curiosity to share their concerns and ask their questions will become the greatest advocates and allies to the capital campaign in our small towns.

This work has entered the public domain.

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Music credit: Woeisuhmebop