​by Henry Dunbar, BikeArlington Program Manager, Arlington County Department of Environmental Services

It has been well documented that having happy and fit employees helps productivity and the bottom line, but many businesses may be overlooking one of the cheaper ways to support a healthy work place:  becoming a Bicycle Friendly Business through the League of American Bicyclists. And Arlington businesses may find earning that designation especially easy by adopting bike-friendly policies and amenities [because a) it’s free and b) we’ll help you with the application].

Such was the experience of Candi Carpenter, executive assistant at the Rosslyn-based International Relief and Development (IRD). “IRD supports a healthy workplace”, said Carpenter, but she wasn’t sure they could be considered “bike friendly” when applying in 2011 until talking to staff at Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP), a B2B consulting organization with Arlington County Commuter Services. “They told us, ‘You have a lot of this in place,’” noting that in addition to encouraging its employees to bike and walk, IRD also provides showers and a fitness center for its approximately 125 employees. They have also added Bike Friendly Breakfasts for cycling, running and walking employees every other week in the summer months.

Arlington currently ranks 5th in the country under the League’s program, and we see participation as a reflection of our growing bike-friendly-ness. By earning the BFB designation, which includes bronze, silver, gold and platinum status, businesses help themselves and the community as a whole by encouraging health and sustainability.   

Employers can aid their applications by adding low-cost amenities such as secure park parking areas; free or subsidized access to Capital Bike Share; or having a tire pump and tools available for bike commuters. There are no-cost amenities as well, such as distributing free bike maps and encouraging employees to participate in annual Bike to Work Day events.
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Bike Arlington staff and their colleagues at ATP can provide assistance for those wishing to gain a Bicycle Friendly Business designation through the League of American Bicyclists. To apply, visitbikeleague.org/business. The next deadline for applications is January 15, 2015.
Among the benefits of being a bike-friendly workplace are:

• Healthier employees, who are more productive, take less sick leave, and can reduce health insurance costs.
• Reduced need for employee parking
• Reduced carbon footprint
• More relaxed commutes and decreased stress.
• Identifies your company as one that favors a sustainable business model.

At IRD, Carpenter notes they’ve had a steady cadre of bike commuters who recruit new members all the time. “Some of our bikers have left, but others have taken their place,” she said, adding that many of the new riders are not hard-core, longtime cyclists. “Last year a young colleague asked some of the other cyclists about bike commuting, and now she rides most every day when the weather’s nice. We’ve gotten some novice cyclists to start biking to work and being a Bike Friendly Business is a big part of that.” 

by Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueen, Senior Pastor, Central United Methodist Church  

Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” This ancient phrase might seem unusual in today’s culture where being busy is seen as a sign of importance and finding “work-life” balance seems elusive.

As professionals who strive towards excellence in our fields while still maintaining a healthy network of personal relationships and vital life-giving purpose outside of the office there is a key to allowing our deepest values to set our schedule: be aware of what we are really saying “no” to when we say “yes.” When asked to invest or time and energy into any endeavor simply ask, “By saying, ‘yes’ to this what am I saying ‘no’ to?”

When a manager asks an employee person to work over the weekend to make sure the TPS reports are in order a “yes” to that request means saying “no” to spending quality time with family or friends. That’s a common conflict for many professions that involve working hours in the evenings or on weekends. By pausing to ask, “By saying, ‘yes’ to this what am I saying ‘no’ to?” we can see if the choices we’re making are really helping us to live by our deepest values. For some professionals saying “yes” to working evening or weekend hours creates the opportunity to say “no” to working on a weekday so that they’re free to “yes” to something else of value (maybe chaperoning a child’s field trip at school).

A person might name good health, happiness, contributing to the local community, and positive personal relationships (friends and family) as core values for life. That person keeps those four values in mind when making time and energy commitments. For example, a call comes in with a last minute request to bake cookies for tomorrow’s bake sale to support a much beloved community organization. The organization is one this person wants to support, and it would be a way to contribute to the local community. To meet the deadline a “yes” to this request is also a “no” to a good night’s sleep. When a good night’s sleep is critical for maintaining good health saying “no” to the late night baking and making another contribution to that community organization is a choice that supports this person’s deepest values for both good health and positive contributions to the greater community.

Hidden “yes” and “no” choices face us daily. Saying “no” to that delicious piece of Halloween candy sitting out and taunting us while awaiting the arrival of trick-or-treaters actually means saying “yes” to maintaining good health. Saying “yes” to mindlessly scrolling a Facebook newsfeed while standing in line at the coffee shop might mean saying “no” to the opportunity to connect to the people around us at that very moment. Saying “yes” to watching the 17th inning means saying “no” to a good night’s sleep.

I am given many wonderful opportunities to serve our community. Saying “yes” to some of these opportunities aligns with my core value to serve others. However, when I say “yes” to so many wonderful opportunities that my schedule is too full to have time to exercise I am also saying “no” to good health and am not allowing that core value to guide my schedule.

Simply taking a moment to consider, “By saying, ‘yes’ to this what am I saying ‘no’ to?” when making time commitments allows me to ensure that all of my core values are being lived out through my choices.
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I am proud to serve as the Senior Pastor of Central United Methodist Church where this idea helps us to set our goals as an organization. We value serving our local community in Ballston, and utilizing our church facilities for as many community groups as we can. One of the vital ministries of our church is to serve a hot breakfast on Friday mornings for our homeless friends. This ministry of hospitality and service is important to us as a church. On Thursday nights we prep the food to be cooked in the morning, and we set up the fellowship hall to welcome our guests on Friday. This means that we must say “no” to various requests we get to use our fellowship hall on Thursday nights. While we would love to accommodate these groups, we know that by saying “no” to their request to use the space on Thursday nights it allows us to prepare the space and say “yes” to welcoming our Friday morning guests.
Next time you are asked to respond to the many requests upon your time my hope is that you will let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” 

by Radell Peischler, Chief Strategy Officer at True Affects   

What is corporate social responsibility? CSRWire defines Corporate Social Responsibility as the integration of business operations and values, whereby the interests of all stakeholders including investors, customers, employees, the community and the environment are reflected in the company's policies and actions.

That’s a lot of people involved in the impact of corporate social responsibility. Therefore when a company does not implement a policy or doesn’t implement any plan of action around giving back, many groups both internally and externally are neglected.  
 
Corporate Social Responsibility is easily boiled down into three large buckets. One is giving in-kind donations to local non-profits and charities.  The second is through company sponsored hours for employees’ to volunteer.  The third bucket is possibly the most well-known, creating fundraising events or providing monetary donations.
 
In-kind donations are at times more preferred by a charity or organization. There is a direct need that the charity has which can be immediately filled by the donating company.  In-kind donations vary in type, such as specific items like office furniture or unused equipment.  Other in-kind donations are professional skills such as website upkeep or legal advice. 
 
The second largest bucket of CSR, employee volunteering, is usually engagement hours at local charities and non-profits. This can be a reoccurring engagement, monthly or quarterly at a local location, where employees and all levels of management donate their time to work on charitable projects.  Companies might want to support one charity each year, continually visiting and getting to know that organization well.  Or a company may choose to donate their time and energy to various organizations throughout the year.   This decision varies per company depending on different reasons.
 
Thirdly, companies support the community through monetary donations.  Most non-profit organizations and charities will benefit from new funding to launch new projects or provide continuous support for the charity.  Donations can be contributed throughout the year or submitted once per year, sometimes after a fundraising event or activity.
With so many charities in need, the options are seemingly endless.  Whether it is time, products, service or funding, your community needs the support.  CSR is alive and well and needs all of us to help it thrive! 
 
Some fun CSR Stats: 

• 86% of employee engagement rises when employees are positive about their organization’s CSR commitment. 
• 81% of employees say CSR is a significant consideration in where they work.
• 91% of consumers are likely to stay with brands, associated to a good cause.
• 93% of consumers said they would be loyal to a company engaged in CSR. 

*Statistics from the 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study
 
Company Pulse Check:
1.    How would you describe the energy and culture of your company to a new employee?  
2.    Has your organization been impacted by employee turnover this year?  
3.    Do your employees know your corporate social responsibility plan and how it is implemented each year?  

Radell Peischler is the Chief Strategy Officer at True Affects, www.true-affects.com. True Affects is a consulting firm dedicated to helping small businesses create and implement annual CSR plans.  Interested in learning more?  Check out True Affects on Twitter @True_Affects, Facebook and join their LinkedIn group.

by Jody Al-Saigh, Professional Organizer, Picture Perfect Organizing

A lot of people get daunted or overwhelmed by the process of organizing photos. It can be SCARY!! They don’t know how to get started. They don’t feel like they have the right tools or knowledge. In fact, organizing photos is the same as organizing your basement or garage. Getting your photos organized can protect your valuable memories from damage. YIKES! Properly displaying your photos means you can enjoy them rather than having them stuffed in a dark room or closet. SPOOKY!!

Regular maintenance makes photo organizing less MENACING.

Sometimes clients hire me just to have a regular appointment to keep. If they are paying me they know they don’t want to waste their money and time. Photo organizing is one of those tasks that, for many, can fall by the wayside in our busy lives. You can always put it aside for something “more important.”

But after a while the task gets too big to manage because you’ve put it off for so long. Often the bigger a project gets, the more money you end up throwing at it in order to solve the problem. I recommend setting an appointment with yourself once a month to download photos off your camera, sort them into folders on your computer, or even have them printed.

Watch out for CREEPY photo storage containers.

If you want to protect your photos, you should always find products that are classified “photo-safe” and “acid-free.” Archival storage for your precious memories can come at a price. Looking for sales at your local craft store can be one way to save money. Also, photos should never be stored in a garage or basement (because of temperature fluctuations) or anywhere there might be potential for leaks or floods. Great places for photo storage are in a guest room closet or under beds in sealed containers.

Too many photos can be FORBIDDING.

We all take far more photos than we actually need. The proliferation of smart phones, tablets and digital cameras allow us to take thousands of photos in a lifetime – yet nobody wants to sit and look through these thousands of images. Sort and save your key memories, the truly beautiful shots, the true “gems” of your collection. This will keep your photos manageable as you aim to display or store them. As you take photos, be wary of taking too many “background” shots such as landscapes or buildings. Without a person in the photo, a personal connection to an emotion or a time, a photo of a landmark or mountain might as well be a postcard you bought in a gift shop. If you add personal relevance to the image, you will be more likely to save it for generations to come.

Jody Al-Saigh has a background in photography and design and earned a B.S. in Photojournalism photography from Syracuse University.  She worked for 10 years in print production and graphic design.  After having kids, Jody decided to start her own business, Picture Perfect Organizing http://www.pictureperfectorganizing.com.  Her background in photography and design led to her specialization in photo and collection organizing. Follow her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PictPerfectOrg and Twitter http://twitter.com/PictPerfectOrg. 

by Ladel Lewis, Senior Research Strategist, Meaningful Evidence, LLC

“Dearly departed, we are gathered here today to pay respects to an organization that passed away before its time. A talented staff with a great mission wasn’t enough to sustain this entity. So many people could have benefited from what they offered, but this organization succumbed to a sudden case of “failure to plan strategically”. Let us bow our heads for a moment of silence...”

Sound familiar? Too often we watch great organizations be read their last rites before their time. Today, with tools that assist with strategic planning, these organizations have no reason to come to an early demise. Let us introduce you to Strategic Planning 3.0, an effective way to avoid an early grave.

Every leader has a sense of purpose – an inner drive to support the success of the mission – whether it is a non-profit, community collaboration, or business. A good leader also has a sense of adventure, balanced by sound judgment. To be successful, a leader needs a good “map” to help them find out: 

• Where they are.
• Where they are trying to go.
• The best way to get there.
• How to avoid dangerous terrain.

Without a good map to help them plan strategically, the firm may be led into a quagmire – or worse…“a one way trip to the quicksand pit”.

Strategic planning (SP) is an important business practice. It typically involves setting goals (and objectives), surveying the internal and external business environments, and analyzing the data. Firms use the results to predict events and take effective action to improve their chance of success. A well-done SP provides a systemic view of the firm’s resources and situation. Thus, it supports the firm’s success through managerial learning, improved ability to make effective strategic decisions, and the efficient allocation of resources (see Lorange’s 1978 paper on corporate planning).

Strategic planning is broken down into four levels:

Strategic Planning 0.0: Flying By the Seat of Your Pants

SP 0.0

Some avoid SP altogether because of its degree of difficulty. Fear, therefore, leads many managers to use simple strategies and follow only the well-worn paths (see Martin’s 2014 article in Harvard Business Review on “The Big Lie of Strategic Planning”). A firm may need weeks, sometimes months of effort and an outside consultant to prepare a successful plan.

Go with your gut – don’t think too hard about decisions – even if they are important or risky. …What could possibly go wrong?

Strategic Planning 1.0: All the Data, All the Time

SP 1.0 Being overwhelmed by mounds of data. The answer is buried here….somewhere.

Strategic Planning 2.0: Collaboration and Communication

SP 2.0 Some think of SP as a standard practice. Get employees and/or board members around a table and brainstorm, right?

Flying by the seat of their pants using a committee. Whose idea is best? Hmm...

Strategic Planning 3.0: Strategic Knowledge Maps

SP 3.0

A strategic knowledge map provides a scientific way to identify knowledge gaps and fine tune your strategic plan.

Organizational knowledge is a key strategic asset. By creating a map, firms can clarify the knowledge needed to successfully execute their strategies, identify internal knowledge gaps and learning opportunities, and clarify strategic knowledge strengths. For more information, see Zack’s 2000 article in Handbook of Business Strategy, “Competing on Knowledge”.

Today, we stand on the threshold of a new adventure. Newly discovered methods make SP much easier and quantify the potential effectiveness of your map - so you don't end up using a bad map. This lets you apply clear criteria—a kind of “quality control” to your knowledge maps, so you get the best chance of making the right decisions.

Good leaders need good maps. SP3.0 is an evolving practice for creating better maps. These new maps will help leaders make better decisions, with greater confidence, to achieve a legacy of lasting success. Let’s keep our valuable establishments out of the “organization cemetery. “

Want to learn more about staying alive with Strategic Planning 3.0? Give us a buzz.

What has been your experience with strategic planning? How do you make strategic decisions? What have been your biggest challenges with strategic planning?