No Crystal Ball? Choose Agility, Curiosity, and Purpose

At this time of year you likely are hearing about your schools new strategic plan or the steps taken thus far along with the new initiatives for next year. We do the exact same thing at Blackbaud. When you hear about the new strategic plan or the updates for the next school year:

1. What requires your immediate focus? 
2. How is your team positioned to achieve these new goals? 
3. Do you possess the right tools and systems to make this happen? 
4. Do you have the necessary resources to ensure your team thrives in these unprecedented times?

These questions also run through my mind when working with schools as well at Blackbaud. I recently attended a fireside chat with Mike Gianoni, CEO, (website, Linkedin) along with other leaders at Blackbaud that discussed transformation initiatives that are currently underway. The session focused on why becoming an artificial intelligence first company matters so deeply. The success of this evolution depends on our active participation and we must continuously learn and build fluency with new tools so we can reimagine our daily work. During this session Mike shared a highly relevant resource and he recommended reading the Fast Company article "These four skills can help you fulfill your purpose and anyone can master them" by Alan Fleischmann.

I remember working with my peers in Finance, Academics, Advancement, and Admissions over the years where we needed to execute the school strategic plan. We went through similar thought leadership exercises as the ones discussed at this fireside chat. The article Mike Gianoni shared framed the specific mindset we need to navigate change effectively.

The article explains that intelligence and emotional quotients measure our capabilities. However four distinct disciplines drive our choices. These disciplines include directed curiosity, directed optimism, directed courage and directed gratitude. Artificial intelligence can process vast amounts of information and it can recognize complex patterns. But AI cannot choose purpose or curiosity. Those choices remain entirely human.

I currently work with numerous institutions across Canada and many of these schools are updating their strategic plans right now to prepare their young learners to thrive in unpredictable times. They need agile mindsets to achieve this goal and I see these schools focusing on several crucial areas for their future:

• They strategically equip students with resilient skills to navigate a volatile world
• They build a strong financial foundation to weather economic shifts
• They foster a culture of stewardship to ensure long term stability
• They craft a unique narrative to differentiate their community from others
• They modernize their operational footprint to scale business continuity effectively
• They eliminate inefficiencies to focus entirely on human connection and social impact

Technology, politics, and the economy create immense volatility today and consequently our mindset must remain agile. The leaders who shape the future will choose courage before certainty arrives. 

Do you have a crystal ball to predict the future? I currently do not have one. But like many of my colleagues, I bring agility, curiosity, and a purpose.