- Don’t let the most urgent tasks, or those easiest to tick of the list, dominate. I find it’s really easy to slip into a flurry of activity: review the insurance; update the safeguarding policy; sort the new photocopier contract; submit another funding application. All important, all need doing, but sometimes at the cost of the aforementioned stepping back and looking at the bigger picture, leading to frantic peddling. The cost for me tends not to be strategic direction but not enough time on relationships, hence:
- Invest more in key relationships. As mentioned above, I’m a list ticker, and relationships can’t be crossed off the list, so I’m not always good at putting enough energy into them. Just before I went on maternity leave the trustees appointed a new chair, so taking time to develop that relationship will be crucial to me on my return to work (and indeed I’m starting now).
- Prioritise getting the numbers right. Like many small organisations, we’re evolving the data we provide to trustees, funders and others. Of the many ‘to-dos’ I left when I went on maternity leave, our collection, collation and reporting of reach, outcome and financial information has stayed with me and turned over in my brain over the past 8 months (whilst many other issues I can’t remember a bean about!) My great maternity cover has made much headway, and I’m resolved to continue prioritising NUMBERS, whilst also recognising that the way we approach them will continue to evolve, and that stories (of which we have many) are important too!
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