Feed yourself.

Not food, heaven knows--but opportunities to learn. Experienced EDs may have trouble freeing themselves from the office for conferences and seminars, wonder how much new there is to learn that is worth the money, and believe that other staff may have a greater need for learning opportunities than themselves.

My experience is that sitting in a room with peers and decent speakers, away from the office, preferably far enough away to put aside daily concerns, is useful in and of itself. The seminar doesn't have to be great or full of new information to set my own wheels turning, and that's the value I'm recommending. that time helps me set priorities, think about what may have been neglected, and gain enthusiasm for challenges. Sometimes I'm even able to solve problems, not because the speaker told me the answer but because the environment spurred my own creative thinking.

So have a little chocolate but feed yourself in others ways as well.

Best,

Deborah Strauss
Executive Director
IT Resource Center
Chicago, Illinois
Technology Leadership for Nonprofit Excellence