How do you keep up staff morale during tough times?
This Thursday we are doing a free webinar on staff morale. It was a panel discussion with three seasoned leaders of organizations. The webinar is free to everyone. Information is at the bottom of the email. We made a one-page handout of the best takeaways. My favorite is at the bottom: “Immediate answers are NOT […]
There are “levels” of kindness.
It seems to me that there should be explicit “levels” of kindness. Since I couldn’t find any I liked, I made my own: LEVEL 1 – Someone is kind to you, so you’re kind back. Repaying kindness for kindness is easy. It is quite common. In fact, many scholars argue convincingly that reciprocity is the […]
A tool for solving drama.
Last week’s email introduced the concept of personality disorders. You can read it here: https://www.homelesstraining.com/people-dont-call-them-mentally-ill-they-call-them-jerks/ This week I want to share a quick tool for managing the drama created by someone suffering from a personality disorder. It comes directly from Dr. Gregory Lester, who is this month’s webinar. If you want to watch my interview […]
Cruelty is a knife with no handle.
Last week my wife and I spent a couple days at a “tiny home subdivision” for formerly chronically homeless folks in Austin, Texas. The peace I felt there was a stark contrast to the angst I feel about the upcoming election. It put me in a reflective mood… — Cruelty is a knife with no handle. […]
Rookie Mistake #72
I was Executive Director of a large homeless shelter outside of Chicago for nearly two decades. I kept a list of “Rookie Mistakes” (mistakes that new staff made that more experienced staff didn’t). Here is one of my favorites! Rookie Mistake #72: Not knowing when to shut up Situation: Mistake: Talking. I am amazed by […]
The Migrant Crisis
When I was in my 30’s I took a couple years off from homelessness to work on other issues. For about a year I was the Executive Director of a nonprofit law firm for immigrants in Washington D.C. That experience taught me that my calling is homelessness. Perhaps just as importantly, I learned a lot […]
That time I forgot a crack pipe on my ear.
It was about 8:00am. I had just arrived at the homeless shelter I worked at. The details of the day have faded with time, but my memory tells me that it was summer. I think it was one of the 15 days per year when the Chicago area is not too hot, too cold, too […]
How about a social work intern in your library?
Howdy! Last week we tackled the question about whether libraries should hire social workers to support folks who need help beyond what the library can provide. If you have no budget but really want to bring social services to those you serve, you may be asking: Are social work interns a good option? MAYBE. Social […]
Should libraries hire social workers?
“Should our library hire a social worker to help with issues we can’t help with like mental health, housing assistance, etc.?” Library managers ask me this A LOT. Over the years, libraries have been transformed into community centers. It’s natural that the most vulnerable in the community seek out libraries for help with tough questions. […]
The world is worth saving…
Snow huddled in the creases of the Rocky Mountains. A fat Marmot—like a groundhog, but unable to predict spring—chattered at us angrily. My 23-year-old son, Cameron, and I were at the peak of a mountain, nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. We sat on large grey rocks with a 360-degree panoramic view of craggy heights, […]
