Tribute to Smoke Jumpers in Arizona

They gave their lives sacrificially to protect others' lives, property and possessions.
Families have lost sons, husbands, fathers, brothers and nephews. God bless them and their families as fellow Americans surround them not only during this difficult time, but in the years to come.

This is a recap of a YouCaring, under our resource tab. YouCaring is a free fundraising site to help with costs associated with funeral expenses, disaster recovery and a lot more. Please help spread the word.

Humane Work Environments Part 4

The first three parts in this series introduced the concept of a culture of honor. The last recommendation in this series is Resource Management. Resources refer to people, equipment or facilities. In a humane environment people are highly nurtured. They have adequate resources to perform the requirements of their job. Many school district budgets do not provide enough funding for classroom teachers to have access to resources to teach the children. In fact, many teachers pay hundreds of dollars each school year to have the needed resources. And in some school districts overcrowding is a problem. Some fire departments are operating with older, less efficient equipment. In addition, many fire stations would come down in a major earthquake rendering the contents useless and perhaps causing injuries. Lastly, some people work in factories or industrial settings with inadequate heating and cooling, or poor air circulation. Even churches may have asbestos, lead paint or use toxic automatic air fresheners. Humane employers do what is right even when not is required by legal or industry standards. In a culture of honor employees are treated with respect. It is not honorable to expect employees to subsidize the employer's needs, but it is honorable to provide resources and working conditions that bring out the best in employees.

Humane Work Environments Part 3

Part one and two of this series introduced the concept of a culture of honor. The first recommendation was to use environmental design for optimal wellness. Second, nurture abilities of those with special needs. The next recommendation in this series is to focuses on how succession planning may contribute to a humane environment.

Since 2008 layoffs have become common place. In addition, many companies did not replace employees that changed positions or retired. Therefore workloads often became more oppressive  which leads one to conclude this is not a humane work environment.

Succession planning asks who can fill key positions with little or no notice or ramp up time. It assumes the employee is adequately trained, but is not authorized to step into a roll unless or until the current resource in unavailable to serve. It may be due to a temporary change such as military duty, vacation leave, planned leave or an acute crisis rendering a resource temporarily unable to serve. .

When acute events occur forcing an employee to step down, it can send the management team scrambling for solutions. It is more humane to allow a trained person to step in and continue without disruption than to dump work on employees who are not trained to perform new functions. Succession planning makes it much easier to fill future vacancies, or handle a surge in business. It is not honorable to oppress employees, give them no power over their lives, or perpetuate anxiety caused by poor planning. It is honorable to expect well trained employees to flexibly step in and help out during periods of change. The last topic in this series is on resource management.

Humane Work Environments Part 2

Part one of this series introduced the concept of creating a culture of honor. The second recommendation is often overlooked. Nurture abilities of those with special needs. This is not limited to the American Disabilities Act. There are many needs employers may consider regarding roles, managing work flow, and assigning work stations or offices. In a culture of honor, an employer builds on an employee’s strengths. How this is accomplished may vary widely. A person who is easily distracted may function better with lower stimulation. Many people with learning disabilities have areas of giftedness. They can make major contributions if their job description comes from a strengths perspective. Consider an employee with tinnitus. This employee may need to play a radio to block out the noise which may in turn create distress for others. With regard to accommodations under the American Disability Act, offer those with disabilities the opportunity to conduct a monthly assessment and recommend improvements. Those who are affected are in the best position to advise management. People matter. It is not honorable to ignore the talents and abilities of persons who may work differently than othes. It may lead to isolation, low productivity, missed promotions, and low morale. It is honorable to elevate all employees to achieve their best, have the opportunity to become role models and to be recognized for their contributions.

Case Study: Humane work environments is not limited to employees. Customers also must overcome barriers in the work place. Recently someone we know conducted a brief review of  accessiblity in West Linn, Oregon and found proprieters were in tune with his needs. They moved any obstacles in his path as he traveled from place to place. He found parts of Portland dangerous for those using scooters and reports being forced to drive his scooter onto a major street with high traffic three times due to obstructions in his path.

Yesterday a member of our team observed a lady in a local chain store. She requested an item from the bakery. The glass case was about neck height, but she was using a motorized shopping cart. She was unable to reach her grocery item from the employee behind the glass case without assistance from another customer. A brief interview with the employee revealed that he has observed this problem on several occasions. After obtaining permission to use his name, a request was made of the management team to conduct a disability assessment and make changes.

Part three of this series will be on succession planning. If you or someone you know has ever had to do the work of three people due to layoffs or attrition (not replacing employees that leave), you won't want to miss it.

Humane Work Environments Part 1

Employers can learn simple ways to create a culture of honor.
Here is the first of four recommendations. Environmental design is used for optimal wellness. Avoid cramming employees into small confined areas. Spaces should be open to allow for human contact unless it is detrimental to a worker's needs and preferences. Good air circulaton, lots of natural light, an aesthetic environment and live plants all contribute to good environmental design. Restrooms should be ample and tastefully decorated. Continue the theme by providing well groomed outdoor spaces. Solar lights increase safety and create ambience. A well though out water feature adds to a quality design, and the sound and sight of a water fall refreshes employees. Beautiful plantings, shaded areas and a few picnic tables create a welcoming environment. It is not honorable to expect employees to work in dingy, cramped spaces without natural light. It is honorable to create welcoming spaces where employees feel valued, feel refreshed and collaborate freely without disturbing others.

Prepare With Care-Emergency Water Supply

We live for today. The idea of preparing overwhelms individuals, but what about preparing at the business or organizational level?

Immediate needs may include water, shelter, heat, food, safety, light, refrigeration for unstable life saving medications, sanitation and perhaps firstaid.

Most "firstaid kits" or "emergency kits" will not provide the basics. A firstaid kit may be an OSHA requirement and give employers a false sense of security. Comply with the law, then prepare with care. How much benefit will your organization derive from a few 2x2 guaze pads in an large scale disaster? An emergency kit may be a step up and contain some Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's) and a few pouches of water.

Think strategically about how many people the plan needs to serve. Let's use an emergency water supply as the example. The standard recommendation is a minimum of three gallons per person per day. The need will vary based on your industry or population served. How far do you think that emergency kit will go in satisfying the need for water?

One local credit union built a cistern. It looks to hold around 5000 gallons of water. Cisterns are common in Western Africa, but not here. Yet Western Oregon gets a lot of rain. What about cost? Each entity needs to weigh the cost and benefit. A 5000 gallon cistern seems drastic for a hair salon with 10-12 employees. So if a cistern is not the solution, what is?  A high capacity water filtering system? A single water barrel and pump? Stored bottled water? Draining the hot water tank and hoping it is enough? How will water be distributed?

Credit unions are not allowed to close more than two consecutive days, so they are obligated to function whereas hair salons are not. Contrast that with an Adult Family Home. People live there and water is necessary to maintain health and safety. Your water needs will depend on a variety of factors. So the formula goes like this # served x daily consumption x expected number of days or hours. Build up to a three day supply and set up a time line for cost effective improvements.





Rain Cistern at a Local Credit Union.




Roof Drainage into Cistern.



Gardening Tip

Does your organization have a community garden? Are you growing a row to help feed the hungry?



Shallots

Butternut Squash

Early in the morning is a good time to pull back any mulch around tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash or melons. After the ground is thoroughly warm for 2-3 days water heavily, then replace or add a thicker layer of mulch to hold in heat, retain moisture and discourage weeds. Mulch also protects crops from freezing in Winter. Fresh produce is highly prized during the
winter months.


We Pulled Back Mulch to Harvest Carrots in February



Operation Cool Down

Excessive heat is uncommon in Western Oregon, and the forecast is hot and hotter the next few days.
Many homeowners and apartment dwellers do not have air conditioning.These conditions offer the option to depart from business as usual. Employers can help by reminding employees to stay hydrated, carry extra water in their cars, and limit physical activity during the hottest part of the day. Employers may also encourage employees that work outdoors to take more shade breaks.
Those in the housing industry may activate a system to check on the elderly. If you don't have one, this would be a good time to create one. Humanitarian organizations may distribute bottled water to persons on the street. Cooling centers may be activated. If your church is interested in operating as a cooling center contact the city to initiate the process.

Earthquake or Health Crisis?

Three day ktis are old news. New recommendations vary. In recent disasters help was weeks away for some. Common sense goes a long way.

If your small business or organization closed the doors who would be affected? For how long? How long can your entity tolerate a payroll distruption? How long can vendors carry you without payment? Preparedness is not an event. It is a continuous process which requires evaluation and improvement.  The chances of a major earthquake in our region is high, but will it happen next week or in ten years? Rather than rolling the dice, consider the benefits of preparedness. Think of preparedness like low cost insurance against a structural fire, decline in business, lay offs. Now extend this to a personal level. Most entities have had co-workers or volunteers who have experienced a personal crisis. In a healthy workplace colleages rally around the affected person and offer support and resources. Resilient employees and volunteers are like leaven which rises and permeates the small business or organizational environment. If something adverse happened today, would your entity bounce or thunk? If cash is tight, focus on things that are free or very low cost, but don't delay. Take a look at our Resource page for more information.

Cash In On Volunteer Hours

Is your organization tracking volunteer time? If not, it would be wise to begin now. Volunteer time may be used in some instances to help obtain a grant. Second, keep track of how many people your organization serves. If your organization serves special populations or people from more than one geographic area keep on counting. It may help you obtain a grant. Review our prior post on Grant Readiness.

Business Setbacks: Recover or Close?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a plan to stay in business.

Technology failure, human error, cyber attacks, computer viruses, natural and manmade disasters [including a structural fire], criminal activity, civil rest, legislative changes or tulmutuous economic conditions are possible areas worth including in a BCP. It is designed to minimize disruptions in normal business operations and is absolutely necessary for organizations that operate shelters, day cares, schools, assisted living facilities, adult family homes, medical or alternative medical services. A BCP may lessen the economic impact of decreased revenues, lost wages, and financial distruption to vendors, added costs of temporary relocation and negative impact on insurance companies. Many businesses without one fail to reopen after a major loss of information. Those that manage to reopen are seldom able to recover sufficiently to remain in business. Running a business without a business continuity plan is like living in tornado alley without a safe room.

A business continuity plan (BCP) asks how long each mission critical function or department can be without vital services before normal operations will be distrupted. A BCP contains an all hazards business impact analysis (BIA). Before a disaster or distruption, create a step by step process or road map showing how to restore each essential function. This requires well thought out work around plans for how operations will continue if interdependent services or processes (examples include but are not limited to access to facilities, vendors, transportation and information or data and financial electronic processing equipment) are not promply restored.

This includes identification of an alternate facility in the event work facilities are damaged and temporarily uninhabitable. It may include alternate vendors with different logistics networks to circumvent a distruption in the supply line. If operations are dependent on transportaion systems, identify alternate routes and methods of providing transportation. Consider how you wll make payroll or pay for services if electronic processing equipment is inoperable.

Recovery teams are charged with restoring critical operations under pressure in what may be a constantly changing environment and within prescribed time lines.

Recovery teams become operational following a disaster, (but may be pre-positioned before a disaster if there is sufficient warning), so it is important to maintain and update information annually or when there is any change in personnel. Lastly, it should contain a list of all persons or departments the plan was distributed to. If your organization is small, you can partner and share resources with other organizations in your area to attain this.

The goal is to restore mission critical tasks to continue business operations such as the ability to report to work, restore revenues, services to the communty and technology.

Changing Course: How to Reverse a Negative Financial Trend

Many churches and nonprofits have experienced a decline in donations since 2008, however others have rebounded or even thrived during what has been touted as the worst economic recession since the great depression. Why do some organizations flouder and others thrive? Many variables may be present, but here are a few worth considering.

Resilient organizations are highly visible, and have flexible and efficient, even robust business systems. Financial practices are in sinc with economic conditions. Do not tap into restricted funds to solve a short term monetary crisis. Instead they rapidly roll out a contingency plan to meet the prevailing situation. One method for contingency plans as part of a strategic financial plan is the use of trigger point finances. If revenues fall 4%, 8% or 10% short of projections, there should be pre-set specific plan to cut corresponding expenses to balance the budget. Too many organizations wait untiil their finances are down by one-third or one-half to act. By then they are ringing their hands trying to figure out what to do. Though painful cutting expenses is the only way to prevent drowning in a sea of red ink. The next step is to generate additional revenue streams to bolster the organization financially. Some humanitarian organizations manage thrift stores to provide added revenue. Many churches rent part of their facility to various groups. Before adding revenue streams consider your marketing mix. Who are your customers? What are their needs? How much expendible income do they have to spend? Is there a market for your product or service? Is there nearby competition? What investment of time and resources is required to operate the new revenue stream? Is there an exit strategy if the plan fails?

Whether the economy is good or bad, healthy organizations need a reserve or emergency fund. A two month reserve was once considered adequate. Due to changes in legislation and the prospect of future inflation, Boards should seriously consider building their financial reserves, putting tangible assets to work to create additional income and eliminating debt. Financial reserves should be used for emergencies only, and emergencies should be defined in your policies and procedures. It would be wise to cap how much of the reserve can be used for an emergency situation. Drawing on an emergency fund should be a very temporary solution to help the organization regain its balance when it has rolled out a new contingency plan. An emergency fund should never be used to sustain the same level of servies or salaries that preceded a financial emergency.

Third, evaluate your facility or other assets to see if they have been put to the highest and best use. Healthy organizations make efficient use of space to generate revenue. This also provides the opportunity to build relationships and collaborate on projects that benefit the community.  Difficult times require a high degree of creative problem solving and cooperation. There is no room for sentiment. If a space is not being used efficiently, reassign the use of space in such a way that the building or asset is used to its full potential. There are churches that operate as little as three hours a week. Some may staff the office with volunteers a few hours a week. No other business operates with so little investment of time. If you have a small business with space that is not used efficiently, consider partnering up with additional businesses under one roof and divide the cost. Sharing resources reduces overhead expenses.

Lastly, eliminating debt will improve cash flow and risk associated with defaulting on a loan. Get on the fast track by setting a timeline to be out of debt. The devise a plan to meet the timeline. Otherwise comfort will guide the organizations financial management practices. There is nothing comfortable about tighting your organizational belt. Donor money should be used to preserve assets, improve resilience or build an organizations capacity to serve. Donors should not be asked to pay helfty loan fees and interest. Organizations that use deficit financing or rely on factoring services to maintain adequate cash flow, need to reconfigure their financial management practices and learn to live within their means.

Making Invisible Organizations Visible Again

Many organizations struggle with visibility due to changing technology. Those that do not keep pace often experience gentrification of their membership or volunteers because they are unable to tailor their messages to other audiences. They often suffer from organizational inertia causing them to die out. Organization that are too rigid to change cannot adapt to new ideas. Their structure is inflexible and inefficient. Those that desire to improve, but are behind technologically might consider hiring a public information officer.

Public information officers (PIO's) wear many hats. Their role includes aspects of public relations, marketing, and dissemination of highly coordinated messages with the goal of speaking with one voice. During a crisis this is especially important to reduce conflicting reports that can add to the confusion. Most people listen to persons in authority. Credibility is of utmost importance.

 PIO's must continually work to master new technologies and be proficient in the use of traditional and emerging social media. A large percentage of younger people receive their information through social media channels. Networking with peers is critical to the development of PIO skills because technology is changing continuously. Ideally organizations will have a pool of PIO's resources. The selection of a PIO may depend on the complexity of an incident, expertise or experience, geographical location and the availability of qualified persons. If there is a shortage, resource agreements may be possible with other groups. Organizations would benefit greatly by cultivating and training up a cadre of public information officers.

Building Resilience at the Employee Level

Organizations can take the lead by offering encouragement and resources to help all employees get our of debt and live mortgage free as soon as feasible. All employees should be encouraged to develop sufficient financial reserves to stay out of debt.

Offer support for employees who are willing to develop a disaster plan. Encourage them to work in teams and bounce ideas off each other. Create a culture of support.  Expect everyone to play a role within the organization. Those who cannot manage in a physically demanding role, can contribute in vital ways ranging from planning, to participating on an amateur radio team.

Survey employees and provide incentives to those who are willing to serve on a hazard mitigation team. This team could offer volunatary assistance to co-workers who are elderly, handicapped, sick or those with few resources. Here is a sample list of tasks a mitigation team could provide to co-workers. 

• Install smoke or carbon monoxide detectors or replace batteries.
• Provide access to alternate devices to alert those with hearing or visual handicaps.
• Wrap pipes and add faucet covers to prevent broken pipes,
• Proper separation and storage of chemicals, or proper disposal of unwanted chemicals.
• Proper disposal of prescription medications.
• Strapping water heaters or tall shelves to the wall.
• Afixing glass items or pictures to decrease the chance of them falling and causing injuries.
• Strapping computers and televisions to surfaces.
• Assessing and remediating or replacing dangerous light fixtures.
• Cleaning the dryer ducts and bathroom vents.
• Inspecting or providing a fire extinguisher and training in its use.
• Create a defense of space by clearing trees that could fall on employees homes or cars, or put them at risk of wildfire damage.
• Trimming shrubbery or pruning trees for crime prevention reasons.

A reslient workforce requires resilient employees. If employees are vulnerable to the impact of disasters, life crises, rising medical, daycare or eldercare costs they cannot give their best at work. Organizations that encourage and support employees may less likely to experience expensive turnover or other work related incidents.

Wind-swept Trees: A Deeper Look at Stress Management

This is from a larger casual written conversation with a friend.
Two members of her family were experiencing a short-term medical crisis. It seemed like they were expecting a lot, perhaps not realizing how stressful these demands were on top of her full life. My friend found these words helpful. Hopefully it will be of use to others who have sometimes found themselves in difficult communication or behavior patterns with employees or volunteers.

When driving along the Oregon coast it is common to see trees that appear misshapen. It is easy to conclude these wind-swept trees are defective since they did not grow to perfection. A deeper look allows us to appreciate their beauty, distinctive and rare. These trees tell a story. But who listens? People who have difficult personality traits also have a story. A lot can be learned about a person's life by their personality. These folks are part of a diverse creation. Looking through a clearer lens, marvel at their ability to adapt and thrive in a harsh environment. They are worthy of respect. For they have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Despite the tests of life they have held on and some have even flourished. People are a lot like those trees. They don't always look their best, and may sometimes be demanding or self absorbed. Extra care may be needed so they can make it through a crisis. In time they resume or develop a kind of grace that offers shelter to others. Our investment in them lives on.

How to Respond When Mother Nature Throws a Temper Tantrum

The following information was adapted from a recent training.

Tranquil lives are distrupted by natural disasters. For those who lack physical, emotional, spiritual or financial resilience disasters can produce hardships and erode coping. Although we cannot control unwanted intrusions into our lives, we can improve our resilience to them.

Let's take some time to talk about that. How many of you have a disaster kit at home? how many have one in the car? Does anyone have a kit with you right now?

When experts talk about disasters, they talk about the importance of an all-hazards appraoch. What does that mean? Can you give some examples? What are some of the hazards you have in your city?

Once you have identified all the hazards likely to affect your region, the next step is to develop a list of planning assumptions. So let's do that. If you have heavy rain for two weeks, followed by heavy snow fall, what assumptions would you make about the effects? What is the likelihood of trees toppling over during a storm or subsequent flooding? Who will be affected and for how long? How will businesses be affected? How might a school be affected verses a hospital?

One planning assumption is an increase in traffic accidents and house fires. Why house fires? Alternate means of staying warm, cooking or light such as building a fire in the fireplace or use of candles or oil lamps increase the risk of fire. Improper use of a generator may also produce an electric shock, fire or explosion.

Here are two questions?
What do you think the most common disaster in your city is? The most common disaster is a house fire. Disasters don't have to be big, to be devastating. Now what kind of disaster poses the highest risk to Western Oregon? How many of you know what a Cascadia Subduction earthquake is?

Last October and November one of the largest disaster conferences was held in Portland. Though there were many workshops, one statement stood out above the rest. A projection of disruptions to clean drinking water and the waste water system along the coast and in the valley was staggering. The report was punctuated with information about how woefully unprepared we are in Oregon. The message was clear. Prepare now.

These are rhetorical questions.
How many of you have a family member or close friend that has lost their job or their home since 2008?
How many of you have found that due to increasing prices, your paycheck does not go as far as it used to?
How many of you have a family member or close friend that has experiences a catastropic diagnosis?

Whether your approach to disaster planning means having extra water and nonperishable food, or a generator to ensure your loved one has interrupted access to oxygen or refrigeration for life-sustaining diabetic supplies, the first objectives are peasce of mind, staying safe and healthy and a higher level of comfort. If those things are unimportant to you, consider preparing so you can be a resource in the workplace or neighborhood. The goal is being assured that scarce resources will be used efficiently.

The title of this training is credited to a friend Becky I. who has recently faced a catastropic diagnosis. Her courage has been an inspiration. Her husband Gary was a co-presenter at a presentation that was a forerunner to this presentation. The above content is completely original with the exception of the title.



Don't forget the Pet Kit!
Google Images



Bugout trailer. Google Images.

Shelter in Place. Google Images.

Flu Pod Google Images

Go Kit Google Images

If used as a stay kit, add water, food, blankets or battery operated fan depending on
weather conditions,and any medical supplies. Line the bucket and maintain a supply of
carbon material. Keep a second bucket on hand. All kits should be tailored to fit needs.

Preparing Your Small Business to Survive Unforeseen Setbacks

Business owners wear many hats. They are planners, financial managers, logistics experts, manufacturers or service providers, and employers who often hire and train their own staff. In a recent conversation with a small business owner he said he had made a couple improvements to ensure the needs of his family in the event of a natural disaster. Until we had an informal conversation about it, he hadn't really thought of making a plan for his business or considered how an unforeseen situation could affect his employees or disrupt business operations. He is very bright.

This new insight has allowed him to consider implementing small business changes that could make the difference in keeping his doors open under adverse conditions.

Planning does not have to be limited to natural or manmade disasters, but a good plan does include a simple analysis of the hazards a business could face and cost-effective plans to reduce the impact of each hazard. Some businesses have added contingeny plans to survive periods of decreased income due to lessons learned during the recent economic downturn. In addition, businesses may plan for acute unforeseen needs of employees. These needs might include a sudden catastropic diagnosis, a serious accident or unexpected property or financial loss of an employee or family member. A humane approach calls for small owners and managers to know how to support employees through a life crisis without going broke. Recently, an assistant manager employed by a popular restaurant chain was grateful for information about how a lady with cancer could receive donations to help defray medical expenses through a website that charges no fees.

Three Lessons for New Businesses and Nonprofits

1. Plans must be dynamic to be useful. They must adapt to changing conditions. Plans don't have to be complicated to be useful. Operating a business or nonprofit without a plan is like driving without a destination. Some routes may take more time, but there can be practical reasons for taking another route. The important lessons are to avoid getting lost, running out of resources or getting there after the party is over.

2. Keeping goals small and achievable builds confidence. There is nothing wrong with lofty goals or high ideals. Getting from A to B is like playing the piano. Before you become a concert pianist, you have to learn middle C. The goal may be Carnegie hall, but milstones are necessary to measure progress to get from A to B.

3. Think of an evaluation process like breathing. It is an ongoing process. Without breath systems deteriorate rapidly. Evaluations can be simple. They start with understanding the big picture, setting achievable and measureable goals and completing them within a prescribed time frame. It is often helpful to implement plans in stages. Failure to meet a goal on tme does not usually doom a business or nonprofit. It provides an opportunity to learn and make realistic adjustments.

When business owners or visionaries of nonprofits get discouraged it may be due to a lack of vision or resources. If progress is slow or there is a setback it is often because the entity got too far off track before making corrections.

The psychology of business is similar to losing weight. Having a temporary setback does not have to lead to a downward spiral. Left unchecked small problems can lead to a free fall. The remedy is to evaluate progress frequently and make small corrections to keep plans on track. Even small successes are worth celebrating. Whether it is a kind word of affirmation, a monthly meeting or an annual event, recognize teams, volunteers, vendors and anyone else who played a role in the success.

Investing in Long Term Resilience Builds Sustainability

Human resource departments contribute to the health and welfare of employees and their families. Management may not fully understand the benefits of creating a culture of caring characterized by building long term resilience. Resilience is inherently linked to sustainability. A common example of an on-site enrichment program is a community garden. Other creative options may include an on-site bike shop with mechanic tools and support, preparing and eating family style meals together and providing health, fitness and nutrition information, food preservation classes, employee designed rain catchment systems and innovative environmental solutions. It does not require great expense to have employee’s s dehydrate healthy snacks to share at work, exchange ideas and give demonstrations that benefit the group. Many people have talents from which to draw and would happy to share information.

Smaller entities may focus on a single aspect of resilience.  Examples include but are not limited to preparing a supply of care packages for special needs, planting a couple fruit trees, a small vineyard and managing a few bee hives, growing a small salad gardening and use of red worm composting bins or even planting a small herb garden, sharing recipes,  and harvesting seeds to share.  Larger entities may use a team approach to helping employees and the community with improvement projects outside of work such as specialized teams to help others recover from adverse situations by checking on their welfare, acting as a care coordinator to schedule needed resources, or bringing a volunteer work crew to offer help. Many large entities have logistics departments or vendor networks that could become a valuable resource especially during adverse conditions. Resilient employees and members are more apt to come to work and focus on their job if they know with certainty their families are able to take care of themselves and that others stand ready to help them in times of need.  Savvy, innovative management teams take the initiative to build a sense of community in the workplace that extends beyond a mere job description. Enrichment opportunities that build resilience are only limited by flexible management and the creativity and interests of the planning team. Employees are the backbone of any business, or non-profit. Sustainability is tested during adverse or unforeseen circumstances. The ability to roll out plans to meet constantly changing conditions requires practice, mental creativity, and efficient team work. A resilient workforce is able to work better under pressure.

Columbia Springs-Rain Barrels

English Estate Winery

Introduction to Humane Work Environments

Working conditions are an age old problem. The most serious work related concern is safety. Although safety is paramount, this article focuses on respect and humane working conditions.  Mice work well in mazes, but people don’t.  Cubicles isolate employees visually and socially. Partitions can be helpful if used to define and improve work flow. One reasonable method is to partition off larger spaces for small groups of three or four employees. All partitions should open to a common hall. Next, rather than grouping employees by work assignment, consider designing spaces around an employee’s needs and preferences. Consider their working style. Is it collaborative or do some employees work best without frequent distractions?  Employees may spend one third of their waking hours working, so make sure employees have adequate personal space and encourage them to personalize it within reasonable boundaries.  Next, make sure employees have the necessary resources or means to complete their work. This includes everything from supplies, to procedure manuals and reference materials to cutting edge training. Recognize that employees have different learning styles and give them the flexibility to learn new material their way.  Lastly, supervisors should function like project managers, assign tasks, coach and support employees. Great supervisors bring out the best in employees.

 

Helpful techniques include environmental design and a developmental approach. Environmental design removes barriers to improve the flow of energy. A developmental perspective informs knowledgeable supervisors that employment is a journey not a destination. Good supervisors understand what motivates an employee to give their best. Supervisors that recognize and reward creativity would do well to design a job description around an employee’s talents rather than fitting them into a checklist to fit the company’s pre-defined needs. Performance appraisals are best used as a motivational tool rather than something to be dreaded.  Motivated employees may use a performance appraisal to propel themselves forward if it is a dynamic document.  Great supervisors know when to move aside and let the creative flow happen.

Disaster Awareness Series

Disaster Awareness Series

Resilient Churches: Does Your Church Have a Disaster Plan?
If so, what is your communication plan. Depending on the type of disaster cell phones may not work. Name two work around plans that will allow communication to continue without interruption.
Is there an evacuation plan? Have members practiced the plan? Was the plan developed with other community partners? What type of supplies will our organization provided and what must members provide?

Business Continuity Planning for Leadership Teams
Does your church back up vital document and payroll records. Do you have a team that can restore data if a technology failure occurs? How long can employees or vendors go without getting paid? What work around plans are there to assure employees get paid on time? Do your vendors have business continuity plans to prevent a disruption in supplies?

Ministry Opportunities in Disaster Response
One of the most exciting aspects is for faith-based groups and nongovernmental organizations to come to bring resources to the table, coordinate efforts and eliminate duplication of services. Public-private relationships are also a part of disaster response. Learn how mechanisms work and how to fit into national, state and local plans.

Women's Retreat Topics

Code of Silence: The Power of Telling Your Story
What is this code of silence? Have you ever noticed that in group situations all the attention is on what the speaker has to say? Within each group are dozens, hundreds or thousands of stories that go untold. Now consider informal situations. Have you observed someone sitting alone in church week after week?  Instinctively we may know we should talk with the person, but we may not know what to say. In addition, we may have inaccurate perceptions. Many people falsely believe they might offend someone, when in actuality the oerson may be relieved to know someone cares. This code of silence compounds the hurt. When peoples needs aren't met, they suffer in silence or go someplace else where their story is heard and they feel valued.  This phenomenon is not limited to churches. This happens in the work place and even in familes and if left to persist it leads to isolation. You and you alone have the power to bring healing, and a sense of relational connection necessary for wholeness.

Operation Launch Pad: Using Niche Ministries to Build the Church Recent and ongoing conversations reveal that many seasoned pastors are not clear on how to grow the church. In a post modern era, where most people do not have a close walk with God, how does a church relate to those who do share their values? Many churches engage in social ministries such as feeding the homeless, or commuity serice days. These are worthwhile, but how can a church bridge effectively share their faith. Niche pad minisitries may be socially uncomfortable, but are an effective avenue to church growth. Together we'll practice ways to bridge the gap with applied learning opportunities.

The Mobile Church

Mobile has more than one meaning. First, it requires the definition of "church". A church is a group of people, not a building. Next mobile refers to technological changes. Most churches do not use technology effectively to advance ministry. Lastly, the church is on mission. Being on mission means equiping, sending and financially sustaining missionaries that are called to serve. We are all called, but may serve differently: some through teaching, giving, encouraging, logisics support and mobilizing to other locations.

Knee Pads are Mandatory

Prayer seems quite casual in churches today. How much time does your group spend in prayer. No ministry is effective without prayer. Prayer is to ministry as water is to the human body. Without prayer, ministry is destined to fail, just as without water our bodies fail. Fervent prayer is tantamount to spiritual CPR. It is the first step to breathing life into church ministries. In some churches prayer is like a lost art. A retreat setting allows attendees to break free of distractions, spend quality time learning and building relationships. A prayer focus means bringing your spiritual knee pads. Come ready to spend quality time with God and each other.

There Were No Discounts at Calvary

We live in a class society. Our biases are shaped by parents, peers, life experience, the media, religious tradition and even legislation.  The Bible tellls us Jesus associated with a prostitute, a tax collector who cheated the public and others our society shuns. Even before his death, resurrection and assension into heaven, he forgave the thief hanging on the cross next to him. Although he willingly gave his life to pay for our misdeeds, he also asked his father in heaven to forgive those who murdered him. So how do we as believers love others without justifying their behavior. This perspective is illustrated through life changing stories you will not want to miss. Come away inspired and challenged to love others as Christ does.

Encouraging Church Resilience

 Encouraging church resilience is a six part workshop series. Each workshop can stand alone, be delivered in a six week series or a full day workshop.

Ten Ways to Bolster Church Finances
Many churches are struggling to pay bills or expand ministry. In this workshop attendees will learn four practical steps to improve finances. In addition, break out groups will address specific skills to boost church revenues.

Opting In: How to Create a Culture of Service
Research says that a few members carry the work load. This can lead to burnout. This sub-topic addresses how churches track and improve participation?

Public Information Officers in the Church-What’s Next?
Is your church invisible? If it closed its doors would anyone notice it was gone? Public information officers can play a unique role in improving visibility. Listen to some astonishing principles the church can apply to revitalize ministries.

Hamming It Up: The Role of Amateur Radio Teams
Communications are a essential to resilience and sustainablity. Redundant communications help the faith community serve each other and others expecially during times of adversity. Amateur radio has applications for missions, building community partnerships, and maintaining resilience and serving others during adverse conditions. 

Safeguarding Our Most Precious Resource: How Safe Is Your Child Safety Plan?
The world has changed and child safety has become a major concern in churches. Failure to address child safety may lead to harm, criticism and legal consequences. Churches also need policies and procedures that outline how to safety Reunite  children who have been separated from parents or caregivers following a critical incident.

Nurturing Church Workers
Research indicates new church workers are not adequately supported emotionally or vocationally. Expections lack clarity. Without a fair appraisal process, imrovements are not made causing small problems become big problems. Learn how to implement processes that help develop new resources perform well, mature and in turn develop others.

Volunteer: Raising the Bar

Volunteers: Raising the Bar
This unique workshop provides a survey of key topics essential to leverage and retain volunteers. Volunteers have many options. It is one thing to train volunteers, it is another to integrate them into a cohesive plan to move the organization forward and keep them happy. In this workshop attendees will learn how to:
 

• Design a Plan for Success
• Manage Risk
• Write Volunteer Job Descriptions
• Create a Visual Layout to Quickly Communicate Choices, Hierarcy and Chain of Command
• Recruit New Talent With a Focus on Quality
• Train Supervisors in Evaluation and Improvement Techniques
• Communicate the Importance of  Chain of Command
• Orient New Volunteers and Match Them to Volunteer Positions
• Track Volunteer Hours

 

Volunteer Retention

In part two of this workshop, attendees will learn how to:

 

• Understand Motivation
• Recognize Burnout
• Identify How to Determine if Volunteers are Fit for a Particular Service or Recognize Unmet Needs
• Tap into Creativity
• Development and Recognize Volunteers
• Ensure Volunteer Satisfaction

Performance Appraisal Training

How to Design and Implement an Employee Appraisal Program

If employees cringe at the thought of an annual performance evaluation, the process needs to be redefined. A good apraisal process marries the company or organizations outcome measures to its composite performance. The concept of composite performance indicates no one resource can effectively carry out all the roles and functions, therefore, as a jumping off place employees need to be matched for optimal fit based on their knowledge, skills and talent. When one resource holds all the information it poses a serious risk. In this workshop attendees will learn how to

• Maximize Talent
• Provide Incentives
• Increase Buy-In
• Improve Morale
• Implement and Manage Organizational Change
• Honor Achievement
• Use Appraisals to Meet Organizational Goals and Objectives

Nine Core Values

Nine Core Values

Our operational values include sustainability, efficiency and growth.
Financial sustainability is required to fund operations which includes paying taxes, upgrading technology, reimbursing the cost of gas, paying vendors, meet payroll and improving cash flow. Efficiency has to do with governance. Our company uses a strict formula which balances how resources are allocated. Cash flow is the life blood of any company and though painful, it comes before before us receiving a paycheck. We've made the statement that we are focused on quality, not quantity. Operational capacity comes from a commitment to place quality in the drivers seat and make growth secondary. Although growth is critical to operational capacity, it can never be at the expense of quality.

The next grouping is our service category. These values include diversification, evaluation and mission clarity/brand. This is a family business, so nothing moves forward without agreement of the partners. Family relationships are always more important than money. Here is an example from the property management side of out business. This e-mail correspondence from the office manager is just one way we show respect by keeping each other informed.

"We got a new water heater for 17138. They were not getting hot water so the operations manager went over twice to light it. It did not stay so we called our mechanical guy. Then we realized we might still have a warranty, which we did, until July 12. God takes pretty good care of us!

We had Gabe come because he was a LOT less expensive than the plumbing vendor, and the warranty was only for parts. He got it going, but he said, "If this doesn't do it, there is nothing else I can do. It just means a new one”. Then the renter called and asked when we were coming back. I guess they thought we would have ESP or something to know it did not work. I did mean to call and check with them-- She calls him, then he calls us, because she thinks her English is not okay. He may be in some other state, so some of the communication is interesting. Okay, so the operations manager called the plumbing vendor and told them the situation. They traded the old one for a new one (no warranty) Another tenant helped him get the new one into the space and he had it up and going on the 3rd. He is returning the old one today. With mileage, it will cost more than $100., since we had Gabe come and the operations manager had to buy some tape and new straps (the others did not fit).
If we had not had the warranty it would have been some big dollars, so we were glad we had the papers in the file and glad it had not expired. It was the one you and I bought at the sidewalk sale".

We use cloud streams as part of our planning process. Income streams may be vulnterable to economic conditions such as a recession, inflation or legislative changes which affect taxes. They are also subject to changes in supply and demand. Companies that thrive must be able to adjust rapidly and flexibly to those changes without losing sight of their original mission and vision. Diversity helps to protect against risk, and allows us to offer customers more. Evaluation and improvement is used to scrutinize every decision. We must understand what services are in vogue- their usefulness, who our customers are, our pricing structure, the return on our investment of resources for those we serve, and for our own company. Mission clarity, is essential to our identity, and our ability to communicate effectively. The best services in the world are of little value if customers don't know they exist. This drives research and development practices.

Lastly, we understand the importance of staying in business, so our business continuity plan values the importance of reliable vendor relations, information management and contract fulfillment under adverse conditions. Since we are a relationship-based business, our desire is to take good care of vendor relations. We want to make sure our vendors have plans that will minimize any disruptions to their business and are available to help with that process. To prevent a disruption to our business we may in some instances need to identify alternate vendors, with different logistics networks to ensure the availability of supplies. This also means finding work around solutions to paying our vendors on time if there is a technological failure on a company or regional basis. Information management means working to protect and back up vendor and customer information. It means mainating electronic information we can safeguard and access from a remote location and hard copies in the event of a technology failure. For instance we maintain copies of all business documents in off-site.
Lastly, we are working on succession plans to ensure our ability to fulfill contracts under adverse conditions. This means if a member of our team is working on a project and is affected by serious illness, an accident, a family emergency or natural disaster, we are working to develop plans to continue work seamlessly to fulfill our obligations.

Research Informs Our Business Decisions

In real estate we learned about the importance of "due diligence". That implies you better do your homework before you make desisions. Now that we are adding a new line of services, we are carrying that value forward and are conducting research to help inform our business decisions.

We will use research findings to inform our use of language, and the boundaries of services we offer.
Our process is one of continuous evaluation and improvement.

Our next post will talk about our nine core values.

Donor Management Training

This is a very basic and informal workshop designed to help small churches and flegling nonprofits implement repeatable, processes to sustain funding for very small projects or community outreach programs. The workshop covers information about possible registration requirements, on-line and face to face fundraising methods, communicating with confidence, managing turn around time, and the importance of donor relations.

Donor Management Part 1

• How to Craft a Letter to Donors
• Letter of Authorization
• Non-profit Certificate
• Presenting the Request
• Closing the Agreement

Donor Management Part 2

• Understanding Donor Needs and Expectations
• Donor Relations: Guidelines for Thanking Donors
• Honoring Donor Intent
• Leveraging Donor Dollars
• Fiscal Policy and Responsible Fiscal Management
• Perceived Value

Making Every Dollar Count

Making Every Dollar Count
This is a basic workshop aimed at helping nonprofit organizations leverage every type of resource. Nonprofits often lack finances and manpower to fulfill their mission effectively which can lead to discouragement. Learn how to find compatible partners, and negotiate simple resource sharing agreements. Project work groups allow small nonprofits to become stakeholders in larger projects by working together. In this workshop you will discover ways to improve your  organization's capacity by learning abou the following concepts:
 

• What Are Resource Sharing Agreements and Why Do They Matter?
• Understanding the Value of  Strategic Alliances
• How to Design and Manage a Project Work Group

Grant Training

Grant Readiness Part 1

• Align your mission and vision statement with a visual strategic business plan.
• Increase organizational visibility.
• Understanding your ABC’s and PDF’s.
• Write measurable goals.
• Manage a simple project timeline.

Grant Readiness Part 2

• Set up an evaluation and improvement process.
• Statistics-Your New Best Friend
• Research grants and set up a basic grant tracking spreadsheet.
• Foundation Relations and Expectations.
• Fulfill your end of the agreement.

Grant Writing: Developing Creative Strategies

• It’s a Match: How to Satisfy the Requirement Without Using Cash
• Fiscal Sponsors:  Understanding the Parent –Daughter Relationship
• Company’s Coming

Rental Properties

One of the services that Hamilton Darnall LLC provides is housing rentals. A few photos are below...

While this is not the focus of our blog, it is part of our story. Read more under the "About Us" tab.

Our Major Remodel

Basalt Rock Wall Planting Area

Solid Maple Cabinets and Granite Countertops-Lots of Cabinets

Cozy Gas Fireplace Adds Warmth and Back Up Heat Source

Hamilton Darnall, LLC ramps up to provide affordable services.

A new line of executive support, staff training and community workshops is under development. Many companies set fixed prices for services. We are also establishing fixed prices, however we have the creativity to design services at a price most organizations can afford. Since we are a small company our focus will begin with relationship-based services. Please refer to the "Services" tab.  Keep coming back to our blog. We will disclose more details as our story unfolds.

Welcome!

Welcome to the new Hamilton Darnall LLC blog.

Hamilton Darnall, LLC is a small Portland, OR based property rental and leasing business which has been in operation since 2006. In the coming posts, we will shed more light on different aspects of the services we provide. Please feel free to check out the About Me page for a bit of history concerning our company.

Thanks again, and welcome to our blog! We hope you will check back regularly to learn more about us and see what is new.

The Hamilton Darnall LLC team