Here's a practical concept for all of you managers: managing up. It's the idea of positioning people so as to accentuate the positive. You can manage up your boss, your staff and even your organization.

Many of you are probably working on some aspect of grant writing and/or fundraising right now. I know I am. So I was really interested in this short article published over at Network for Good on 6 words every nonprofit should avoid.

Happy 2010! I thought I'd start the year off with a positive spin, a new free eBook from Seth Godin. It's called What Matters Now (PDF), and I love the way it was created--multiple short essays and other pieces from great minds in diverse fields. It's sort of an anti-resolution manifesto. Less "try", more "do". A great guide for how we might approach the new year.
 

I hope everyone is having a happy and peaceful holiday season. In the spirit of the impending new year and the resolutions that go with it, I'd like to turn your attention to a piece I missed earlier this fall. David Brooks, in the NY Times, mentioned this article as one of his favorites of the year: If Air Travel Worked Like Health Care, by Jonathan Rauch (National Journal).

I like short, useful pieces on managing programs. You know that if you read this site with any frequency. But this one might just be in my top 10. A virtual strategy session for running a program in a tough economy. The author's tips are incredibly relevant to our work. I especially love #3: do less with less. Fantastic.
 

This month in Free-Range Thinking, Andy Goodman discusses the use of stories and data in garnering support for projects. I mention it because we frequently talk about effectively making the case to hospitals and community foundations, particularly in this economic climate. It's a short article, so I encourage you to check it out (PDF). And if you like what you read, you might want to consider subscribing to the monthly newsletter.

From the current issue of Nursing Economics (and summarized by Medscape), an article on retaining an aging nursing workforce. Access is free, but registration on the site is required.

Recently I spoke on the topic of sustainability, and afterwards received an email from a member of the audience. She wrote to tell me that although she agreed with one of my messages--that asking for help is a critical part of sustaining a program--she wasn't convinced people knew how to ask for help very effectively. I'm pretty sure she's right. Asking for help is easier said than done. So what follows are some brief articles and posts on the topic.

I am thrilled to announce the availability of two new publications from the SANE Sustainability TA project: Creating a Business Plan for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and Fostering Collaboration Between SANE Program Coordinators and Medical Directors.
 

This week is the IAFN Annual Assembly, so I will be in Atlanta through next weekend. Posting will be light, but please check in over at the Forensic Health site for updates from the conference.
 
In the meantime, here's a story from Friday's Kansas Free Press you might find interesting (thanks, Kim!).