Architectural Art

Best Practices Blog

Over the years, being engaged on the development and management of client brands led to more involvement in operations in general, and the back office in particular. We began writing articles for the blog in June of 2020 and have published monthly since that time.

Articles address topics across profit and non-profit organizations as they confront the challenges of growth. Helping small organizations grow is a calling and has always been exciting and satisfying work!

Nesting vs Multitasking

Unraveling the Threads

Hiring Panels

Diverse hiring panels can mitigate the risk of bias from a single evaluation

Reference Planning

How to Prepare when Working on Projects Requiring Non-Disclosure Agreements

Conversations about Directors and Boards

Conversations with members of governing boards about how they expect an Executive Director to lead implementation of Board policies

3 Hiring Tools to Overcome Bias

Identifying and overcoming unconscious bias in hiring is crucial for promoting fairness and diversity in the workplace.

The Perils of Neglecting Information Security in Charities

Managing technology and information system risk

Standards vs Guidelines

How does your organization manage expectations, implementation, and follow up of what is recommended vs what is required?

A Recipe for Innovation and Community Building

Urban Farming in Underutilized Real Estate

Veganic Farming

Explore pure plant-based farming options

2023 / 2024 The Looming Recession

The economic wheel turns, and no one has a crystal ball

Mentoring Benefits the Individual and the Team

Dynamic and reciprocal relationships that not only benefit the mentee but also offers valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth for the mentor

Revolutionizing Architectural Illustration

AI will not replace your architect, but it will be an important part of the early stages of developing your building concept.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Lessons for promoting respect and camaraderie while in opposition

Lee Iacocca

Lessons for Innovating within Entrenched Systems

Diversity Drives Innovation

Unique experiences and worldviews inspire new ways of thinking and new farming practices

Local Growers Thrive with USDA’s Urban Agriculture Investments

Local growers are the heart of the urban agricultural landscape

Leonardo Da Vinci

Lessons for Achieving Practical Results through Creativity

Pioneering Solar-Powered Crop Dehydrators with USDA Grant

USDA Grant Funds Solar

Amelia Earhart

Lessons for overcoming “No”

Harry Truman

Lessons for Maintaining Integrity in the face of public criticism

Finn River’s Green Energy Initiative

Follow up article on Finn River

Clara Barton

Lessons on the power of compassion

Fueling Basic Research

Shape the future of agrisciences through research, self-efficacy, scientific competencies, and outreach

Ben Franklin

Lessons for Networking in the Distributed Workplace

Teddy Roosevelt

Lessons for Fostering Organizational Success

Shifting compensation plans

Labor hour-based compensation model vs project completion and production milestones

Segmenting access and authority

Managing risk resulting from shared team roles

Promoting Healthy Workplaces:

Accountable and anonymous communication - supported by technology - fosters transparency and a positive work culture.

Re-engaging in a career interrupted by a health crisis

The journey back to re-engaging in an interrupted career is often fraught with practical, systemic, and emotional challenges.

Balancing Internal Growth and Exit Paths in a Healthy Organization

Opportunity for in-house growth and healthy exit planning

Balancing Remote Work and In-Person Community Service

Striking a balance requires tailored strategies, technology utilization, and collaborative efforts

Emergency Response

Care for mechanical systems, physical locations, data security, data recovery, and system redundancy

Charity Digital Strategy Outline & Questionnaire

For those of us who are not "digital natives" and are struggling toward creating a strategy for web and mobile and social media... Everybody has to start somewhere!

The New Technology of Collaboration

Non-profit teams have new tools to work together for their communities

Navigating Founder Retirement

Planning for continuity, sustainability, and continued growth under new leadership.

Establishing Legal Representation

Choosing a Partner for Your Growing Team's Increasingly Complex Legal Needs

Building Your Accounting Department

Evaluating and selecting a CPA firm to support your critical accounting functions

Safeguarding Success

Choosing an insurance provider establishes a partnership that safeguards your business's future.

Continuous Compliance for Risk Mitigation

Continuous compliance isn't ticking boxes; it's about building a resilient business that thrives amidst uncertainty.

Challenges in Hiring for Mission Organizations

Resolve for a diverse workplace, fair hiring practices and fair labor standards

JLT and Finn River

Nurturing Local Innovation and Grant Management for Sustainable Success

Lessons from the last recession

Key takeaways from the previous recession and how they can inform our preparations today.

Identifying and Resolving Bias

There is more to fairness and justice in organizations than a paragraph in the employee handbook, and requires using a well-thought-out plan.

Equity Requires Systems

To follow fair labor rules and achieve fairness in hiring, it's important to create infrastructure that specifically and systematically address the underlying issues.

The Human Resources Function

Strategies for Scaling Success: Navigating the HR Function in Growing Teams

Hiring Overseas

Apparent short term savings vs higher long run costs

Successfully Growing Fulfillment

Strategic planning, technological implementation, and continuous improvement

Unveiling the Wisdom of Crowds

Study Worksheet for Teambuilding Exercises

From Conflicting Perspectives to Collective Identity

Fostering Effective Task Forces and Project Groups

Blindspots

The Hidden Hurdle to Team Effectiveness

Process bottlenecks can hinder growth

Match workflow, technology, and data with ongoing training

Distributed Inefficiencies

Recognize the hidden costs of inefficiency and invest in methods, tools and technologies that promote transparency and active review

Effective Teams: Tools for Leadership

Insights into human behavior and decision-making, applied to various tools for leadership

What is risk management in a post-COVID world?

Improve and adapt our systems to account for the new reality

Back Office Systems

Farm Innovation Series

Human Resources

Lessons from Great Leaders

Leveraging Technology

Organization

Teams and Teamwork

Architectural Art

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