I'm not great adjusting to time differences.

Written By Mindy Muller

I'm on the west coast this week with a colleague exploring AMAZING housing models. But honestly by 5pm local time I'm ready to call it a day. Others carry on in my home zone of EST and I'm striving to keep up with emails, calls and urgencies in their real time.

It reminds me of a principle we teach in our nonprofit academy of ACO -- always consider others. One application of ACO is HOW we communicate. Communication mediums such as phone, email, text in-person should always be in consideration of what the other person prefers. Yes -- that means I pick up the phone sometimes and I schedule a meeting other times. I would 99% of the time take care of it through email and text if I had my way, but my preference isn't what matters in the world of ACO. The preference of the others drives my communication style with them. A second application of ACO is what I'm experiencing this week. It matters less what time is convenient for me; it matters that I respond in consideration of where the other person is (within reason, of course). This means I call my kid at 4am my current time to wish him a great day at school. That means I schedule a 6am meeting with a client that is starting their day at 9am.

As you interact with clients, colleagues, friends and family today give some thought to Always Consider Others and see how putting aside your own preferences and comforts in favor of others may improve your relationships and communications.

-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP

#nonprofit #housing #communication #communications
#preferences #ACO #communitydevelopmentprofessionals #leadership #business
#smallbusiness #professionalcommunication #midwestgirl #timechange

Mindy Muller

EDUCATE. SUPPORT. DEVELOP. CONNECT. CDP helps communities thrive. Through innovative and strategic partnerships with nonprofits, local government, educational institutions and community-based businesses, CDP works through community stakeholders to make communities places where everyone can thrive. Through our team of professionals we have helped thousands of organizations build their capacity to better serve their communities by providing innovative solutions to unique community development challenges.

Specialties include nonprofit capacity building; affordable housing solutions; community development strategies; and, social enterprise and entrepreneurship

https://communitydevelopmentprofessionals.com
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