Sorry that I didn't get this posted yesterday -- we had a bunch of people over to the house most of the day, and I had flowers to plant. "How to Herd Cats" is beginning a little sub-series on organizational structure. The first example is monofocal structure: an organization with one leader.

• What situations have you seen where one person was in charge? How well did that work?


• What are some advantages and disadvantages of having a single leader?


• What kind of organizations do best with just one leader? What kind would do better with a different structure?


• Do you think that monofocal organization is a good idea for Pagan groups?

Tags: daily spell, paganism, topic discussion
Current Mood: busy

Today's installment of "How to Herd Cats: Essays on Pagan Leadership" covers the opposite side of the coin: "Followship." Almost all the literature about power dynamics is focused on leadership. People often forget that good leaders need good followers. So let's explore that...

Do you think of yourself as a leader, a follower, or some of both? Why?

What do you consider the personal qualities of a good follower?

What are some of the skills of a good follower?

Can followship be taught or learned, or is it innate?

Do followers deserve respect? Why or why not?

How does the wider Pagan community view followers?

What does it mean for a follower to bestow their service on a leader?

Tags: daily spell, paganism
Current Mood: busy

Today's topic in "How to Herd Cats: Essays on Pagan Leadership" is "The Social Contract." This is what lies between leaders and followers, and among the many people who make up a society. It's a set of rules -- some overt, some covert -- that we live by. We may call it a constitution, a set of bylaws, something else, or nothing if we don't think of it consciously. When a new group forms, so does a new social contract. So it's a good idea to make sure that it says what the members really mean.

• What do you think a social contract is for?



• What are some social contracts that apply to groups you inhabit? What are some points the contracts cover? What don't they cover?



• What are some things you consider essential for a social contract to ensure or forbid?



• Have you ever participated in negotiating a social contract? If so, how well did that work out?



• Have you ever observed misunderstandings because of an incomplete social contract, or because people disagreed over what the social contract entailed? If so, what happened (omitting details that might cause harm)?

Tags: community, daily spell, paganism
Current Mood: busy

Today's installment of "How to Herd Cats: Essays on Pagan Leadership" is #2 "Leadership." In order to enjoy respectable and effective leadership, we need to understand how it works and what we want. Unexamined leadership is rarely positive. So let's consider ...

1) What is a Pagan leader?

2) What kinds of things do people want a Pagan leader to do?

3) What are some personality traits that suit someone for leadership roles in the Pagan community?

4) What are some skills that a Pagan leader needs?

Tags: community, daily spell, paganism, writing
Current Mood: busy

Yesterday my new column "How to Herd Cats: Essays on Pagan Leadership" launched in The Daily Spell, beginning with "Becoming a Leader." One of my announcements has led to a lively (and somewhat salty) debate on pagan.

Previously some of you have requested topical discussions, magic, and Paganism in general for coverage here. Community is another fairly popular theme. One thing we could do would be to hold a weekly exploration of the column topic.

Poll #1171768 How to Herd Cats Discussion
Open to: Friends, results viewable to: All

Would you like to have weekly discussions of Pagan leadership topics here?

Tags: blogging, community, daily spell, paganism
Current Mood: busy

I am delighted to announce the launch of my new column, "How to Herd Cats: Essays on Pagan Leadership," appearing Mondays in The Daily Spell. The first installment, "Becoming a Leader," appears in the April 14 issue and explores how one becomes a leader.

I also have a review column, "Book Reviews from Hypatia's Hoard," currently appearing daily. The Daily Spell is posted Monday through Friday, and contains other interesting material including information on herbs, energy manipulation, Pagan community news, and other columns and features.

Feedback is welcome.

Tags: daily spell, paganism, reading, writing
Current Mood: accomplished