Day in the life of an Executive Director (2019)
3:15a
I wake up in Yakima, staying with some supporters here. I've been coming over to the valley for one week every month since May. It's November. That's seven trips so far, roughly 200 hours spent trying to get a Skookum House open in somewhere in central Washington.
Just wrapping up a 5 day visit. I've been here since Friday. Today is Tuesday, and I have a plane to catch.
Quick shower and pack. I'm at the airport by 4:15a, which is plenty early to catch the first of two planes out of this airport today at 5:00am. They'll be boarding before I get to security, but there won't be a line and it's a Q400, so I'd much rather board last anyway.
When did I become a person who times travel around the the type of aircraft?
5:00a
It's a twenty-five minute flight to Seattle. I sleep.
5:25a
Landing wakes me up. After we de-plane, I walk from the C-terminal down to the train and ride it over to the bigger, nicer lounge in the N-terminal. It's 15 minutes, but I'm going to spend six hours and eat two meals in this airport lounge today, so it's well worth crossing the airport.
6:54a
I sit down with a cappuccino and a bagel as far away from the door as I can. I've returned all of email as I sat and waited between 3a and now, so I read for an hour before opening the donor database to get my call list for the day.
I notice a few irregularities, some mis-marked donations and a couple duplicates. I fix them and give the system a chance to refresh before getting my list. Can't do any calls yet, obviously, but I'll at least have it where I can access it easily for later.
I also draft my books newsletter for the month. This is a tradition I've kept up over the last two years, writing executive summaries of the books I read. I don't summarize every book, just a few each month. And I don't get around to it every month, but I just finished a book and that reminded me.
9:45a
Okay, time to get going. I serve as Treasurer of the Washington Association of Children & Families and we have a board meeting just a few blocks from the airport. It's the reason that I'm flying instead of driving today. I Uber to the YMCA where we have a conference room reserved. I arrive simultaneously with the Vice President who pulls me aside to talk about one of the agenda items for the day. She doesn't like it and wants to take my temperature on it. I do like it. She's disappointed and feels alone, I think. I know most of the group is in favor and she's going to be a lone dissenter. Been there. It's no fun.
11:40a
Now it's my turn. I pick a big fight about something that nobody else is concerned about, and I get very passionate about it, surprising even myself.
Nobody's with me. Well, except one. Then one more. Then, what do you know, sympathetic voices all around the table. But it's too hard for now. Maybe table for later?
Feeling like I at least made a little progress, I agree.
I've gotta figure out how to make points like this one, unpopular points on issues in which I am way out ahead of the group, in a way that doesn't involve yelling. People do that, right? Why can't I seem to?
Noon
We adjourn. A couple people check on me. I'm fine really. I catch a ride to the airport with the most recent past President, and we set a lunch meeting for next week on the drive.
1:15a
Through security for the second time today, and I've walked the 15-minutes back to the lounge and have a plate of salad and a beer. I read the news while I eat, and then start on my calls.
Donor calls mostly. A few thank yous, a few attempts to book meetings for the next week. Two calls back to the office to check on things there.
Then somebody calls me: a Program Manager from our office. He's resigning. Not really a surprise, he's been talking about it for a week, and I haven't exactly tried to discourage him. It's a good exit. But still sad. I feel a little like I didn't give him what he needed to be successful. But that might not be true. Maybe it's just time for him to do something else.
This call makes it official, so I press him for a last day. He'll call me back when he knows for sure. Now I really press. It'll be two weeks from now, no longer. Lame ducks are dangerous. He doesn't know that or think of himself in that way yet, but he will.
I have another hour to read before leaving to catch my flight.
3:36p
Landing in Bellingham. Keely and the boys are waiting for me in the jeep, we're home before 4p.
5:15p
After unpacking and playing with the boys for a minute, I drive over to the office. I'm also a deacon at my church, and we have a meeting tonight. Skookum is hosting at our office, but somebody else is bringing dinner.
9:30p
The meeting only goes until 9p, which is merciful. Keely's already in bed when I get home (for real this time.) I'm exhausted, but also wired so I need to wind down before I can sleep. I have a handful of follow-up items that I can at least initiate while I'm watching a soccer match and drinking some bourbon. It's good bourbon too. But lousy soccer.
Only one meeting tomorrow and it's not until 9a, so I'm sleeping in. And probably leaving work early.