As I've previously mentioned, Wayne Glynn, an esteemed colleague and friend, has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
This week, Wayne, who is Third Sector New England's director of information systems, is preparing to take a medical leave in order to undergo stem cell therapy. In a manner that is totally typical of his pro-active, life-affirming personality, he is not only fighting (and winning) his battle against this disease, but also working to help raise money so that other people can benefit from the latest research and treatment. This is the second year that he's putting together a team to participate in the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's Race For Research.
Meanwhile, it's a difficult moment for TSNE's information systems team, of which I am a member.(1) It's hard to plan for a three-month absence of a strong leader. Wayne is not only a terrific manager, but he seems to have the magical power of being in five places at once and accomplishing as much as ten mere mortals would. As far as I can tell, he approaches his work as an opportunity for service and as a challenge in community organizing for social justice.
It requires a lot of advance planning to maintain business as usual, if you have to take someone like Wayne away from TSNE for three months. Fortunately, the other members of the team, Neil Currie and Arthur Prokosch, are poised to meet the challenge; we will also be able to rely upon the leadership of TSNE's director of administration, Lyn Freundlich.
As we get closer to Wayne's last working day before his leave begins, I can feel my angst level rising. Even though this situation is not about me, it's reminiscent of my own experience of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer and having to take a medical leave in order to have surgery. I'm reliving a lot of the anxiety that I experienced during that period, which also coincided with fears about the "Year 2000 Bug."(2)
In my anxiety, I find myself getting tangled in rigid "either/or" logic about how various information systems projects will be managed in Wayne's absence. I have found myself saying to him during planning sessions, "just tell me whether you want me to use my own judgement - or tell me exactly how you want it done!" My kneejerk response is somewhat lacking in nuance.
However, guidance is forthcoming. Yesterday, Wayne urged the team to think in terms of "WayneGeist"(3) during his absence. This is extremely helpful; it tells me more than a thousand pages of detailed notes about what exactly Wayne would do under every imaginable circumstance. Wayne will be back, and the information systems team needs to make decisions in his absence that are congruent with the long term direction of his leadership.
So...my task is to foster the Spirit of Wayne in my daily work life. I can't help thinking that this will make me a better nonprofit technology professional.
1) After more than a year as a consultant with TSNE, I was recently sworn in as a part-time, short-term employee. I was named as the information systems special projects manager in anticipation of Wayne's temporary medical leave.
2) I underwent treatment in December 1999 and January 2000, and am pleased to report that I have been cancer-free ever since! I am also proud to say that Family Service of Greater Boston (where I served as information systems manager) had a solid plan for dealing with Year 2000, and experienced virtually no disruption.
3) This is much less abstract than "zeitgeist," but not unrelated.
UPDATE: 03/12/2007
Here are some photos that I snapped today at Wayne's chemotherapy party, which took place in the Infusion Center of New England Medical Center. (He decided that he wanted moral support plus a cake to mark the occasion.)
The distinguished lady in the final photo is his significant other, DaShawn Bennett.
UPDATE: 3/26/2007:
If you'd like to participate in Wayne's efforts to raise money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, please go to the web page that he has set up.
