To make a long story short, the PowerPoint file was not only too large to email but, on reconsideration, came across as more illustrative than demonstrative when viewed alone. It didn't seem to stand on its own very well without a talking head explaining the bullet points. With implementation obstacles in my path -- and aren't they always on the path -- and the end of the semester approaching, I just wasn't able to follow up with individuals as I had wanted to.
And then I hatched a plan. Once the end of the semester arrived, I would revisit the presentation, break it down into segments, and provide more detailed information about the tool or technique, how I benefitted from it and how one could use or simply experiment with it. This would take about ten dispatches to complete. If I thought of any other items worth mentioning or items that were cut from the original presentation, I'd consider throwing them in as well. Also, if other colleauges receiving the dispatches had other tools and techniques (that have helped on the administrative end of grant implementation) I would promote them or, better yet, step out of the way and allow them to make the post themselves. Every one of us has been innovative in their own way... we've all had to be. It's the nature of the world we, as grant directors, inhabit.
By default, I'd intended to use email and then a colleague suggested using www.posterous.com and here I am and here it is. I will be following up with my first post shortly and anticipate posting about once a week. I should be done by the end of the summer. Hopefully, along the way, I'll hear from you: your questions, ideas, and perhaps even your own contributions to share with our community of grant directors.
* This was during a concurrent session at the 2011 Southwestern Regional Title V/HSI Best Practices Conference
