Here’s Your “How-To” Prepare for Inauguration Day and Beyond

More lessons from birds.

Inauguration Prep: Part 2: Murmuration

This is a followup piece from one I wrote a month ago about birds and the act of “caching” as we prepare for Inauguration Day and beyond. If you missed it, I encourage you to give it a read and ground yourself first— especially if you are in any kind of role of responsibility for others.

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Here we are in 2025, with L.A. literally on fire, just days away from a presidential transition of power. According to the Center for American Progress, the outgoing President has taken more action for climate change than any other administration, and yet, the California fires are some of the worst in history. And the intentions of the next administration are headed in the opposite direction, with Project 2025 intending to put even more power into the hands of the oil and gas industry.

You may be on some spectrum of freakout, or maybe you’re like me, sitting back watching how there already seems to be a major splinter between the leaders of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the old-school MAGA contingency. They’re not even officially in office and an implosion seems imminent. Well, who could have predicted that?! (she says sarcastically).

Either way, it’s scary times, indeed.

Here’s the deal: We are going to have our work cut out for us.

Here’s the other deal: We have models of how to unite together all around us. We just need to look for them, and mirror them.

Enter the lessons of the European Starlings. When threatened by a predator, do they scatter in chaos? No. Instead, they come together in a mesmerizing display known as a “murmuration,” moving as one fluid, protective force.

I’m sure you’ve seen it. Usually at dusk, low in the sky, a flock of birds moving in synchronicity, weaving together in what can only be described as magical (although I did once have someone tell me it was creepy, but that person wasn’t a very good team player).

I first learned of murmuration reading adrienne maree brown’s Emergent Strategy. Ever since, as a bird lover and organizational culture geek, I’ve been obsessed with all the lessons it has to offer.

Murmuration teaches us that we need to evolve towards models of collectivism where we know how to share our energy, step back as well as step up, and create space for sudden shifts in our environment.

We need to come together if we are going to outlast our prey.

So, here’s what you need to do to prepare for not just Inauguration Day, but for every day after, regardless of who sits in the oval office: become a starling.

When starlings sense a predator is afoot, they immediately unite. There isn’t time for petty disagreements, competition, or a full-proof contingency plan. Every single bird plays a vital role in the lives of every other bird. They instinctively create a sense of belonging because their lives depend on each other.

So, how do we create a sense of belonging in our organizations at a time in our world where “othering” is the pervasive model?

1. Establish—or re-invest—in a culture committee (you can call it whatever you want). In murmuration, each bird is keeping its eyes on the seven birds nearest to it, which means that everyone has a leader role and a follower role.
   
   Unite a group of staff members, representing all levels and business units of the organization, with differing life experiences, who have access and influence with senior leaders. This is a group that keeps a pulse on the goings-on in your organization through their connections and relationships with the people they work with in their day to day. Their purpose is to elevate the challenges, celebrate what’s working, and increase lines of communication within hierarchical systems.
   
   The aim is to bring people together as a community with specific, strategic, and values-based recommendations and actions and to keep your senior leaders accountable to cultivating a healthy culture for all.
   

2. Ground (reground) in your shared values. On that note, if you don’t have organizational core values, then it’s time to get to work— alongside your team members— to build them.
   
   If you do have them, but rarely refer to them, or they’re lifeless on your wall or website, it’s time to bring them to the forefront. Get very clear on what is expected of everyone, refer to your values consistently, and celebrate models of living into them.
   
   At the same time, name what you don’t collectively value. Make it abundantly clear so no one has to guess (or worse) define what they individually think matters most.

   Each bird in a murmuration knows its role in the flock.

3. Create an environment of mutual support, spaciousness, and adaptability. One of my favorite lessons from murmuration is that when the leader becomes fatigued, another bird takes over for a period of time.
   
   This doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all on who does what. It means that everyone knows what you’re collectively driving towards, and the conditions are in place so that if someone needs to step back, others can step in.
   
   This is about recognizing that the work of social justice is tiring and unpredictable, and more than ever, we are receiving inputs that threaten our efforts, and create very real stress.
   
   In my experience with non-profit organizations for over thirty years, it was rare that there was any allotted time to react to new conditions or information. Yes, we need to keep pushing towards achieving our goals, but we need to do so in a way that gives us room to breathe, take a break, regroup, and pivot.

   We need the collective energy to be able to react to any threats.

4. Expand your networks. Too many social justice non-profits work in isolation from one another.
   
   I get it. Unfortunately, the funding landscape has historically set us up to compete for dollars with a deficit mindset. Where are there opportunities to unite with like-minded organizations? How can you find deeper, expansive partnerships? What could it look like to share resources?
   
   The more starlings in a murmuration, the greater the rate of survival of their species. They are not in competition with each other, but rather dependent on one another to stave off their prey.
   

5. Look for signs of hope and elevate them. Costco rejected an anti-DEI shareholder proposal as bad for business and just yesterday I read that Apple’s board of directors recommended investors vote against a shareholder proposal to abolish their DEI program, and each, in fact, plan to double down on this essential focus.

   This is HUGE, and a reflection of what I believe is going to be a renaissance time of change in spite of authoritarianism threats.

   These companies are aligning within, and will reap the benefits.

When I witness a murmuration, I see instinctive lessons in survival that can only happen through everyone doing their part, knowing that we all survive—and thrive—through collective action. We will not make it if we put our heads down in isolation from one another. It’s time to pick our heads up and strategically align.

In that vein, I’m including a link to support families upended by the L.A. fires. The Black community, in particular, is infuriatingly often last in receiving support. This list supports people of color, and other marginalized groups. Donating small amounts to multiple families is in the spirit of the starlings, a way to lift up an entire community.

For anyone who subscribes (paid or not) to this Substack, I’m offering a free 30 minute consultation to collaborate on any sticking issue that might be in your way of creating the community you know you’ll need over this next season. Reach out! lynnae@lynnaehilltalentadvising.com

And, if you have additional thoughts on what we can be doing to not just survive, but thrive, please share them in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Steady (as she goes),

Lynnae

This beautiful piece was painted by my former colleague and friend, Andrea Orsini, commissioned as a gift to me by my former manager and friend, Jeff Nelson.

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What I’m listening to on repeat:

I had not heard of Common Saints until my friend, Sue, sent me this album: Cinema 3000, thinking I would love it. She was on point. It’s a great feeling when someone gets you, isn’t it? I’m obsessed with every song. The songwriter, Charlie J Perry calls it “psychedelic soul,” and I think he draws on R+B, 70’s groove and 80’s synthesizers. There’s a melodic flow and the vocals remind me of Broken Bells (The Shins lead singer, James Mercer and the artist, Danger Mouse). It’s groovy music that makes me move; I just can’t sit still when I play it.

Cinema 3000 by Common Saints

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Let’s partner.

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Notes of Gratitude:

Special shout-out to Carol, Vivian, Katie, Megan, Shane, Bobbi, Jenn, Terri, Mindy, Beth, Michelle, Nicole, Adam, Heather, Alli, Andrea, and Jill for becoming paid subscribers; I am so deeply grateful.

Thank you to everyone who has chosen to be here. I welcome and crave your input and reflections. 

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