Up with Actual Public Speaking

Compelling presentations don't begin with PowerPoint. They don't end with PowerPoint. In fact (well, in my opinion), they are about as far away from PowerPoint as you can get. John Kotter's book, A Sense of Urgency, reinforces the message with his commentary about stepping away from the PowerPoint, out of the dim lights and into less-than-perfect delivery. This doesn't take the place of a coherent message or a practiced presentation, it simply reminds us that the power of a presentation lies within people's ability to connect with it, its speaker and the intent.

The Approachability Balance

Approachability means a lot. It allows people to let down their guards for just a moment and explore the possibility that you might be able to help them improve their lives. Too much, however, and it's over. There is a balance between approachability and aloofness. Research has shown in terms of consultants that the less friendly, the higher the perceived value. Why is it that the human need for connection becomes overshadowed by the business sense of distance?

Speaking to SMEI-Madison

I'm looking forward to speaking to the Madison chapter of Sales & Marketing Executives International. They've invited me to kick-off their 2008-2009 season. We'll be talking about the value of involving stakeholders in your creative and brand development. Why not use creativity to connect people... it works to your advantage! If you're in the area, register and come down to The Madison Club. Bring your questions. I'll stay late.

Color Speaks

Color provides information, brings immediate comprehension, creates an identity, evokes emotions and explains products --- often with little help from text or other components of the materials.

Messages sent internationally may become "lost in translation," but this can be avoided through carefully chosen colors. Colors communicate in ways that transcend verbal boundaries, sending messages to audiences previously unreachable. This is especially true for internet-based endeavors and products, where anyone in the world can access your materials.

Even when people can understand what you say to them, people often doubt the truth of the words you say. There is a natural tendency, however, to trust what a color says to you. On a subconscious level, colors speak volumes and never lie, making them a communicator's very dear friend. This trust, in turn, can be used to move people in one direction or another, sparking emotions, actions and purchases.

Color should serve as a main method of message transmission, not as a feature to embellish text and logos. Color choice should be a part of an integrated design process. We do not interpret the world as black and white, which is why color ads seem more realistic and inviting to target audiences.

Black and white are obviously useful, and have their own time and place, but all colors come down to context and content. People advertise to sell a product or service, and each message is unique. The color combinations chosen to sell these messages should be equally original and meaningful. Finding the right fit between what people want to say, and how they should say it is an invaluable skill.

Proper Color Enhances Processing

Monica S. Castelhano (Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst) and John M. Henderson (Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland) published some interesting research demonstrating the power of proper color. They tested various scenes to see how quickly people processed the "gist" of it and then whether that processing was enhanced purely by the use of color or it it was the use of "proper color." They tested abnormally colored blurry scenes, normally colored scenes and monochrome blurry scenes. The results? Proper color matters.

Our brains register the colors in the pictures and link the colors to our expectations of how it should be. Colors supplement and strengthen the structural information we absorb. In 42 milliseconds, our eyes can receive an image and send it to our brains. Our brains can then manipulate this information, and activate schemas that rely on a network of stereotypes that help us make sense of it all. Color, in effect, allows our brains to be more efficient and allows us to function better and react faster in any environments we may find ourselves. Hooray for color --- and for psychology.

Drive Your Reader

Your choices of colors and placements influence your reader's reading. There is an order underlying how we process information and design.

• People are drawn from dark to light areas and from large to small objects.
• Image position determines where the reader goes next.
• Captions and callouts captivate.

We didn't make this stuff up nor did we do the original (and ongoing) research. But we do study it, use it and share it for others to improve how they connect with their reader(s).

Envelope Eye Patterns

When people receive mail, they typically do four things in a very specific order:

1. they look at their name
2. they notice the sender's name
3. they check the type of postage
4. they flip the envelope over

They don't spend time thinking about it, but if you do then you can use the envelope to your advantage. Combine it with the knowledge that size and color matter and your next envelope could become a powerful tool for communicating your message.

Common Credibility

Great brands have brand champions who find common threads that are pulled from the organization's mission and strategic framework. They connect them to the targeted audience and the intended outcome. Such alignment promotes the organization's credibility, particularly when it reaches out to different types of stakeholders.

Quotable Quote

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -- Leonardo Da Vinci

PowerPoint 1-2-3

1. Target for no more than 15 words on a slide -- think quality, not quantity.

2. Use the slide to reinforce your main point and to serve as your backdrop -- please don't read to the screen.

3. When a slide lacks value or insight, delete it -- did you really miss it during your practice run?

Embrace A Different Process

The strategic planning process is as valuable as the resulting documents -- perhaps moreso. A well-constructed and well-facilitated process brings leadership together for constructive conversations. It removes the element of competition. It reduces fear or uncertainty about the volume of post-it notes you can or cannot generate in a defined period of time. An engaging process that sparks reflection, supports conflict and drives toward a practical outcome actually encourages strategic thinking and generates discussion. Through these discussions, people decide upon an aim and a pathway to achieve it. They connect and align around a purpose. They have breakthroughs on elements of the business that will never even make it into the strategic plan. They key, however, is a non-traditional process and a facilitator with an open mind, contagious energy and a gift for listening, distilling and laughing.

Tasteful Takes Talent

Assertions that taste and aesthetic sense count for very little in direct response are nothing more than excuses. Perhaps for poor creative talent, perhaps lack of knowledge about the target audience, perhaps laziness or a focus on nothing more than squeezing billable hours.

When coming from a creative team, it reflects a poor understanding of their purpose (to advance the objective of the client by connecting with stakeholders to move a desired action). When coming from a consultant, it reflects ignorance that de-values the power of effective creative problem-solving and talented designers. When coming from a client/organization, it indicates they haven't worked with the right creative professionals or don't care enough about the outcome to invest in an effective solution up-front.

It's sad, really, that people are ready to sacrifice taste and aesthetics because it is more of a challenge to make something tasteful and effective than it is to make it ugly. A good conversation? Yes. A sad state of affairs? You bet.

Business + Branding

Business drives branding; branding builds business. "If a company does not have a good business strategy, there is no way to develop a good branding strategy and all the elements that will need to be designed and executed to get it out into the world," says RitaSue Siegel. That business strategy hinges on strategic thinking, practical planning and razor sharp focus on what needs to be done so that scarce resources (and they always are) can set about making it happen.

Old School Principles Drive New School Twist

David Kiley's article on Ford Motor Company (The Fight for Ford's Future) offers some good insights about brand building strategy that also apply for strategic thinking and practical planning. The same old strategies aren't going to work in an evolving world but some old school principles still hold power:

• Bring people into the (creative) process.
• Generate commitment by being clear and consistent.
• Be disciplined and stay focused.
• Edit.

Form Supporting Function

Great to read about the Steelcase Cobi chair in the July 28 BusinessWeek. Finally, a design that seeks to make sitting backward a bit more comfortable. When the function is creative thinking and brainstorming, two feet on the floor with knees at ninety degree angles facing front is not always the most effective form.

Chickens, Eggs & Other Ponderings

Organizational development is at the core of fostering and focusing (or re-focusing) the essence of a company. Delivering on that essence by creating and shaping experiences through operations, marketing, etc. not only stems from organizational development but also requires the ongoing reinforcement of the organizational principles. Link the thinking and you drive the organization forward.

Productivity Stat

"If you have low morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about 25 cents of value. If you have high morale, for every $1 you spend, you get about $3 of value. Companies should pay more attention to morale."

-- Brad Bird, director of two Academy Award winning animated films
(The Incredibles and Ratatouille) as intereviewed in McKinsey Quarterly.

From my experience, building higher morale is less about fun and games in the office and more about respecting people for the contributions and their challenges. It's about clarifying objectives, sparking curiosity and communicating with people as openly as possible. When people understand the rationale of decisions, they are able to commit more quickly.

Looks Matter

Looks are important. Let's not fool ourselves. So, is consistency. People put greater stock in organizations that offer a sense of consistency in what they say and how they say it, particularly when they are talking to different constituencies.

Consistency for the sake of consistency is bad. Yes. But, consistency for the sake of reinforcing a core purpose with diverse stakeholders ... far from bad. In fact, very good. And, when it looks good: all the better!

Go Back to Go Forward

Think back to simpler times. When approaching something, take a moment to put yourself back into the shoes of a 5-year-old. What do you see? What surprises you? What's possible? Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the capacity to approach challenges from four perspectives: analytically, procedurally, relationally or innovatively. Yet, by puberty, we've shut down half of that capacity. From that point forward, we only preserve the modes of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life. It speaks to the value of teams made up of diverse thinkers and varied perspectives. It also reinforces the value of stretching one's mind and reclaiming skills from yesteryear in order to deliver beyond business as usual for future success. Start small on something you control, then expand to larger projects and strategic planning efforts that set the stage for your future.

New Habits for New Advantage

Too much routine hinders our ability to solve new problems, but brain researchers have shown that when we consciously develop new habits, we create entirely new brain cells that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks. And, once on those tracks, it is crucial that we allow time and space for wonder and reflection. Time to explore possibilities. Space to align those possibilities with the objective. Then, focus a constructive conversationto convert the talk into action. Take a chance today and see what develops tomorrow; become amazed by the creative energy that sparks.

Know Your Network

Succeeding in business can be hard enough on its own. Add to the mix the risk of an entrepreneurial or start-up venture and you need more than a solitary love for what you’re doing. You need people surrounding you, at work and out of work, who can push you, pull you and support you. Let them help you hone your plan to achieve your vision; and be sure they do it all while helping you be true to yourself.

Little Luck

We are all a factor of our environment and a factor in our environment. As you observe, as you adapt, as you build, you become a force in defining and achieving your destiny. And, research indiciates that luck may have little to do with it. Psychologist Richard Wiseman found that people who describe themselves as lucky share common habits that account for their success – he found that they tend to be friendly, fond of new experiences, relaxed and observant. They also tend to be, what he called, pigheadedly optimistic: They believe in themselves, they believe in their networks, they believe in their vision and they believe in their plan. In the end, when they face adversity, they don’t give up, they adapt. They get lucky.

Come alive

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. " - Howard Thurman

Shared Vision = Shared Success

When researching his book Startups That Work, Joel Kurtzman found that successful ventures usually have a team of two or three founders who share a common vision – their success rate, as a cohesive founding team, is a remarkable 50%. Compare that with the odds for solo founders. Research showed that individuals were more likely to find themselves as only one in 10 of businesses that succeed because the individual visionaries find themselves working at cross-purposes with hired employees who see things differently. It’s a strong case for connecting purpose and people.

Creativity that connects

If you're going to invest in creative campaigns, make them work for your organization. Connect the creative to the essence of your mission, culture and identity. It creates an ever-present thread that connects the audience back to your organization. It also helps to engage your stakeholders so they become part of (or create) a conversation that includes you. Perhaps our goal as organizations shouldn't be to sell our product, service or mission but to become part of the way in which people think and live their lives.

Talk, talk, talk -- to yourself

A recent Wall Street Journal article explores a phenomenon that many of us might consider the sure signs of losing our minds: Talking to ourselves. The habit of self-chatter usually begins as babies and toddlers, where it plays a vital role of language acquisition and communication. However, researchers have found that as many as 96% of people still talk to themselves. And there seem to be many benefits. "Among the things it's useful for is what's called self-regulation: goal-setting, problem-solving, decision-making and planning."

Furthermore, self talking also increases during complex tasks and stressful times." Hearing your own voice can actually help get your ideas straight, keeping you focused and ready to act.
"The irony is that self-chatter, like sharp objects, is both most suited and least suited to the workplace. At work where we would most benefit from talking out loud ... we are least likely to do so for social reasons." So maybe the next time any of us have a decision to make or an important document to write, let's speak up and out loud!

Honing In on Out There Marketing

"Out there" marketing works only when it connects "in here" for the audience -- and for the organization. It connects to the head, it connects to the heart, it connects within the audience and compels them to action. Preferably, the intended action. Campaigns that work break through the clutter with simplicity, clarity and creativity. They grab the right kind of attention so that the audience remembers the intent and thinks about it, talks about it or takes action on it. Effective campaigns stimulate intrigue and encourage participation as the audience takes the next step.

As you're preparing your next campaign or communication, start within. What do you need to see? What do you want to have happen? What new technique, technology or tactic might move you beyond business as usual? Get curious. Then, picture your audience. Think about the world from their perspective and their pressures. Get creative. And, before you sign off on final approval or hit "send," ask yourself if your new "out there" creative is going to bring *in* your audience.

Asking for money seems hard

We lose many things when we age, many of which aren't so obvious. As children, we have a certain freedom to explore, to try and to question. As children, we ask questions out of curiosity; as we age, we start to ask questions for other reasons. As children, we ask people for things that we need with a simplicity that affords a simple response; as we age, we make it harder -- for the ask and the answer. Add money to the mix for adults and the complexity only increases.

Yet, since we can't return to simpler days of childhood, we must strive to make it easier for people involved in helping nonprofits ask for money (particularly when involved with a capital campaign). Try starting with a creative discovery process that encourages people to engage like curious children -- eager to learn, encouraged to question. Allow the energy (and insights) from that process to inform the messages, the imagery, the case, the everything. Make it accessible. Shape it to be compelling. Then, bring people together in a safe environment to play (role play) in introducing the idea, building the relationship, making the ask and moving forward with the answer.

Capital campaigns and development are far from child's play, though perhaps we can make them easier by looking to lessons from simpler days.

The Senses of Identity

BusinessWeek reported this week on the adoption of a sensory approach to enhancing the customer experience at Credit Suisse. The scents of choice: peppermint with hints of grapefruit and green tea. "Surveys showed an uptick in customer satisfaction at the sensory branches." The statistics are in on their experience, so make one of your own ... what's your scent?

Speak to the positive

Imagine if there was someone in your office or social circle designated to remind you not to gossip -- at least for the next hour. An interesting proposition raised as The New York Times reported on a national campaign in high schools sponsored by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, a religious group based in Suffern, N.Y. The campaign may stem from religious roots, seeking "to use religious teachings to raise awareness about the power of speech, for good and for ill." Yet, what a good reminder for all that social warfare stems from words; and words are very, very powerful weapons. Let us, too, use them for the positive.

Start with the box

Research attributed to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has shown that the degree to which we use creativity at work is a safeguard against disengagement, low morale, burnout and absenteeism. In the interest of having creativity work to your advantage (and protecting the interests of those of us who infuse it professionally), take a page from our book. Always be prepared to make it relevant. Know your box and embrace it. Find the edges. Figure out how tall it is. Know what it’s made of. Basically know your parameters. Then, start pushing a little. Pull it. Try to jump out of the box. When you escape, soak everything in. Run amuck through the open fields. Feel the greener grass under your feet. And, do it quickly. Because the true value will then come when you bring everything you’ve discovered back into the box with you and use it to deliver a better solution while the problem is still relevant to your success.

Try a little something new

Creativity often stems from perspective: primarily involving your ability to take risks in exploring a different one. Start small. HOW Design has a great new installment that is infusing a different creative technique over four weeks with the challenge to try them all and make your month more creative. While the magazine targets the design industry, the first push lays out a wonderful welcome mat for anyone with the desire to try new things. Happy experimenting!

Sounds of Success

The first thing people notice when they walk into our office are the orange and yellow walls. Eventually, they notice something else: the music. Sometimes it erupts in that they finally comment on the range of styles they've heard in the span of a few minutes; sometimes it's a sidenote about its mere presence; other times it is simply the supportive energy during a creative silence. We didn't invent the idea; we simply benefit from it.

A recent article cites a study that shows music in the workplace "releases a listener's endorphins, reduces stress and improves creativity." Furthermore, behavioral scientists also suggest listening to music in the workplace boosts employee relations. The article points out that music is a universal tool of nearly every background and generation, and it offers a great way of making connections.

Evolving an Identity

The April 2008 issue of PRINT Magazine has a series of articles on the Lord & Taylor signature. Seeing the traditional approach to advertising is invigorating for "old school types" such as myself. There is something truly beautiful about classic sketches and ad layouts from the 40s, 50s and 60s. The attention given to integrating the logo into the ads, into that world, is commendable. The respect given to the identity's heritage by David Lippman and BrandBuzz is as well. Now, let's hope those involved with strengthening the brand remember that success stems from knowing who you are, what you stand for and what you want to achieve. Define that and connect it with your audience; you put yourself in a position to make things happen.

The Power of Positive

'Tis the political season and it's exciting to see such a focus on language this time around. A recent Clinton line caught my attention: "It’s time we moved from good words to good works, from sound bites to sound solutions..."

It may be the time, but perhaps not the best strategy. It goes both ways, after all, perhaps it's time some candidates moved from good works to good words, from sound solutions to sound bites. The great things come from a combination of those principles. Push only the practical, you neglect to inspire. Neglect the practical and you deflate your promise.

Obama has hit a chord with a lot of people. They are responding to what they crave in their society, in their communities. They crave some hope. While the language speaks of "change," hope is at the heart of the matter. There is a power to the positive. Many Americans, right now, really want it (even if they can't define it). So, rather than pushing for a movement from promise to policy, perhaps it's time for all of the candidates to strike their balance.

Context is Crucial

Success lies within context. For anyone to succeed, they must know the context that defines success. For people to communicate effectively, they must know the context of the message. You can have a brilliantly crafted line but if put in the wrong or improper context, it loses all power. As you develop your next campaign, think about the context of how the message will be received and let that shape the context of its delivery.

Best Laid Plans are Sometimes Best Lain

In business, we have a tendency to get swept up in the mania of what needs to be done (or what we perceive needs to be done). In business, we think of goals; we set targets; we make plans; and, then, we feel a sense of panic or failure when an unexpected, unconnected emergency diverts our attention. We forget that we're connected with people who can and will help. So perhaps it's not just in business that we get swept up. Perhaps it is in life itself -- which might be why life sometimes takes the time to remind us that our true need is to focus on what's important. What's crucial. Relinquish those plans, those goals and targets. Breathe. Focus on what's important. You just might find you've created opportunities for so much more.

Make Your Choice

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to simply pass along words of others who share similar thoughts ... Here's something from Seth Godin: "... stop thinking about how crazy the times are, and start thinking about what the crazy times demand. There has never been a worse time for business as usual. Business as usual is sure to fail, sure to disappoint, sure to numb our dreams. That's why there has never been a better time for the new. Your competitors are too afraid to spend money on new productivity tools. Your bankers have no idea where they can safely invest. Your potential employees are desperately looking for something exciting, something they feel passionate about, something they can genuinely engage in and engage with. You get to make a choice. You can remake that choice every day, in fact. It's never too late to choose optimism, to choose action, to choose excellence. The best thing is that it only takes a moment -- just one second -- to decide."

Difference between vision and strategy

I don't know who said it, but it struck a chord and extends well beyond the mentioned sector: Responsible nonprofits may dream with rose-colored glasses over their eyes, but they don’t plan without removing them.

Mission to mission

Growing an organization relies on a connection between the mission of the organization and the personal missions of the people who make it real. Help your employees find their spark by encouraging them to reflect and create a personal mission. Then, find out what makes them happy and energizes them at work. Determining the right (or wrong) fit can help move your organization forward.

Let employees help move you forward

When your organization knows where it's headed, communicates that with employees and invites them to take ownership of how to get there, you're starting on the right track. Add in a dash of play, creativity and celebration -- you're ready to move forward.

Design as a component

A well-crafted strategy goes nowhere if it can't be communicated. A key component to that communication is the visual design of the intents, often the words. Fo Wilson, designer, said it well: “Design has to be woven into the strategy or it’s much harder to understand the message of the organization. It can’t be tacked on at the end or it will always seem like an afterthought.” Effective design, when integrated with strategy, can take you beyond business as usual.

A Bit of Old School Charm

It seems, now, more than ever, relationships win the day. Whether you're selling widgets, services or the greater good, connecting with people makes a world of difference. What are you doing for your customers, your employees or your donors to make you the organization of choice? Steve Yastrow sparked a discussion on this thread that demonstrates the value of the extra touch in making your stakeholders believe they "can't get it anywhere else."

Messaging that Drives Behaviors

The power of messaging lies in its ability to shape attitudes, behaviors and actions. When shaping your organization's next messaging strategy, winnow all of the conversation to one main message -- the most important thing you need to communicate. Then, identify the most important word in that message. Write it down. Reflect on it. Then, create the deliverable. But, before you send it out the door, take a moment to go back to that one word -- do you see it in what you delivered?

Lessons for All Sectors from High-Impact Nonprofits

There are lessons to be learned for all sectors from a recent study of high-impact nonprofits published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Success in achieving social change, according to the findings, stems not from perfect management, brand name awareness, breakthrough ideas, textbook mission statements, conventional metrics or large budgets. It stems from being clear about what you want to achieve. It comes together by creating evangelists who are going to help you get there. High-impact organizations focus on results and do whatever it takes to achieve them -- within reason.

How about your organization: Are you clear about the greater good you seek to achieve? Are you connecting people to it? Are you clinging to conventional ideals or moving beyond business as usual? Be honest. Be true. And, if you want to achieve it, create a framework for progress to make it happen.

Simple as Strategy

Fast Company said it well: simplicity doesn't mean simple-minded. Developing strategy is like developing advertising in that you have to keep it simple. Value comes from distilling your messages into something that resonates -- creating a story that connects and sells. Pull out your organization's strategic direction. Look at the mission, the vision. Is it clear enough to help someone faced with a choice? Take a look at your values. Do they give a clear picture about what shapes the organization's decisions? Without clarity, your strategic direction doesn't do what it's supposed to do. Without a strategic direction, neither can you.

Calling All Leaders!

As a leader in your organization, you have the opportunity to build your organization’s brand every day. You also have a particular responsibility to be mindful of your words, actions and attitudes because they shape the way people around you (inside and outside the organization) respond.

A quick and easy check-in: create a list of your organization's values or brand traits, put the list somewhere you can see it, schedule a moment of reflection midweek or (better yet) midday to check-in with how well you are reflecting those traits to the people around you. Hopefully, you'll just need that pat on the back to keep up the good work ... but, if you find that 6 times out of 10 you're falling short, you owe it to yourself (and your organization) to figure out why.

Results for Rewards

A study recently completed for the Linchpin Campaign pointed to the value of not only results but also direct communication when talking with donors about progressive causes. As reported in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Project Director Majorie Fine said: "Some people were saying, 'We see what happens in the short term, we don't see the big picture. It means that communication is key to getting more donors that want to support this work."

Read a summary of the campaign.

For all of you involved in progressive nonprofit work, seek out opportunities at your next retreat or in your next Board meeting to push your thinking about the vision for your organization and clarify what you expect to see as you take steps toward its achievement. Bring in a facilitator to guide the discussion.

Consider this framework: Your organization was invited to participate in a charitable contest. An eccentric philanthropist identified three progressive organizations. Each organization has to pitch a pathway project. Winner take all. $15 million. The prize is awarded based on the thinking and on the presentation. Break out into small groups and brainstorm your organization's pitch.

Perhaps something more concrete might help your group ... Identify your major programs. Break out into small groups and link each program to your long-term plan or your organization's vision. Present. Have each person critique the clarity of the presentation as well as the program's connection to both the bigger picture and the delivery of results.

And, if your organization doesn't have that plan or that vision ... stop. Don't go another step without consulting with a professional who can help you build a framework for your future success. It not only helps employees, it helps donors see that you value the greater good and that you understand how your organization is part of a movement for positive social change.

Nonprofits Benefit by Aligning Assets with Mission

There are a few pluses to running a nonprofit a bit like a business. As the Triple Bottom Line gains momentum, nonprofits have an opportunity to demonstrate to Board members and the community how they, too, consider human capital, social capital and financial capital when making decisions.

When nonprofits live and breathe in a world of limited assets, fighting for scraps, it can be tough not to give over automatically to the desire for financial returns that maximize the minimum. Yet, nonprofits who step back and work from a platform of mission-based decision-making can make inroads and great strides that produce higher 'triple returns.'

Some small steps can make a big difference in starting down that road. Here are four to consider:

1. Be clear about your purpose. A clear mission makes for better decisions and keeps you from being too easily swayed by promises of deep pockets or other opportunities. A good facilitator can help you articulate that mission and a community loan fund can help with technical assistance that uses it to build your financial capacity.

2. Document your commitments. Write down the filters that are important to your organization. Formalize it into a vendor selection policy or an investment policy. Share it with employees, funders and other stakeholders to demonstrate your commitment and create an opportunity to talk with them about the issues important to your organization.

3. Audit your assets. Take stock of the human, programmatic and financial assets of your organization. Think about the vendors with whom you do business and look for ones that support your values. If you offer retirement plans for your employees, consider including a socially responsible investing option.

4. Share your story (and share it again). A once-a-year plug is not going to do it. Remind people on a recurring basis about the value of walking the socially responsible talk. Help people who live it on a daily basis remember how to leverage their assets in a mission-driven way.


Thanks to Salli Martyniak, Forward Community Investments, and Steve Zahn-Cantelmo, AG Edwards, for their conversations on this topic.

Single Steps of Progress

Now is the time for society to rise up and take actions for the betterment and protection of humanity. If each individual takes a single humanitarian action, connections will be made for long-lasting progress.

Beyond the Promise

The true value of an organization over time comes down to performance not promise. While we hook people or intrigue them by what we promise, we generate loyalty and connection with them when we deliver on those promises.

Consider your organization ... how well connected is what you promise to what you deliver? Would people at every layer of your organization agree with you?

Perhaps you have an opportunity to bring people together in constructive conversations about the organization's core purpose and how it performs for its stakeholders. Using that information, you can create a clear framework for progress that puts everyone in your organization on the pathway to value.

Or, perhaps you've just uncovered a reason to celebrate!

Brand Success Connects

Success comes not when people connect to your brand but when your brand connects people to each other.

Great Brands are Consistent

Branding is about consistency. It's about acting in a manner consistent with your core purpose. It's about deciding in a manner that is consistent with your goals. It's about communicating to your stakeholders in a manner that is consistent with your value to them.

Jeff Brooks goes a step too far in dismissing the importance of brand guidelines (and the look of your brand). If you have a great brand, the last thing you should do is dismiss the "puny efforts of the brand police to achieve consistency." If you have a great brand, you should applaud the efforts of your "brand police" to ensure that there is a thread of visual connection among the messages you're selling to your stakeholders -- be they employees, customers, donors, shareholders or members of the general society. After all, great brand guidelines (which do exist, contrary to Mr. Brooks' assertion) provide context and share the story of the brand: where it came from, what it stands for and why it's important.

Plus, we live in a world of appearances. What you look like matters. And, in a world of uncertainty, people are more likely to support organizations that connect all of their messages -- the written, the actions, the spoken and the visual.

Connecting Words

In a business that's all about creating connections through communication, it's fun to come across tools that clarify the very words we use by connecting them. Check out the Visual Thesaurus. Use it to map your brand traits. Then explore new ways to express them and live them without losing sight of the core message.

Experience Design :: Design Experiences

Scott Mallwitz recently shared a great mental image when explaining experience design: it's about creating a ride, then watching your brother scream like a girl when he's on it. Design can't be truly great until it grabs ahold of the intended audience. Design is a conduit for the interaction and connection of the audience, who bring the real energy.

A Sequence of Messaging

Messaging is about drawing emotion and imprinting a memory in the brains of our audiences. If they remember the emotion and can associate it with the brand ... success! The messaging is only one-half words. The other half? Design. The right juxtaposition of imagery and ideas will lead the audience to the path of enlightenment. It will educate. It will inform. It will instruct. It will influence. Here is a sequence we recommend for effective messaging: State the objective; discover the idea; differentiate through the words and deliver with the design.

Direct response is what it says

Direct response is what it seeks: not a delayed action, but an immediate response. "Call today!" "Order now!" etc. They are the rally cries of direct marketing. Thinking about employing some direct response? Consider:

1. Copy is king. The right words in the right place at the right time have the power to grab attention, keep attention and get a response.

2. Definitions drive response. Define your audience and you create the pathway to their response. Insights on the target audience should drive your copy, your images and your desired response.

3. Media matters. Proper placement is one thing, proper negotiation matters even more.

4. Return rules. Measuring for the response can be "easy" but only when you have the proper tools in place.

Above all, design matters. When effective tactic is combined with effective design, well, look out. The results are unmistakable. The design doesn't need to be award-winning but it does need to be brand consistent.

Curiosity Sparks Action

Frame your communication to play to people's curiosity. Craft the right set of questions and you might be surprised at how curiosity about answers sparks people to action. Dan Heath shares a post he received about how the right questions drove attendance at a church finance meeting.

What's your question?

Red herring, anyone?

It strikes me that Claire Gaudiani's call in an August Chronicle of Philanthropy sparks good conversation but may not be constructive for the very organizations represented by the "sector." She calls for use of "social-profit" to reflect the "investment, risk taking, and entrepreneurial imagination that have always been so essential to organizations that serve the social good.” Since nonprofit organizations, even while called nonprofits, can focus on investment, risk taking and entrepreneurial imagination, important energy needed to communicate that focus may be diverted. Rather than spend time discussing a new name for the nonprofit sector, we suggest spending time telling your social-profit stories to staff, clients, board members, donors and community. Talk about risk and return. Show results. Be accountable. Worry less about the name of the sector and more about creating the common good.

Positivity Plus

Penelope Trunk, blogger, Yahoo! columnist, and author of The Brazen Careerist, often points to the study of positive psychology to explain her views of the work world. One of the tenets of positive psych is to spend more time focused on areas of strength than trying to improve areas of weakness. Part of the reason is that people are happiest when doing what they do best every day. Does your organization focus on improving its strengths? Do you talk internally about identifying those strengths? How could your employees start daily doing what they do best?

Risk for Reward

A reminder we all need from time to time: there is no box. In idea-based businesses, most of our limitations stem only from habit to censor before we create. We hate to be wrong, to look foolish or to appear vulnerable. But to move beyond business as usual, we have to risk all three so we can tap our innate creativity.

Need a push? Read these tips to overcome mental blocks:
http://www.copyblogger.com/mental-blocks-creative-thinking/#more-428

Straight Talk by CEOs: a place to start

Couldn't agree more with Frank Luntz that the time is past for CEOs to start talking in language that Americans actually use. It can be tough to change, but a great place to start is elimininating acroymns. An even smaller first step, don't shorten the name of your organization to an acronym when you write about it. The second step of that challenge, don't do it when you talk about it.

Magical Insight

Words from The Amazing Randi: “Allow people to make assumptions and they will come away absolutely convinced that assumption was correct and that it represents fact. It’s not necessarily so.” Necessary for magicians, yet dangerous for the rest of us -- whether as consultants, coworkers, family members or individuals simply striving to do good in the world -- dangerous when someone else assumes something and it truly isn't necessarily so. Reinforces the power of clarification and connection.

Clarity helps with complicated GenXers

Want to get Gen X into your world, don't tell them what they are going to get of it. Create a sense of community, create an opportunity for connection. Respect the fact that many were shaped in a world filled with lies and they are always on the lookout for the next half-truth or false-proclamation. Since they are complicated, be clear in the true value you deliver.

If you're in the arts, read a post by Bridgette Redman that offers her research-based and first-hand experience on how this applies to arts marketing.

Connecting on your target's turf

Take a lesson from artist/activist Eve Mosher, who seeks to personalize the effects of global warming on New Yorkers through "High Water Line." Her chalking of a 70-mile line to show where waters could reach during storms if climate change trends continue stops people. They watch. They ask what she's doing. They open the door for her to share her compelling story about keeping the water from ever hitting that mark. The project is simple and relevant to her audience. High Water Line connects people in the familiarity of their environment and daily routines. It not only captures their imagination as they envision what that line represents but also invites connects them with the cause.

How do you connect with your audience? Do you engage them on their turf? Step back and find some creative ways for your customers to interact with you.

More information on Mosher's project is available in the August edition of Free Range Thinking.

The stories of your brand

David Pollay writes at Positive Psychology Daily, "Our life is not a series of facts only. It is mostly a set of interpretations we have made about events in our life. These interpretations add up to a story -- a story of who we think we are, what we have experienced, and what we're likely to do in the future."

This is true for your organization as well. Your brand is not simply a series of facts. While it stems from fact (a quality product or service), it is created from the interpretations of your customers and employees. It is in the stories told -- the ones you craft carefully as well as the ones you might never hear. Gather stories. Conduct a communications audit. Survey. Take steps so that the stories of your organization reflect your brand and your vision of achievement.

Building Better Nonprofit Board Leaders

Nonprofit leadership is as much about an effective Board as it is about a visionary staff. Well-meaning, yet ill-intentioned, business leaders can wreak havoc. Help them help you. When staff clearly explain the Board member's role and the responsibilities, they can all be better leaders. Add these four things and you've got business people who will build and support better nonprofit leadership:

1. Take responsibility. Nonprofit service isn't about building a resume and it's more than feeling good about "giving back." Nonprofit leadership is about being accountable for moving the organization forward from a position of strength. Take responsibility for asking questions and making tough decisions.

2. Bring a business mind to the table. Board members need to bring the same business sense to making decisions on a nonprofit Board that they would in their own Board room. Yes, there are differences between not-for-profit and for-profit operations, but limited resources make the balance between them all the more important.

3. Commit to communicate. Consensus-building is often the norm on Boards. Business leaders committed to clear communication that aligns stakeholders can facilitate the type of progress that converts leadership into progress. Communicate clearly, communicate often.

4. Build a better bottom line. Business leaders need to operate from the mindset of fiscal responsibility that bends to mission. It isn't about turning a profit, but it's not about losing money either. Deficit budgeting is dangerous for any organization. Business leaders can bring their financial goal-setting expertise to the table so that the strategic direction of the organization is strengthened by balanced budgets.

Transformation begins inside

How can you transform your organization? Start with your employees.

In a discussion about change at Merrill Lynch, Diane Schueneman emphasizes how critical it is to facilitate learning opportunities for workers. Develop training programs, offer innovation incentives and support coursework at all levels to allow employees to lead your company’s evolution.

Never forget: people are the organization. Create new ways for people to grow and your business will do the same.


From the archive: Build them, you build your brand.

Going up ...

You press the button, and wait. The familiar bell dings. The doors open; you enter. You wait for the doors to close. Someone rushes in with an appreciative smile. "Thanks. New to the building and can't believe how slow this elevator is ... I see you're one floor above us, what do you all do?"

There it is. The set-up. Respond well, you may have a new client, a new boss, a new friend. Stutter, you botch your first impression and could lose more business than you even know about -- since the power of a network is powerful indeed.

Follow the basics. "Thanks for asking. I'm (name) with (company). We (purpose) for (target audience)." But don't keep it all about you; reciprocate with a question. Start a conversation. The best thing that could happen would be for it to get interrupted at the 12th floor so that you can reconnect later.

Go ahead, press the button.

Don't let a white paper make your reader blue

The white paper. A potentially valuable tool for connecting with your audience. Yet, too often, in an effort to sound authoritative, the white paper author wanders, loses focus and drones on for too long. Don't let it happen to you. Make it relevant. Make it engaging. After all, any communication that doesn’t hit those two marks is a waste of time for the recipient. Craft it with consistent objectives and a sense of clarity in mind. Looking for tips? Consider Michael Stelzner’s upcoming seminar, Creating and Marketing Winning White Papers, or his book on the topic.

Thought for the Day: Storytelling

"The important point that I'm trying to make is that storytelling has nothing, whatsoever, to do with logic. Logic is a limping stepchild of the true processes of the spirit. It's an illusion. It's a defective little parlor trick. Associations are the way that we perceive. Electrical connections caused by the juxtapositions of experience. That's the way we are really built, and storytelling takes into account that truth."

-- David Milch, co-creater of HBO's John from Cincinatti

Seeking to move forward in connecting people with your mission? Suspend logic, allow your mind to free associate, find a clear truth and, then, only then, connect it with your business objective.

Simple constancy for stronger identity

Authenticity is the ability to remain true to oneself in the face of pressures to change. But we are never the same today as we were yesterday, or will be tomorrow. Since change is the only constant in life, how can an organization retain its authenticity and communicate it effectively? Stagis points to Marimekko pattern design for inspiration on staying true to your core purpose while leveraging your “brand’s learning potential” to fulfill your mission in new ways. We are most true to ourselves when embracing how we inevitably change.

Decisions are powerful forces for progress

Progress hinges on decision-making, not decision-building. Good decision-makers gather input efficiently and make a decision based on it quickly. Don't fall into the trap of collecting, opining, rethinking and rebuilding. Make a decision; move forward; and learn from the process.

The upside of silos

Organizational silos may have a redeeming quality by improving specialization within individual groups. Look to the silo-intensive IT industry for tips, and remember to stay focused on clear communication. Don't allow a lack of clarity to sidetrack good work. Connect the task to the mission, bring staff together and foster curiosity -- you just might find the upside of those silos.

Rekindle Curiosity

In today’s competitive, innovation-hungry market, it’s time to recondition how employees look for answers. Author Dennis Stauffer clearly understands this as he advocates “practical creativity” in his book Thinking Clockwise: A Field Guide for the Innovative Leader. Without a sense of discovery, an organization can’t adapt and evolve:

• allow people to share information and admit mistakes
• encourage questions
• rekindle habits of curiosity and you can move an organization in the right direction

Trends in Giving

In a recent study by the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University, four long-term trends in charitable giving were synthesized from the past 40 years of philanthropic activity.

The first trend reflects the rise of foundation giving and charitable bequests. Since 1964, foundation giving has increased 469% and charitable bequests have increased 242%. This is in addition to a 213% increase in corporate giving and a 176% increase in individual giving. Although they may seem like stunning increases, they are merely commendable compared to increases in the economy and income levels. Foundation giving and charitable bequests are becoming important fundraising options for nonprofits.

The second trend shows a consistent 'share of giving' throughout the United States. Although giving in inflation-adjusted dollars has increased, giving as a percentage of the GDP, income and profits has stayed relatively constant. Total giving as a percentage of the U.S. GDP has remained around 2% over the past 40 years. Why are people not donating more even though their assets are increasing? How can the nonprofit sector get people to move above and beyond historic donation levels?

The third trend links government funding and private giving. If a nonprofit receives funds from the government, they tend to receive fewer funds from individuals, and vice versa. The United States gave $1.8 trillion to nonprofits in 2000, and this type of funding had a significant effect on individual giving. Troubling is that when nonprofits receive government funding, they tend to decrease their fundraising expenditures and staff, yet government funding is now diminishing in many area and these may have difficulties reestablishing ties to and relationships with individual donors.

The fourth trend tracks the increase of nonprofit organizations in the United States -- and their increased segmentation. In 1995, there were roughly 630,000 registered nonprofits in the U.S. By 2005, this number had reached about 1 million (a 67% increase). More amazing is that donations to these organizations have kept pace with the growth. Perhaps the increased specialization makes that possible as people who wouldn't have donated before are now asked by new organizations that match their particular interests and concerns. But for those who do have a history in philanthropy, it can become complicated when the time comes to select one organization to receive your donation.

The future of philanthropy looks bright, particularly with the impending 'trillion dollar transfer' as the aging Baby Boomers give their money to children and to nonprofits. And, it raises the bar for nonprofits to enhance accountability and responsibility for managing charitable interests and donations.

Praise for Clarity of Type

An article in Business Week (May 28, 2007) recognized the value of message over typography. UpFront included a mention of the New York Museum of Modern Art celebration of the Helvetica typeface, created by the Haas type foundry in Switzerland 50 years ago. It quoted Curator Christian Larsen: "Helvetica is almost a template... consumers read the message, not the typeface." Another reinforcement that clarity is key to identity and branding.

Sell your ideas by knowing your audience

A recent study found five distinct decision-making styles among executives.

1. Charismatics who show exuberance during a sales presentation, but yield a final decision on a balanced set of information.
2. Thinkers who exhibit often contradictory points-of-view within a single meeting through a barrage of questions.
3. Skeptics who remain highly suspicious of each data point due to their very strong egos.
4. Followers who make decisions based on how other trusted executives made them or decisions they've made previously.
5. Controllers who focus on the pure facts and analytics of the offering due to their large amounts of fear and uncertainty.

Be ready to adapt to the person's attitude during your discussion. And, don't assume you're dealing with Skeptics, who are only about 19% of the typical middle management demographic. You're more likely to find Followers or Charismatics in the room. So, as you sell your idea, observe your audience and adapt your pitch accordingly -- you just might find a greater success rate.

Back to basics, back to profits

In trying to expand Legos beyond itself, the company allowed their focus on the actual toy to drift. This created problems, as people like Legos for what they are - a toy with which to play and create. In 2005, Lego shifted its focus back to basics, selling the theme parks and lessening expansion efforts in order to focus on creating toys. This apparently proved a great move for Lego, as sales are now soaring. Lego controls 60% of the $600 million U.S. construction toy market, astounding numbers when you note that it was failing less than five years ago. Plus, the iconic toy is better than ever, as the company has been bringing back old favorites and inventing new lines. They have also addressed the challenge of kids growing out of toys at younger ages by adding an interactive feature. For many of the new lines, after the actual product has been constructed, kids can then play with them in other ways, such as with moveable race cars and electric powered rides. While this allows for the video game child to be entertained, it still features Legos in their ultimate form: colorful blocks for building. And those blocks are building Lego right back into the place it wants to be -- profitable.

Branding insights from Buddhist traditions

In both the spiritual and secular worlds, the individual search for the soul calls for an understanding of the self in the context of the world around them. Spiritual growth is all about enlightenment through understanding the higher power, the journey, and the world around you.

The link to branding lies in how effective branding creates relevance and connects an individual with an aspect of the larger community and creates relevance and that in developing effective brands, one must keep an open mind and make strong observations.

Bernard Liebov postulates three strands of brand research "in the Buddhist way:"

1. Generate an internal understanding of the brand. Look to those who are ultimately in control of where the brand will go and determine future pathways for an accurate and encompassing brand.
2. Understand the connection of the consumers' immediate world to create a strong path for the brand's growth and establishment.
3. Connect the brand in the context of the broader world. Identify an open space that can be filled by the brand and how that space relates to others.

Remember that everything a brand does should be reflective of its core identity, and that consistency serves as the ultimate reward for those who work behind the brand. Connect to a purpose, generate a vision of achievement, create a plan of action and communicate consistently to that end. Good practice, good business -- and maybe, just maybe, enlightenment too.

Relationships Behind Big Growth for Nonprofits

Since 1970, more than 200,000 non-profit groups have been established in the United States. Of those, only 144 of them have reached $50 million in annual revenue.

In a recent study and discussion conducted by Stanford University's School of Business, non-profit leaders discussed the challenges they face and their effective methods for growing a non-profit organization. All leaders agreed that funding organizational growth is a difficult task, and those over $50 million mark noted a different approach to raising funds.

Larger non-profits succeed based on relationships. They focus on creating one long-term relationship with one funding source, like a corporation or the government. And, they didn't put all their eggs in one basket -- they still pursued diversification and risk management strategies.

Of 101 organizations that have a dominant funding source, over 20% had a secondary source that accounted for more than 10% or more of their revenue. What does it all mean? Focus on building relationships and go big if you can, but don't turn your back on everyone else.

Designing products, utilizing culture

Design Issues in Europe Today addressed the place of culture within all forms of design. As design enhances, it is becoming more and more difficult to differentiate products and services based solely on the way they appear. Where design alone cannot create a differentiating stance, a brand's cultural value (represented by its aesthetics, significance and function) works to set it apart from everything else. Users and consumers demand something more than just functions, they want values, and they want to find them within everything with which they interact. This is already quite visible in certain categories, such as food, clothing, and real estate, where culture lies at the base. But this need for culture and value is extending into new areas, such as airlines, banking services, and electronic goods. Culture needs to be communicated at all times in order to maintain the connection with the public. Use is relevant, but what lies beneath is becoming even more important.

Encourage Do Gooder Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers today are volunteering at higher rates than the two generations before them, but their one-in-three attrition rate could be a problem in the future, according to a new study by the Corporation of National and Community Service. More than one in three Baby Boomers (aged 46 to 57 years) volunteer their time, essentially creating a volunteer explosion in the nonprofit sector. If this increase in volunteers is harnessed properly, the capacity of nonprofit organizations can be enhanced by great measures.

Religious organizations top the list of favored volunteer outlets, followed by education or youth services. Less of an emphasis was placed on being involved with civic, political, business and international activities.

The bad news of this study comes from the fact that more than one in three Boomers who volunteer one year do not volunteer the next, and their volunteer slots may not be filled upon their departure. This is troubling, as volunteers are a critical part of the charitable-sector workforce. A 30 percent turnover rate for volunteers is not a good thing for nonprofit success.

Commitment to volunteering among Boomers increases as the number of hours donated grows, with almost eight in 10 people giving 12 or more weeks a year continuing to volunteer. Additionally, there is a strong connection between volunteering and donating. This, in turn could translate the encouragement of volunteering into greater financial and in-kind contributions from volunteers.

Takeaway: boost your nonprofit by communicating a clear purpose and clear opportunity to volunteers.

Pillars for Social Marketing

A feature on marketingpilgrim.com outlines five pillars of social media marketing through the Internet and Web site design. In order to maximize effectiveness and impact upon the public, it states the following five forms of action are recommended.

1. Declaration of Identity: This phase requires an organization to declare its value, who they are, and where you can find them. This needs to be clearly articulated so that public interest is heightened, while simultaneously bringing them back to the organization. Clear facts and information should be presented throughout the medium.
2. Identification Through Association: This act is basically about getting people to associate themselves with the organization. This is hopefully largely achieved through the clear establishment of its identity (as stated above), but takes it to the next level and pushes the public to talk to others.
3. User-Initiated Conversation: The public comes to the organization with their declarations and questions, largely emerging from interactions thus far, and the organization needs to respond. This is very important to the success of the organization, as it needs to cater to the needs and questions of the public. Basically, it’s about customer service.
4. Provider-Initiated Conversation: This is the time when organizations need to probe the public on how they feel, what they like, what they hate, and how they think. Feedback is invaluable. It’s important to express to the public the value in their opinions, as it can make a lot of positive change emerge.
5. In-Person Interaction: This is the pinnacle form of interaction. After users have visited a Web site and established what exactly they want from it and are receving from it, the interaction needs to be taken to the next level. This solidifies and expands opinions and feelings toward brands.

It has been complicated to achieve this notion in the past through internet-based interactions because of the fact that no one has created a solid structure from which everyone should work, and the problem of overlap of functionality within Web sites. This can be addressed by truly understanding objectives and how to best associate those with the identified targets.

Designing for Business: Making the Impossible Possible

At the Design Management Institute's Conference in Copenhagen in mid-March, much discussion occurred that searched to find out how to measure design’s role in the business world. After much debate, one answer was rendered correct: the act of educating management.

For years, designers and managers have been seen as separate entities, and have largely existed on completely different pages. Designers have viewed themselves as strategic visionaries and problem solvers, while managers have trouble grasping that role, not seeing much value in things that they can’t really quantify.

Conference attendees proposed one particular way in which this discrepancy can be resolved: Designers need to educate themselves about business issues in order to become more effective and better designers while simultaneously doing a better job communicating their value to business. There has never been a better time to make these changes, as design is as popular and regarded as ever. But it requires action to truly be taken in order to being some acceptance and adjustments.

The proposal of creating clearly articulated design strategies struck a chord with many. Designers can use the growing body of data that shows that design can have a positive impact on business performance, essentially increasing revenue, profits, market share, and overall competitiveness. Presenting this information to managers can be a truly effective tool, as acceptance will increase greatly.

Venture Philanthropy Revamped

In a recent commentary by Susan Herr, founder of PhilanthroMedia, she expounds on "Venture Philanthropy 2.0."

Although the definition of venture philanthropy varies, Herr considers it to be the “efforts of high-net worth donors who invest significant time and money in exchange for clearly defined measures of success and the potential to generate greater than average social returns.”

Herr believes that Version 2.0 has become more sophisticated in the following ways:

• Ambition has increase immensely. Donors don’t just want to make progress against global problems; they want to solve them.
• Nonprofits aren’t the only game in town. Rather than having Type A philanthropists work with Type A executive directors to donate funds, new for-profit or hybrid models have entered the scene in order to help donors put their funds where they want.
• Innovation has become more important than organization.
• Rather than focusing on building the capacity of promising nonprofits, newer donations are being given to a larger array of cross-sectoral alliances.

These improvements have the potential to change a lot in the promotion of causes and the solving of global problems, despite the skepticism that surrounds the notion of venture philanthropy.

Big Business Needs Bigger Considerations

In a recent report from the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, results found a growing need for CEOs to increase their efforts in combating social issues that are facing the communities surrounding their businesses.

The study drew four main findings:

1. Public expectations for the role of business have changed significantly since the 1970s.
2. New roles and responsibilities are being thrust on companies.
3. Business is squarely in the middle of a major transition that is reshaping its role in society.
4. The current business model is on a collision course unless companies recognize that society’s issues are impacting positively and negatively their long-term business success.

Changing expectations for social responsibility and financial performance must be met with long-range planning. This long-range planning delivers on a clear purpose and a new vision for achievement of the company, the employees and the community. It stems from a belief that doing good for the company is doing good for the community.

Philanthropy for results not recognition

The Chronicles of Philanthropy captured insights shared recently by some of the country's largest philanthropists. Bottomline, they will take surprising actions to ensure philanthropic intent. Many of our country's philanthropists aren't donating large sums merely to have their names recognized; rather, they want real change and progress to be made. If it's not going the way they intended, they opt out. They choose results over recognition. Something for development directors everywhere to remember -- know your philanthropists' motivations.

Details, details, design details

The beauty lies in the detail. Chris Jordan's work work is derived from a true statistic about the world in which we live. Click the link below and check it out:

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

Design storytellers ala Trollback

In an article from February’s How magazine, award-winning designer Jakob Trollback suggests that designers should start thinking of themselves as storytellers, using design as a language of expression. Content and presentation are inevitably linked together, and unless you care equally about what you’re saying and how you do it, it’s impossible to succeed.

Trollbeck offer the following steps for creating wonderfully effective design “stories.”

Pick up the pen. If you spend your time just making things look pretty, the language is pointless. You must make sure that you’re not just decorating; there has to be a reason behind your design. The solution is storytelling. When you start to think of your design as a story, rather than just a creative execution, you’ll find it much easier to recognize and discard gratuitous design. Every element of the composition should add something to the story, or it has to go.

Start with a script. A good way to get started is to put together a creative statement about your project. Coming up with a creative statement can be really challenging. Even though it won’t capture any of the design’s details, it’s about figuring out the essence of your approach- or you won’t have one at all.

The next part of the script involves the determination of the project’s motivation- what purpose is at the heart of the story, what’s the energy that drives it forward. The motivation should look at the end result and formulate it into words.

Set the scene. Once your statement has been established, you can start thinking about the elements that paint the picture and provide the story’s backdrop. All communication exists in a cultural and social environment. Instead of trying to invent your expression from scratch, you have to immerse yourself in this environment and let it serve as inspiration.

To the Point

"If you want to change hearts and minds, it takes more than ads, more than donations and more than a this-ban-might-not-be-such-a-great-idea approach. You have to have passion and clarity." -- Frank Bures, "Why Fair Wisconsin Lost" Isthmus, Nov. 17, 2006, p. 10

Yet another reinforcement for the power of clear & consistent communication that connects with the target audience. We, at Timpano Group, couldn't agree more with Mr. Bures --- after all, he's advancing what we live and share with our clients.

Let's Keep the Horses Before the Cart

Too often organizations focus so much on the cart [the product, service, capital campaign or launch date] that they get it ahead of the horses [the people involved]. Organizations forget that the critical element to advancing that cart is motivating the horse.

Dangle the right carrot: a clear message that connects. Provide a sense of purpose. Be consistent in the direction. Take the time to connect the horses to the cart properly and enjoy the surge of power that takes the cart from Point A to Destination Z.

What's with clip art?

Why is it that people feel compelled to use stock clip art in PowerPoint presentations? Is it a need to feel clever, that somehow the silhouetted man looking through the spyglass toward a star speaks of strong vision and achievement... is it a hope that it will divert people from the content of the presentation or from the speaker as they marvel at how that clip of art supports the story... How is it that clip art thrown on the page reinforces the brand, I simply don't understand.

A challenge to Millennials

I issue a challenge to those in the Millennial Generation (born 1977-2002). I issue a challenge to the generation that "has high expectations for itself and its employers, seeking highly engaged managers to help them grow and develop their professional skills" (businessweek.com, 10/26/06).

My challenge is simple: take responsibility for your quest. Recognize that the "older generations" just might expect you to earn a few stripes along the way, to actively participate in your development, and to prove that you are worth the investment. Perhaps it is harsh. Perhaps it is unfair. But, in my opinion, it offers an opportunity for those individuals who embrace it to serve themselves, their colleagues, their companies and their causes more effectively. Plus, they just might pave the way for getting those growth moments when it matters the most to them.

Get Out

Vote on Tuesday. Read up on the issues and cast an educated vote to shape your future.

Remember the Idea

At times of strife in business, in those moments when crisis looms, it is critical to step back and remember the idea that began it all. Then, view the strife or the crisis for how it affects that idea and the legacy of the people who began it and built it.

Book Review: New Rules @ Work

New Rules@Work:79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead
By Barbara Pachter with Ellen Schneid Coleman. 272 pages. $13.95

The more things change, the more they stay the same – and, sometimes an easy-to-read reminder is all it takes for us to resolve ourselves to good manners. Barbara Pachter’s latest business book, New Rules@Work, blends unbelievable (yet true, according to her introduction) etiquette missteps with quick analysis, tips and points to help business professionals of all generations navigate the do’s and don’ts of successful business behaviors.

Easy enough to read in one sitting, and designed so you can jump in at any section, the content is common sense and current. The book even provides some basics about international sensitivities along with specific insights about when to fight the urge to clean your plate and how to get around drinking too much in Romania – or at the local lounge.

Pachter also takes care to give both sides of many etiquette stories: for instance, not only tips for entertaining at home but also guidelines for how to respond when the boss asks you to his or her house.

New Rules@Work offers an excellent business etiquette introduction or refresher, though it is important to note that the rules aren’t necessarily new and if you read between the lines from cover to cover, you’ll find more than 79 pieces of advice.

Does Productive Dreaming Really Stop at 29?

I was just told that we are facing a crisis in Wisconsin because people aged 20-29 years are leaving the state and taking their dreams with them. I was told that because these young people were leaving, I need to work hard to get them back or prevent them from leaving so that I can have a brighter future. I need their dreams. I was told, yet somehow I don't believe. I don't buy it that people 30 and older no longer have helpful or productive dreams about how to make this a better place? Rather, I believe that whether we stay or we go, our experiences give us a greater appreciation for our communities, a greater understanding of what can be applied to improve them and a greater zeal for improving that which once was left. Let us celebrate people who leave and return, let us also celebrate people 30 and over who still know how to dream. And, let us appeal to 'boomers' not to discount the 'Xers' -- for we are the ones who know how to make things happen, we possess that independent spirit that pushes the boundaries of what might be and still knows when to proclaim that the emperor has no clothes.

Who Controls Your Brand, Anyway?

It's easy to get confused, or to want to take the easy way out. But don't do it. Customers, as a general rule, don't control successful brands. Neither do marketing specialists, brand managers, vice presidents of communications or other such titles. Employees do.

Yes, customers can create their own commercials and videos about your brand. Yes, customers can mock your brand in any number of ways. Yes, customers can rip your brand to shreds before the eyes and ears of millions (or even billions of people). And, yes, they can probably do it better, faster and cheaper than you can. But, that doesn't mean they are in control.

Yes, marketing types can create brands, articulate brands and impose brands. They can tell you about the brand personality or write out the brand promise. But that doesn't mean they control the brand either.

Employees have the power. Employees are the living and breathing reflections of the brand. They talk as the brand. They listen as the brand. They create products/services on the brand's behalf. They act as the brand.

So, employees have to understand the brand and connect with it. They have to see the value in delivering on that brand consistently. They have to understand they are in control of it.

And people who develop those brands need to remember the value of creating it in a manner that is clear, consistent and connected. Clear in its intent, consistent in its application and connected to its target audiences.

Worry less about trying to gain footing in the world of tech savvy customers and think more about how you can ensure employees at every level are building brand equity with the customers who matter to your bottom line.

Strategic Planning vs. Responsible Planning

Most organizations need to erase the idea of the 5-year strategic plan. They need to move away from this preconceived notion of "strategic planning" and start thinking responsibly. Use a process that aligns stakeholders, managers and leaders around a vision of achievement.

Forget about what works or doesn't work for major corporations or stagnant organizations. After all, even Six Sigma goes out of style. Instead, think about what you need to accomplish and how you are going to get there.

Forget about a plan for the next five years. Instead, create a clear idea of success five years from now. Then, create a 18-month action plan of what the organization needs to do to advance toward it. Start with big ideas and distill them into clear commitments and tangible actions with committed leaders, managers and staff ready to communicate and make things happen. Check in at 11 months. Start again at 16. And, do it for five cycles -- evaluating all along the way.

Strategic planning starts with a commitment to being responsible and realistic. It involves linking ideas and actions, not crossing another "to do" off the list.