Up-Front Clarity Helps Overcome Challenges in Strategic Planning

No matter which sector you are in, your people care about strategic planning --- equally. Different organizations in different sub-sectors have difficult cultures that influence the processes differently, yet one doesn't feel it necessarily more than another. When I hear organizational leaders who hit a challenge in the process start talking about how perhaps their group cares more or lives it more or some other aspect about how they are so much more complex or involved than what another group/sector must be, it speaks more to an inability to work through challenging points in the process or challenging dynamics within the organization. It also prompts delay and erodes commitment. One way to promote the process through those challenges is to garner greater clarity up front among those involved and those affected about the strategic planning process, including what strategic planning is, how they fit into the process and what they can expect to come out of it. A primer from the leaders, supported by the contracted consultant, before activities begin can go a long way to providing touch points that move everyone toward the commonly accepted outcome.

An Easier Route for Nonprofit Advocacy

There is a great deal of teeth gnashing among the nonprofit community in Wisconsin about the need for advocacy. The subject returned to the surface this week at the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association 2010 Summit. Discussion ensued about finding nonprofit groups of influence who could bring the message to the legislative table with the clout that would get decision-makers to listen. Ideas floated about how nonprofit organizations might band together in raising a common voice. Proclamations were made that a march on the capital would engage nonprofit leaders and advance the cause. All great things. Yet, all things requiring time, strategic focus and resources --- three of things I continue to hear from executive directors are lost in the pressing demands of delivering programs and keeping day-to-day operations moving forward.

So, my suggestion is to make it a bit easier. Consider if each nonprofit identified a policy-related change that would advance their mission and enhance their impact. This selection could take its direction from others (e.g., the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association is ratifying policy positions at the close of the 2010 Summit). Then, they create the storyline of why that change is needed, how it might advance the nonprofit's intended impact, when it affects the theory of change and who is needed to make it happen. That story becomes central to its communication with stakeholders -- staff, Board members, volunteers, individuals served, donors, etc. There becomes a call to action that aligns with the nonprofit's activities and the decision-makers timeline.

A nonprofit builds longevity through the people connected to its cause. Rather than focusing energy on a large-scale collaborative endeavor toward change. Start in the backyard with the people you know to care about your cause, then go see the neighbors and find out what it might take to play well together.

It's Official: the blog is on hiatus

Sometimes the best thing we can do to make progress is to acknowledge that we aren't making it -- or at least in all of the areas we had expected. With that thought in mind, I make it official that I'm on a bit of a hiatus from the blog. You may have noticed the posts are a bit more infrequent these past few months. I have my reasons. None of them have to do with a lack of energy, insight or dedication. So, now, I simply must acknowledge publicly that I'm taking a few more weeks. Next week in the mountains. The weeks thereafter to come back to sea level. And while I might not be making as much progress as I would like here, you can follow more frequent progress in my sharing of resources and tips by becoming a fan of Timpano on Facebook.

Clarity in Mission Aids Effectiveness

Particularly in ages of uncertainly, people crave clarity and connection. Mission statements can provide it, when they are grounded in practicality and at the core a larger ideology that speaks to desired accomplishments, behaviors and impressions.

Stefan Stern questions the need for mission statements in his blog for The Financial Times. He does so in the context of the current issues with Google in China. The question of Google's "mission statement" is fascinating. Stern suggests "don't be evil" is cliche and over-reaching, that it is trouble for the company. Perhaps, yet others might suggest it is brilliant and a true indicator that Google sees no boundaries in the potential for its products or service offerings of the future. For me, it smacks of an operating principle that got packaged into a mission statement.

A powerful mission statement helps people within the organization understand its purpose. It is specific to the organization's culture and a cornerstone for decision-making at all levels. Mission statements driven by dreams and lacking context may inspire yet they rarely provide clarity to someone searching for purpose.

Jobseekers: Quit Looking to Nonprofits to Nurture Your Soul

I'm compelled to confront. I'm hearing a lot of people talking about wanting to transition into the nonprofit sector because they've had it with their soul-sucking for-profit employer. They want to feel better about what they do and while I don't begrudge anyone satisfaction with how they spend their working hours, I do ask people to start reframing their thinking.

There are as many nuances among the cultures of nonprofit organizations as there are among those within the for-profit sector. It becomes dangerous to lump them together, expect that they all feed the soul when in fact there are many, many mission-driven or purpose-led companies within the for-profit sector that feed the heart as much as the head.

Answering the question of fit is as much looking inside one's own expectations, desires and intentions as it is examining the culture of the potential organizations. The nonprofit sector can be immensely rewarding, it can also be as intensely crushing as for-profit environments -- with similar and with very different reasons.

My suggestion regarding fit is to start with the qualities you seek, what you wish for your legacy and ask focused questions of potential employers to discern what might work best for you. Research online, request informational interviews with people publicly identified as a stakeholder with the organization, and be true to your own intentions. Good luck!

Help People Become Engaged by Engaging Them

People often wonder how to help staff become more engaged in their jobs ... I suggest reframing the proposition. Less about how to help them become more engaged and more about creating the means to engage employees in conversations about how their positions connect to the purpose of the organization and the organization's intentions in providing service to its customers. Ask them what it means to be engaged (or passionate) and then listen to what they have to say, implementing the ideas that work within the corporate culture. Perhaps asking them to identify challenging moments they've faced or could face and framing a group problem-solving session for how it could be resolved, redirected, etc. Map out ways that victories at their level link to the bottom-line and help the company achieve its financial targets or the organization advance its intended impact. A key consideration is celebrating moments that reflect what you want to see because positive reinforcement and celebratory recognition are crucial.

Social Media & 24/7 Employees

Employers are expressing frustration about lost productivity in the era of social media, and research bears it out. Yet, there is an opportunity to refocus that frustration by engaging employees and aligning their actions with the purpose and intentions of the employer. When people are engaged in and about their work, the social networking sites become an outlet/distribution vehicle to extend the brand and the sales reach. If employers subscribe to the concept that employees represent them 24/7, social networking becomes a more interesting (less frustrating proposition) ... provided everyone is clear on the intention, the core message and the authentic actions they can/are taking.

Thanks to Frank Horvath for sparking this post.

The Critical Role of the Board Chair (and more)

Alice Korngold in her Fast Company blog posting offers an excellent outline for how an effective Board chair carries forward her/his duties. Creating that culture of expectation and execution is critical for ensuring that the Board of Directors is helpful to the nonprofit, rather than a hindrance.

I would suggest that her list offers solid guidance for anyone considering any position on a Board. It also offers an opportunity for one of my favorite questions of nominating committees ... if you wouldn't hire that individual to provide leadership within your company, what makes them an excellent candidate for serving on the Board of this nonprofit?

Workshop Announced: Better Board Meetings

Better Board Meetings will be held Thursday, November 12. I'll be leading the workshop from 9-11AM at Goodman Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

 

Board meetings are intended to be productive in moving the organization forward. Too often, staff members end up spending days preparing for meetings that are less than effective in achieving those ends. Workshop attendees will walk away with tools to change the structure of Board meetings, making them more efficient and engaging.

Topics will include:

• use of a consent agenda,
• four no-fuss ways to improve your next meeting and
• four questions to ask for making your Board meetings better over the long haul.

Cost: $40. You can pay at the door or via invoice. Substitutions are allowed; no-shows will be billed. Download a flyer or register online via e-mail.

Strategic Planning is Sound

I've been seeing a lot of articles and offerings lately telling people that what's needed is "an alternative to strategic planning" -- and it saddens me. Rather than carving out "alternatives," what if we focused on simply doing strategic planning more effectively. After all, by calling it something else, we're opening the door for greater confusion (and more apples to nuts comparisons among requests as well as responses).

By discounting the value of conversations about mission and purpose, we lose sight of the core concepts that are intended to connect diverse sets of people around shared objectives. By diminishing the nuances between sectors and types of organizations, we undermine the very cultural complexities that make the sector and the organization distinctive. By dismissing "strategic planning," we lose a framework of systems and processes that can make things more effectiveness.

I've also been around long enough to know what goes around, comes around... I watch enough reality television to understand that one day it's in and the next day it's out. Yet, too many people are being led astray and down unproductive pathways by those who change the language and fundamentally diminish the effect.

Better Branding Starts with Intentions

If you want to be one of the "big boys" don't settle for "child's play" that unintentionally shapes your critical initial impressions. Be clear about your intentions, objectives and needs so as not to be swayed by people whose intentions are serving a different purpose.

This can be particularly relevant when organizations start asking for free or reduced creative services. There often has to be more at stake for the creative professional than a feel-good contribution, particularly when the process is intended to be efficient and beneficial for all parties. Since creative for creative's sake may win awards but usually doesn't influence stakeholders ... even free can come at a substantial cost. So, proceed with caution --- and more importantly, clarity.

A Moment for Clarity

It took a moment of vulnerability for me to clarify my personal philosophy -- which guides me in business and in life.


Among a group of peers, all seeking to demonstrate professional success, we were given a blank sheet of people and 30 minutes to map our values and start drafting our personal vision. Put our name in the middle of the sheet. Draw a spoke for an essential value. Create one-word branches clarifying the value, identifying links between spokes as they arose. Then, assess all the information and craft a vision. For example, one of my spokes: openness. The branches captured openness in relationships, in ideas and for new experiences. New experiences resulted in knowledge and growth. Growth linked to the branch of another spoke: well-being.

The exercise itself was both an affirmation and a discovery process for me, but the forthcoming moment of vulnerability was key. I was required to talk through my map with another person from the session. The listener was supposed to determine, based on my inflection, pace and nonverbal cues, which elements were most influential in defining my personal value structure.

We paired off. My partner went first, and I provided my perspective on her presentation. Then, I launched into explaining my map. But, when I was done, my listener apologized to the effect of: “I’m not sure I can help you because you talk passionately about each item. You seem to embrace everything as an opportunity to apply your skills and grow.”

Her apology was my insight. In that moment, I discovered two things – a vision and a philosophy. The four-word vision that resulted from that exchange still guides my actions still today. I seek to embody passion and growth. And, I do it knowing that collaboration is key. I don’t believe we can achieve improved results by staying within our own minds and experiences. We need the pushing and pulling that comes from talking with people of different backgrounds, opinions and values.

Workshop Announced: Engaging Your Board

Engaging Your Board will be held Thursday, October 15. I'll be leading the workshop from 9-11AM at Goodman Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

A non-profit Board can be among its most powerful assets -- when used correctly. Too often, Boards end up listening to committee reports and focusing on typos in the minutes, rather than providing the oversight and insight needed for the organization to remain viable amidst changing conditions. To address this problem, your board members need to know and understand the importance of their responsibilities, and you can help with concrete tools and techniques to convert even things like fundraising into rewarding tasks.

Topics will include:
* Why Board members engage and why Board members fade
* Intentions versus actions: understanding the value of alignment
* Re-focusing related to fundraising
* Steps for energizing your board

Cost: $40. You can pay at the door or via invoice. Substitutions are allowed; no-shows will be billed. Download a flyer or register via e-mail.

Communiversity on Collaboration

Excited to be facilitating a Constructive Conversation on collaboration to kick off the University of Wisconsin Center for Nonprofits 2009-2010 Communiversity series.

We're taking a fresh approach to the typical lecture style and facilitating an interactive session intended to engage attendees to share their insights and input on concerns, opportunities and requirements for successful collaboration in our community.

Setting the stage will be insights gathered from registrants and others through a short survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229K92DZTET.

If you're in the neighborhood of The Pyle Center on September 22 from 4-6PM and have a few hours to dedicate to connecting with colleagues and community members, join us. Registration information was at http://bit.ly/AkiFE.

Missions Don't Talk, People Do

Missions don't talk, people do. So, how your people articulate the mission and represent the organization's intentions can be the difference between feast and famine. It can make or break that impression you seek to leave with stakeholders. Step back and consider what tools you have in place or what conversations you've had with people about that key message you want to share with people in order to spark some needed action or what traits you want to emphasize through your actions in order to reinforce the organization's value and position. Become intentional in building a brand and become clearer in your intentions. Then, watch your organization move forward and advance its mission.

A 5-Step Communication Formula

There are models for nearly everything these days, and communication is no exception. Since where there is one model, there are usually others, use them as a reminder of good practice. This five-step model builds on people's need for empathy and repetition, and it can be used to develop a presentation for a group or a response to a question.

1. Empathy. Demonstrate that you are listening and that you care about other people's input.
2. Conclusion. State your premise, the short message you want the audience to remember when they leave.
3. Responsible Actions. Provide supporting details to show how your conclusion is justified and true.
4. Restated Conclusion. Tell them what you told them (your premise) so they'll remember it when they leave.
5. Future Actions. Share the hopes or plans for the future to emphasize your long-term interest.

Say it, Live it, Be it

Words are powerful, particularly when they align with action. Be clear on how your organization wants to be positioned and remembered, then consider how you are the critical element in making that impression a reality. How you live your life is the foundation for your organization's image and for your image as an employee of that organization. For mission-driven and forward-thinking organizations, you will likely help align the organization's impression with its intentions by listening intently, thinking innovatively and delivering with your heart and soul.

Show You Care to Connect With Your Audience

Credibility goes a long way in connecting with an audience. Research shows that 50% of your impact on an audience is all about you. It is how you show your concern and demonstrate empathy. Empathy involved listening more than anything else and requires that you listen for the question underneath the questions so that you can connect with the emotion of the audience. You don't have to agree with someone to emphathize, you do have to acknowledge their concerns. For instance, "I appreciate your concerns," "It is fair for you to be upset," etc.
The next time you are speaking to a group, talking with staff or dealing with a stakeholder, remember that people do no care how much you know until they know how much you care.

It's the little things by Rodney Coates

I was inspired by these words from Mr. Coates, and he graciously agreed that I might share them with you here.

It seems that every time we pick up the local paper or turn on the TV -- the news, for those working, continues to be bad -- layoffs, furloughs, reductions in salary, budget cuts, plant shut downs, and the curtailment or suspension of services and programs. With all of this bad news, it would be easy to assume that it's all about the Benjamin's. While money is tight and while the economy continues to demonstrate its fragility --what people provide as employees is far more than what we can quantify economically. It is, in fact the intangibly and incrementally small sacrifices that many employees provide which is at the core of any corporate, institutional or community success.

All too often, when we look at success we fail to recognize or even reward the little things that so many employees do under the radar. What is success if not the policeman who helps the little old lady cross the street, the fireman who climbs the tree to retrieve the family cat, or the teacher who sits with a troubled child. Success is the nurse who reads to the comatose patient, the janitor who stays late to allow the kids to play an extra few minutes in the gym. It is also the coach who gives life lessons, the clerk who reminds us that we paid too much, it is the secretary who brings in homemade cupcakes, the agent who meticulously keeps our records, and the mail person who rain, sleet, snow, or hail makes sure that the mail gets delivered. And yes it is the delivery person, the trash collector, the cable installer, and the telephone operator --who smiled even when they were being disrespected, fixed the problem even when the problem was caused by us, and who worked diligently in some of the most difficult of circumstances to provide service to us. All of these servants, and those who are not mentioned here, should get more than a pink slip when times are hard, or ignored when times get better.

There was a time when our economy was in far worse shape than it is today, when we found more creative and sustained ways to show our gratitude. In the past we were more willing it seems to share smile, a thank you, and even the occasional apple for the teacher, the chicken for the pastor, or the box of candy for the mail carrier. In little but significant ways we demonstrated how much we truly appreciated all the little things that so many people did for us.

It is obvious that we have never been able to pay for all the little things that so many dedicated, loyal, and caring persons do for us on a continuous basis. These are the people that diligently serve, educate, protect, and inspire us. So, in these times of economic upheaval let us take time to value, reward, and acknowledge the little people. A smile, a kind word, a thank-you cost so little, but will mean and say so much. Try it and see, I guarantee that regardless of economic instability -- our communities will be enhanced.

{Rodney D. Coates is professor of sociology and gerontology at Miami University. He can be reached at coatesrd@muohio.edu}

Use a Bridge To Make Your Point

Our actions are a bridge between intentions and impressions. A 'bridge formula' to answering questions should be part of your strategy when you're representing your organization. It works well in a media interview, as part of a panel discussion or during a meeting. Even when you think you're in an impossible situation or you are talking about a sensitive issue ... follow the formula:

• listen to the question
• answer the question
• give a bridge
• state your message

It allows you to answer a question directly and still emphasize what you wanted to say. Bridge phrases include: "however," "but/and," "what I do know," "what I can tell you," "our primary focus," etc. So, the next time someone asks you a question, give the formula a try. Just remember to answer the question and make sure your message is somehow related to the question!