Author: whatifconcepts

Empowering those that inspire so they can excel at the work that matters.

Tolerance and Thrashing

Is there somebody at your organization that always has the wild ideas?  You know the zany concepts about radically altering the way your organization does business?  Does this individual contain an bottomless well of new approaches?  Does your organization thrive on the suggestions or is it disruptive?


One of the concepts I have come to readily adopt is the idea of thrashing.  Thrashing is represented by the active brainstorming and manipulation of a new or existing idea.  It can take place in many stages of development and its impact varies.  Perhaps a visual representation offers more clarity.





Thrashing works exceedingly well at the inception of an idea.  It is what allows a foal to find its legs and begin to walk.  Without a willingness to put everything on the line the foal is doomed to suffer an unfavorable evolutionary ending.  Thrashing works less well when done later in the development stage.  The results can be more destructive than productive.







Seth Godin’s book Linchpin makes an interesting case for the value of thrashing.

“Thrashing is essential.  The question is: when to thrash?  In the typical amateur project, all the thrashing is near the end.  The closer we got to shipping, the more people get involved, the more meetings we have, the more likely the CEO wants to be involved.  And why not?  What’s the point of getting involved early when you can’t see what’s already done and your work will probably be redone anyway.  The point of getting everyone involved early is simple: thrash late and you won’t ship.  Thrash late and you introduce bugs.  Professional creators thrash early.  The closer the project gets to completion, the fewer people see it and the fewer changes are permitted.”



Tolerance is an amazing part of any organization’s culture.  It allows for innovation and new concepts.  An enterprise with a willingness to tolerate a wide range of ideas is powerful.  Having a value system in place to be accepting attracts lots of fans.  However, creating an agreement about when the time for input is being closed is equally important.  At some point you need one person to make the decision, even if it is a decision to vote.  One person needs to take all the inputs and write the strategic plan.  One person needs to be empowered to enter into a contract on behalf of the organization.  If you thrash late you may never seize any opportunities now matter how great the idea.

Mixed Message

I caught a couple minutes of an National Basketball Association game on television this weekend.  During the broadcast a commentator highlighted the environmental sustainability steps taken by the NBA.  I thought, ‘good for them.’  As I held this thought I watched a commercial jet take-off from our local airport and I began to wonder.  After a little time on the internet I discovered that a couple of NBA teams are working to incorporate carbon offsets or green architecture into their franchises to mitigate their carbon footprint. What I could not find was a program to address the impact of the NBA’s travel schedule.  82 games a season with 41 away games equates to 82 at least segments in a private/leased jet (before you account for preseason and playoffs).  Thirty teams play in the league which totals 2,460 take-offs a season.  Just focusing on the air portion of the travel I could not discover any specific initiative to schedule games in a manner that prioritized efficient air travel.  If the NBA wants to incorporate a real statement about its commitment towards sustainability they might focus on scheduling games using the same strategy of a small company.  If you put a sales associate in New York, why not continue to New Jersey, Boston, and Philadelphia instead of flying back to Denver or Los Angles between visits to each city?

Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Hockey Association, and collegiate sports all have an opportunity to make an remarkable statement about their environmental sustainability commitment.  It is a positive step to see conservation and sustainability programs in place but if this is a core value for a league, address the largest sources of your environmental impact.


If Walmart started charging five cents for each plastic bags at checkout, it would give license to many stores to match their lead.  If one professional sports league addressed their carbon footprint caused by air travel it would put a spotlight on all the other leagues.


Is your organization living its core values?  Do you need to show-and-tell all the steps you have taken or is it self-evident?

Beyond Donation to Contribution

I donate to organizations and causes that generally align with my personal values.  I am usually moved because they grab my attention.  The organization is remarkable enough that I take the time to donate.  Many causes fall into this category and most get a donation of some predetermined value.

I contribute to organizations who provide me a chance to engage and interact.  A staff member calls to ask for advice.  I attend an event and suggest a resource to enhance the program’s effectiveness.  I communicate with a board member who helps keep me advised on the enterprise’s focus.  I serve on a task force.  I bring the organization ideas and feel the resources are considered.  I am able to use my talents on behalf of the cause.  I understand how I can impact the mission and programs of the organization.


I donate to these organizations also but at a much higher level.  Not only do they receive a financial contribution ten times greater but they get my talents.  I do not have time to contribute to every nonprofit but appreciate the ones that provide the opportunity.


Are you trying to cultivate donors or contributors?  How do you know which approach will most engage an individual?

Beat Coach Pete

I ran in the Beat Coach Pete fun run this morning.  Coach Pete, the Boise State Football Coach hosts the 5K running race that starts on campus and finishes in the football stadium.  The race raises money for the general scholarship fund at the college by allowing participants to make a donation at the time of registration and Coach Pete pledges to contribute $5 to the general scholarship fund for every competitor who beats him in the race.  

What I like about the event is that is that it uses the coach’s celebrity to benefit the whole community.  The race has a grassroots feel.  The course map appeared only the morning of the race.  Buster, the Bronco’s Mascot was riding a tricycle around the start area.  Participants ranged from collegiate cross-country team members to families out for a walk.  Finishing in the stadium was a nice celebration as the crowd grew as each minutes passed and more finishers arrived.


I can only assume that Coach Pete does not have the time to join a nonprofit board or serve on many committees.  What he does have is the status and ability to create an event by being present.  Many causes wonder how to manage individuals who have high community profiles or even reach celebrity status.  This event took two hours of Coach Pete’s time and the return on investment from a monetary and experience measurement was positive.  

How can you partner with high profile individuals to benefit your efforts and maximize their participation?

Highlight Reel

A couple years ago I had a friend who upon viewing the first Mission Impossible movie with Tom Cruise remarked, “my life would be even more exciting if there was a theme song playing everywhere I went.”  Imagine for a second if the social sector had ESPN producing television highlights every evening on the accomplishments of nonprofit organization.  What would a two minute SportsCenter clip spotlighting your organization look like?

Does your organization have a highlight package?  A YouTube link that showcases your enterprise performing its world class talents.  An advocate who tells the most inspiring stories.  The client with a testimonial about how your services transformed their life.  A self-published book with vivid images of your mission in action.  An email audio file with a voices so full of character that it captures the listener and they think of five people to forward it to immediately.  Where do you direct people who want to know more about your programs?  If the local evening news called tomorrow to do an inspirational piece on your cause, would you panic or celebrate?

Who Set Your Organization’s Shot Clock

Basketball adopted the shot clock to speed-up offense and curtail the pass and hold strategy used by some teams as a delay tactic.  I see many nonprofits that have inherited a shot clock in their board and committee meetings.  Somewhere in the organization’s history the norm for a board meeting became a specific duration, let’s say 120 minutes.  The moment you reach the self-imposed deadline papers get shuffled, members push back from the table, mobile phones appear on the table (if they have not already), and some attendees just walk out.  Clearly the meeting is over even if all the items on the agenda have not been covered.

Why do we accept these inherited duration limits without question?  Obviously it is easier to calendar meetings on a consistent day of the month for a set time.  That said, I am certain we have all attended meetings that needed less than ten minutes and others that could have used three hours.  Human nature seems to work towards a goal so if two hours are scheduled then often groups will meet for two hours regardless of intended outcome.

I am encouraging a review of your enterprise’s time management practices when it comes to meetings.  In my consulting practice I am asking clients to consider a half-day agenda in place of their standard full day retreat.  It takes more preparation but the reward is that these engagements have been more focused on the most important topics.  Often the retreat task force takes greater ownership of crafting meaningful recommendations for the whole group’s consideration and response.

Lastly, consider one of the advantages of Policy Governance (also known as the Carver Model).  Policy Governance is used by city and school councils among others in the social sector.  Many times there is single issue that has drawn the vast majority of the constituents who are there to advocate their position to the elected officials.  Policy Governance agendas allow for these issues to be placed at the top of the agenda if the council or board deems them the most important item.  Why not lead with what the majority of the people have gathered to hear (unless wearing your fans down is the preferred strategy).


How might your organization benefit from a new time management culture?

Urgency and Attention

Yes! magazine’s Winter 2010 issue had an excellent article titled “Why We Find it so Hard to Act Against Climate Change.”  The portion I believe is applicable to many nonprofits outlines the conditions under which an individual’s response to a threat is strongest.  Or said differently, what gets our attention in a world with so many people claiming the sky is falling.  A study from George Marshall title, “The Psychology of Denial” outlined the following criteria as being most influential in getting people’s attention:

  • Visible
  • With historical precedent
  • Immediate
  • With simple causality
  • Caused by another “tribe”
  • Direct personal impacts

When you take these conditions into account and measure them against past events there is an opportunity to see the criteria in action.  Hurricane Katrina with 2,000 fatalities in the Gulf Coast region of the United States vs. Cyclone Nargis causing 138,000 deaths in Burma.  In response the public gave $4.25 billion for relief efforts versus $47 million pledged from the US government for supplies to aid Burma.  There are many factors involved in any response to a threat but clearly an event being visible, historically significant, immediate and having direct impact alone elevated the American public’s response.

When you consider framing a case for support around an impending threat, consider the aforementioned criteria.  When climate change experts started talking about the threat of ice sheets melting from the perspective of Polar Bears it captured the imaginations and attention of school children.  How can you position your case so it sticks.

What Does A Young Donor Value?

Millenial Donors has just released an informative report quantifying the philanthropic preferences of the Millenial generation.  The data provides a unique window into the values of young donors as they consider donating, volunteering, and engaging in the social sector.  A couple key findings include:

  • 91% of Millennial donors are at least somewhat likely to respond to a face-to-face request for money from a nonprofit organization, with 27 percent being highly likely to respond to such a request. Only 8 percent are highly likely to respond to an email request.
  • 55.2% of Millennial donors are likely or highly likely to respond to a specific request or particular project. 55.7% are not likely to respond to a general, non-specific ask.

Find the full report at http://www.millennialdonors.com/.

The Art of Gratitude

Have you personally received a memorable act of appreciation?  What stood out?  What separated this particular moment from all the others?  What was authentic about the moment?  Was it the person delivering the thank you?  Was there a presentation of a gift or token?  Was there something artistic about the the way the thank you was conveyed?

Thanking donors, volunteers, staff, customers, and community members is many times an assembly-line process.  However, when done with grace and deep conviction it can be the most memorable interaction an individuals has with an enterprise.


The Chronicle of Philanthropy discusses strategies for thanking donors in its current online issue.


How does your organization say thank you?

Board Nominations

The BBC ran an interesting interview of members of British Parliment who were stepping down after long careers.  A question that struck me as meaningful during the radio piece was, ‘what will you miss when you leave?’  To borrow that question and ask it of your board members should offer some meaningful insight into what they treasured most about their service.  By asking such an open-ended question you get an assessment of your organization’s culture and collegiality. 

One way to think about your board nominations is to consider who you would invite to on a backcountry winter yurt trip.  There are numerous responsibilities that need to be accounted for (melting snow, splitting fire wood, cooking, route finding, assembling group gear).  You need a variety of skill sets.  Who would you consider?  Who would exhibit favorable team expedition behavior?  Considering not only the talents of each individual but there ability to build chemistry among the team has increasingly become a valued attribute.  Of course, not all board nominations start at the talent level.  The New York Times ran a pieces yesterday that confirmed a trend that many of us are seeing repeated across the sector.  Advancing new board members with money to give is the highest priority, even if an organization is saying come and serve on our board as an ATM.  I believe there is a better way to engage major donors than slotting them all onto the board but that is another post.

What has worked so successfully for your enterprise?