The people who go on a cruise with Disney are no the same people who want a National Geographic expedition to Antarctica. Your journey will have a greater impact if you get the right people on the boat.
Not the Same People
Innovative Concepts
Images
Try searching for images of your enterprise on Google. What comes up? Preparing to work with a few different clients I was amazed at how many of these causes did not even have their logo, pictures of programs, facilities, or people associated with the organization in the Google results. Why not upload a few images that will appear in search engines?
Power Seat
Is there a power seat in your organization? One where you put the most important person. I once dined at a restaurant in New York City when Donald Trump arrived for a quick bite. He sat by the entrance to the main dinning room where he could be seen and greet those who were on a first name basis with him. Gamblers prefer specific seats in Poker and Blackjack. When I facilitate board retreats I sometimes find the seating arrangements represent the challenges and opportunities an organization is facing.
What does your seating arrangement say about your cause?
Short And To The Point
If you were Stephen Hawking and had to go the lengths he does to compose a message, you would communicating precisely what you wish to say. There is too much effort required to add irrelevant information. It makes me wonder how often we add extraneous details without considering the value of of brevity.
You
If the members of the staff for a nonprofit are accountable to the Executive Director and the Executive Director is accountable to the board. Who is the board accountable to? You? If the members of the board are really serving as a guardian of the public’s interest then the accountability for the board goes to the general public. Too often the board is held as the highest authority, yet it is the collective will of the citizens that has the ultimate authority. We should never forget that those of us who serve are temporary guardians of the public’s trust. We are only empowered by the will of those we represent.
Church Bells
Visiting the small Italian town of Sassello I noticed that the church bells sounded on the hour but slightly offset in their timing. Each church bell chimed in s progression, one after another. Three distinct rings set so they did not overlap. Resident in this small valley not only knew the time but which bell was being struck, instead of a cacophony of competing tones.
What does your enterprise do to make sure its unique message is heard by the desired audience without being lost in the noise?
Sacred
What is sacred in your organization? I wonder this after having traveled to New York City for a couple days and wandered on my favorite paths in Central Park. How did such a large tract of land become sacred and off-limits to development? It would have been so easy to infringe on the edges, run a subway line above ground, or place more permanent structures throughout, but the park remains a bastion for nature in a world where real estates casts shadows on the very trees that add value to the apartments.
How do you preserve the sacred? Is anything in your enterprise sacred? Does what you hold sacred speak to your organization’s values?
Who You Need
You need the people who believe what you believe. The ones who have signed-up for the journey. If you post an authentic help wanted sign you will attract the those that are committed come rain, sleet, snow, or fire. You do not need everyone. Be very selective.
When I was a volunteer firefighter it was clear to me who I wanted to be with when my team was assigned to go inside a burning building. I wanted those who made all the drills, the ones who were sensible among many distractions, individuals who brought their best and were not going to wander off in search of a higher profile assignments. There were those who were notorious for freelancing and these were the individuals who did not believe what I believed.
When you go on a quest to fulfill your mission, who do you want on your team? Have you written the right help wanted sign? Are they ready to go?
On Time
How important is punctuality? If you are attending a meeting it may or may not be essential, depending on your role. Catching a train in Switzerland being on time is critical. What does it do to the moral of your team if there is a habitual late arriver? Does it matter? Do you notice a change in the chemistry of the group when a frequent later arriver offers a half-hearted explanation. Or are you happy they attended? Sometimes little distraction keep us from the most significant areas of focus. If they are not addressed they can be the nail that loses the war.
Pledge or Arm-Twist
A colleague of mine received a letter on an outstanding philanthropic pledge payment from a campaign that had wrapped-up over a year ago. Apparently the advancement office’s records showed the donor still owed funds even though there had been no communication in over two years.
How do you remind your donors about pledge payments? Do you send an annual letter with an updated status? Do you make a call to discuss the donor’s philanthropic budgeting and planning? Do you visit face-to-face? What is your leading practice for communicating about pledge payments?
What-if-concepts 