communication

Hoarding or Preparing?

What is the inflection point between hoarding and securing additional resources? In the social sector, this tension plays out when an organization with a significant endowment requests funding for distinct initiatives. For example, a summer camp requiring deferred maintenance of its facilities may be questioned about the criteria for deploying the endowment for the upkeep and maintenance of the facility versus seeking new contributions.

How might we be prepared to communicate with our supporters when we are building up caches to provide fuel for our journey and when we are stocking a storage room for a pandemic we hope never occurs? Knowing how we intend to deploy resources may differentiate a donor’s perception between contribution and aggressive panhandling.

Using Words to Solve a Visual Puzzle
Credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FindTheSniper/comments/1cvyo85/people_are_struggling_to_find_the_frog_in_this/

If we only had our words, how would we direct people to the location of the hidden frog in the above image? We rely on shortcuts to set others up for success, but occasionally, those options are unavailable. So, we must rely on an analog solution in a digital world. It is like remembering a phone number or email address when we are without access to a device that contains all that information.

How might we adapt when our mastered routine is interrupted?

Spoiler Below:

***The hidden frog is less than a half-inch off the right-hand edge, about a third of the way up, appears wearing a purple jacket (leaf), and is the same size as the individual leaves in the illustration. If you start at the bottom right-hand corner and work your way up the edge, stop at the first fully illustrated bright green leaf that touches the border. The frog is immediately to the left, with a purple leaf covering its torso.

Shouting at Yoga Students

A yoga instructor who shouts at their class might be missing the intention of yoga. A Board Chair who chastizes other board members for not twisting enough elbows to secure more donations from friends and business associates might not have a sustainable approach. A treasurer who reports that the organization’s tax returns have been filed but does not wish to share a copy for review may not be amplifying leading practices.

We might be doing the work that matters, but using the wrong communication methods (or volume) might cause more obstacles than benefits.

Footprints

What message do our footprints represent? Are we setting a path for others to follow? Do we intend to seek sanctuary and obscure our tracks? Might we follow the crowd and tread on historically worn trails? Is it possible to inspire those who follow?

It is easy to think of our footprints as follow-through. The activity has been completed, and we do not witness our tracks unless we commit to pivoting to observe our path. It is usually in difficult terrain that we might commit to a review of the terrain we have previously traveled. The propensity of time, our focus is only forward?

When do you consider the topography already covered? What is the lasting impact of your completed work?

Degrees of Seriousness

If the hazard is extreme, we might expect multiple signs, ropes, prosecution threats, and a skull and crossbones warning of death. If the potential risk is minimal, we might anticipate a yellow sign reminding us to pay attention. Placement, colors, symbols, and words escalate or minimize the level of caution we are attempting to communicate.

How does your enterprise communicate a call to action? Is there a scale that ranges from summer camp registrations starting in a week to the state legislature hearing a bill that will cut off a majority of your cause’s funding? If you do not have a readily accessible scale, the message might be lost in a time of high need.

Rules

“There are rules…and there are other rules”

Mad Men

Which rules do you follow, and which rules do you consider suggestions? Speed limits? Carry on bag allowances on commercial airplanes? Suggested contributions for entry? Paying taxes? Jury duty? Attending meetings?

We adapt to rules based on a number of referral points. In the State of Idaho, there is a traffic rule that cyclists can treat a Stop sign as a Yield sign as long as they are not impeding traffic flow. It is called the “Idaho Stop.” It is a practice adopted by cyclists in states that do not have the “Idaho Stop” as part of the traffic code. Technically, it is a violation, but when done in appropriate circumstances, it keeps the cyclists safer and allows motorists to proceed more efficiently.

Each enterprise has ‘rules’ and ‘RULES.’ The trick is communicating the expectations behind these regulations. Some practices are in place to demonstrate respect and maintain a hierarchy. Others are essential for the organization to function. Occasionally, breaking the rules is critical to success and/or life safety.

How might we set our team up for success by illuminating what is non-negotiable and what is a suggestion? How might we recognize that circumstances might change the rules? And lastly, are our rules and values aligned? 

OMAHA

Do you have a way of alerting the team when encountering an obstacle or situation that might significantly disrupt the journey? American football teams use a code word to change plays at the line of scrimmage. One board I served used the word “Omaha” in the email’s subject line, a phrase borrowed from former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. Board members understood an Omaha communication required immediate attention and response. This technique was used cautiously, but it was reassuring to the Executive Director and Board Chair that the board would be responsive as quickly as possible when needed.