You are Hereby Invited to a Boring Job

You are Hereby Invited to a Boring Job

by Susan Detwiler | Apr 30, 2018 | governance, nonprofit

 “A committee is a group of people who individually can do nothing, but who, as a group, can meet and decide that nothing can be done.” Fred Allen

“A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.” Milton Berle

Then there’s this rubber stamp I was given, that said,

“Great idea! Assign a committee to foul it up!”

There is an image of nonprofit board committees as the place where ideas go to die a slow and lingering death; where process overcomes inspiration; where group-think strangles innovation.

But if you’re running an organization, it’s really hard to get anything done if you can’t segment off a group of people to work on specific jobs. How do you get people to work on these jobs? You invite them. Nicely.

The problem with committees is that word: “commit”.

That’s especially true in today’s society. Sometimes I feel so rushed and overwhelmed, that the thought of taking on another commitment sends me screaming in the other direction –Noooooo!!!!! You mean, I have to come to meetings and be obligated for two whole years???

But if someone said to me, “Hey, Janay has this great idea; Jim and I are going to help her make it happen. Can you join us?” my answer is probably going to at least lead to a query for more information.

Asking someone to join the Finance Committee might be deadly. Asking someone to help figure out the best way to maximize the dollars we have available for our mission…? Well, that’s intriguing.

Being offered an idea for engaging new supporters and telling them to give the idea to a committee is disheartening. Being asked to explore the idea with others and generate ways to make it work is an invitation.

Committees aren’t inherently bad. It’s how we ask people to serve that creates the deadly atmosphere surrounding them.

Invite people to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

Let’s change the conversation.

This is based on a January 2014 post. It bears repeating!

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Rant, Vent, Resent or Remind? Two questions to set the stage for your board’s success.

Rant, Vent, Resent or Remind? Two questions to set the stage for your board’s success.

by Susan Detwiler | Apr 9, 2018 | governance, leadership, nonprofit

Face it. People don’t always do what they’ve promised to do.

They mean it when they promise. They believe in the cause, and they truly believe they will accomplish the task they’ve agreed to do. Board members and program volunteers alike. They’re committed. They know it’s important.

So why don’t they actually do it?!?!

Life gets in the way. Your volunteers and board members don’t eat, sleep and breathe your mission the way your staff does. Their time frame is different from yours. Boards meet monthly or quarterly. If you’re the CEO, you’re on a daily time frame. Your board members eat sleep and breathe their own work.

So as CEOs and senior staff we rant, vent and resent that our board members need to be reminded about their reports (aren’t they grownups??) and we sigh in exasperation that our trustees haven’t made their friendraising calls (don’t they know how important this is???).

Actually, they do know how important it is. And they feel badly when they don’t follow through. But their urgent takes precedence over your necessary. No matter what the level of volunteer, our cause is just one aspect of their lives.

What’s a board president (or executive director) to do?

That’s a great question. Why don’t you ask them?

Janice, I know plan to get the board reports online a week before the next board meeting. What will it make it possible for you to do that? What do you need?

 

DeShon, I really appreciate your commitment to make 4 friendraising calls each week. What will make it possible for you to do that? What do you need from us?

For every end result we want, some things have to happen first. Sometimes we have to set the stage. Our volunteers may not be thinking that way. The questions:

“What will make it possible for you to do that?”  and
“What do you need?” 

starts the mind thinking of what those necessary things are. They may say something like, “remind me on Wednesday.” Or, “can you give me some actual words to say on the call?” Or “actually, this isn’t a great week for me, but can you sit with me on Saturday and help make those first calls?”

Whatever it is, it’s a lot more productive than ranting, and you and they have a path forward.

Now you can think about what to do with that extra energy.

Click here to receive more tips and thoughts on board relations, planning and nonprofit management; or get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about how you can improve your board meetings.

 

Stop the Blame! Six questions to get to continuous improvement.

Stop the Blame! Six questions to get to continuous improvement.

by Susan Detwiler | Mar 26, 2018 | Communication, management, nonprofit

“It is crucial….to identify aspects of the process that worked well and why, and changes to the process that will improve success in the future.”*

If you do 10 things in a day, and 9 of them go fabulously, which one do you focus on? Right. The one thing that was a bust. People seem to find it easier to complain than to acknowledge things that are going well.

The same thing happens when we debrief after a program, project or event.  The default feedback I hear from clients seems to be, “well, in general it went well but……” followed by a litany of things that went wrong. “

We focus on the things that didn’t go as planned. Or rather, we focus on the things that weren’t planned at all.  The things that went wrong. The unanticipated malfunctions.

We glide right over the first part of the feedback, “in general it went well…” and dive right into trying to fix what went wrong. Worse, we lapse into the blame game – “who messed up?”

What we don’t do is spend time on what went right.

What if we asked a different set of questions? What if we held off the negative dissection, and first asked these questions:

  1. “What was the  biggest success of the night / event / program?”
  2. “What did we do that made that happen?”
  3.  “What else went right, and What did we do to make that happen?”
  4. “What can we learn from that?”
  5. “Is there anything we did that we can transfer to other programs/ projects/ events?”

Observe, acknowledge, and deconstruct the success.

Only THEN move on to what could have been done better. In fact, avoid the blame game completely by asking,

  1. “What ‘changes to the process will improve success in the future?’”

These words from Barry Lord and Gail Lord, in Manual of Museum Management, offer a positive way to improve on any program or process. It acknowledges that things could be better than they are – no matter what level they start at.

Framing the ‘what went wrong’ question to focus on process instead of who avoids laying blame on a person, and starts the brain working at analyzing procedure.

This applies to every process. From board evaluations to gala events; from personnel reviews to budget analysis; from Thanksgiving dinners to conversations with a partner. It acknowledges that things could be better – more successful – and moves the conversation to developing conditions for success.

Next time you do a debrief, start with the positive. THEN STAY POSITIVE. Watch how much more thoughtful the discussion can be.

Click here to receive more tips and thoughts on board relations, planning and nonprofit management; or get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about how you can improve your board meetings.

*Barry & Gail Lord, The Manual of Museum Management

 

Is Your Executive Director A Farmer? (And that’s not a bad thing!)

Is Your Executive Director A Farmer? (And that’s not a bad thing!)

by Susan Detwiler | Feb 26, 2018 | nonprofit

How is the CEO of a nonprofit like a farmer? Both must acquire and husband their resources to the benefit of the entire enterprise.

The role of an Executive Director is to acquire and husband all the resources of an organization, so those resources can best serve the mission. These resources may be dollars, good will, facilities or, most importantly, the people who are making a difference.  

This post is based on one I wrote almost 10 years ago. The realization still holds true. Most people looking into the nonprofit world from the outside don’t really understand the role of the Executive Director. Board members and senior staff may, but the clients, visitors, junior staff and general public are often in the dark.

But what do you DO?

When I headed a Hillel (a campus organization for university students), students and parents could see the Program Director in action; but more than one student wanted to know: what did I actually do? At Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, people saw the work of the veterinarians and technicians; but what did I do? At a private day school, they could see the teachers and the principal; but as Executive Director, what did I do? Even now, as consultant to nonprofit organizations, I frequently meet donors and board members who misunderstand the role of the CEO. Some want the CEO to interfere in the daily operation of a program. Others want the CEO to kowtow to the donor or to the board. Still others don’t know why they need an ED at all.

The ED’s Mission Statement

If a job can have a mission statement, then the mission of an Executive Director is to acquire and husband all the resources of an organization, so those resources can best serve the organization’s mission.

Like other good mission statements, this one is simple and can be phrased in one sentence. But this very simplicity holds a myriad of ramifications.

First, define resources. Resources may be dollars, good will, facilities, leaders, or the important people who make the mission a success. An Executive Director recognizes that each of these must come together to make the organization work. Focus solely on dollars to the exclusion of the people, or focus only on the building to the exclusion of community relations, and your world is unbalanced. Ignoring one of the resources while focusing solely on another and you end up fighting fires.

Acquire and Husband…

What does it mean to acquire resources? It means building relationships with others who can provide the resources you need. Donor relations and foundation relationships are part of resource acquisition – to obtain funds or services or in-kind gifts. Developing job descriptions is part of resource acquisition – to hire the best people. Reviewing new facilities and engaging a good real estate broker is part of resource acquisition – to find the best location. Being visible and participating in community functions is part of resource acquisition – acquiring good will and able board members. Acquiring resources is a key part of the job of an Executive Director – it’s important to remember that it doesn’t just mean dollars.

What about husbanding resources? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of the verb ‘husband’ is to use, spend, or apply economically; to make the most of. Applied to the role of Executive Director, it means making wise decisions on how to use the resources at hand. Knowing when to spend more in order to achieve great things, and when to spend less in order to preserve assets. Creating a budget that balances the needs of the organization, and understanding the impact on the mission when cuts have to be made. It means knowing when to spend on air fare in order to meet with a major donor, and knowing when to expend good will in order to save the organization from mission creep.

The Executive Director is the Board’s partner in driving and fulfilling the Mission and Vision of the organization. The CEO’s role is to acquire the resources necessary to fulfill the mission, and to use them wisely.

What do you think?

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3 Ways to Build Nonprofit Growth Mindset

3 Ways to Build Nonprofit Growth Mindset

by Susan Detwiler | Feb 13, 2018 | nonprofit

Do you“fake it ’til you make it?” 

Do you have a “growth mindset?”

Reaching your aspirations requires taking action beyond your comfort zone.

“Fake it ’til you make it” says to pretend you know what you’re doing, and eventually you will. This cynical statement implies you don’t know what you’re doing, even as you actually accomplish things. It sidesteps the obvious – you do know at least some of what you’re doing, and now you’re learning the rest of it on the job. Thinking that you’re faking may keep you from asking for help in accomplishing (or being) what you aspire to. But stepping into a space beyond your comfort zone is a step toward growing into the job.

In “Do you have a growth mindset?” we encounter the sociologically proven axiom that if you believe ability is fixed, you’re less able to improve your skills than those who believe abilities can be learned and improved upon. Those with a growth mindset are often eager to take actions beyond their immediate abilities. They believe that even if they don’t succeed, they will learn from the experience.

It is action that leads to growth.

The act of learning and the act of doing make us step outside what we already know, and we grow from the experience.

Which leads me to this blog post by Seth Godin.  The four elements of entrepreneurship. Subtitled, “Are successful entrepreneurs made or born?” Godin demonstrates that entrepreneurship is a set of actions. Thinking of BEING an entrepreneur leads to the ‘either/or’ question: Am I or am I not an entrepreneur. But if entrepreneurship is a skill set, it can be learned.

What does this mean for your nonprofit?

Your organization can learn to grow, just as individuals can.

1.      Recruit board members with a growth mindset. The forces of society are changing rapidly, and your organization will need to be nimble to stay abreast. Board members who believe that they and others can grow and learn will be better able to adapt to rapidly changing situations.

2.      Recruit CEOs with entrepreneurial skills. They don’t have to have been an entrepreneur, but can they manifest the skills of being nimble, trying new things, learning from others, being decisive, be persuasive? These are entrepreneurial skills, necessary to coping with rapidly changing situations.

3.      Be willing to experiment with new directions and new programs.  Staying in the safety of what worked before isn’t enough. If you’re not sure of what you’re doing, it doesn’t mean you don’t know anything. You know a lot more than you think you do. A failed program is one from which you can learn. A new direction that needs a course correction is proof that you can learn and adapt.

Organizations are collections of people. And if people can learn with a growth mindset, so can your organization. Onward!

Sign up here for other hints about building a great board, or balancing growth and caution. Or if you want a no-obligation conversation about board relations, let me know.

Just Say No. Or, How FOMO* is Hurting Your Organization

Just Say No. Or, How FOMO* is Hurting Your Organization

by Susan Detwiler | Jan 29, 2018 | nonprofit

The board member is excited.

“My cousin in Arizona just told me how his nonprofit is partnering their day care with a senior center and just drinking in the money from all the funders. We should do that!”

Right. Never mind that you’re a public garden with a research mission and you already have robust relationships with several senior centers that bring devoted volunteers to your site. You’re not a day care center, and the research you do requires fine motor skills.

“But we could get so much money from funders!!”

Is that really true?

The first question that major funders ask is how this new project fits into your strategic plan; which in turn has to match your mission and vision. Somehow, this fabulous idea doesn’t look so fabulous any more.

Or does it? What if you don’t have a strategic plan? What if you don’t have a coherent vision and mission? How can you tell whether this is a fabulous idea or not?

When everyone on your board, and everyone on staff, knows your mission, vision and plan, it’s a lot easier to “JUST SAY NO” to the random fabulous idea. 

But when you don’t have this foundation, it’s very easy to be pulled into projects and schemes that take you away from your purpose.

Mark Pettit wrote 5 Steps to Overcoming FOMO about personal goals. With his permission, here they are, with my take on applying them to your organization.

Five concrete steps:

1 – Commit to strong, specific goals. Articulate clearly what your organization’s priorities are. Ask that excited board member how the opportunity fits your current priorities. An important caveat: Don’t squash the enthusiasm, channel it!.

2 – Know the high-value activities needed to hit your goals. When you know the activities that will bring you the most return for your effort, you know where to channel that enthusiasm.  Have her work on the most important things, and keep her and others focused on the priorities.

3 – Recognize the tradeoffs. Questions are rarely ‘yes/no.’ If there’s a possibility that the idea fits, consider both the opportunities and the costs of each choice. My colleagues and I call this the “positive/positive, negative/negative” equation. What’s the upside of saying ‘yes’ AND what’s the upside of saying ‘no?’ What’s the downside of saying ‘yes’ AND what’s the downside of saying ‘no.’ All relative to your goals, of course.

Remind your board that you have more than you think.

4 – Give yourself permission to say ‘no.’ There will always be other things to spend your energy on and other opportunities that look good. Engage your board in a conversation about making choices, and acknowledge that you can’t say ‘yes’ to everything.  This boosts your ability to say ‘no’ when the time comes.

5 – Create an abundance mindset.  Chasing scattered opportunities is a symptom that you aren’t sure of your own plans and progress. FOMO is today’s way of saying ‘the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.’ Meanwhile, the person on the other side of that fence is saying that about you. Remind your board that you have more than you think. You have a plan. You have rational reasons for each part of it. And feel free to say ‘no.’

*Fear of Missing Out

Lead your board through these five steps, and watch staying true to your plan get easier. Write back, and let me know how it goes!

Let’s talk about crafting that Vision and Mission and making sure you’re all on the same page. Contact me at sdetwiler@detwiler.com and we can talk.  Or sign up here to receive regular updates on board development and planning.