Next generation leadership in nonprofits

March 23, 2010

The Council on Foundations has just published Trading Power about “what the next generation has to offer in exchange for what seasoned leaders can provide”.  While the 9-page booklet focuses on leadership within philanthropy, it contains ideas that are completely relevant and worth consideration by nonprofit staff and board leaders — ideas gleaned from interviews with philanthropic leaders young and old.  [...]

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Nonprofits: a checklist of what not to say – ever

March 18, 2010

“One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”  – Oliver Wendell Holmes No matter how hard the economic times, no matter how stretched we feel, I hope nonprofits will view the following video as a checklist of things never to say or do.  There’s no better way to inhibit board or [...]

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A blueprint for action any nonprofit can use

March 10, 2010

Here is one great model for a comprehensive online advocacy campaign, and it can easily be adapted for a fundraising drive or outreach initiative. Take a look and learn. Borrow individual ideas.  Adopt the comprehensive approach. Heck, use it to educate board or staff members on how social media fits into a larger communications strategy.  I guarantee [...]

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Maneuvering the mine field of a nonperforming board member

March 1, 2010

As an executive director, the hardest thing I ever did (other than lay off a staff person) was maneuver the mine field of dealing with a nonperforming board member. Structurally, this was not my role as lead staff – it was the board chair’s role. But as half of the organization’s leadership team, I had [...]

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Social media blasphemy – it’s ok to keep quiet

February 15, 2010

Remember when your mom told you, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”? I’d take it a step further with social media: “if you don’t have anything to say, just stay quiet”! Forget what all the social media experts tell us about tweeting several times a day, blog posting at least [...]

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Nonprofits: don’t make these 3 communications mistakes

February 5, 2010

I recently observed a few surprising mistakes made by businesses using social media and online marketing. I share these in hopes that your nonprofits will not run your online communications and community engagement efforts like these businesses did. Mistake #1: Bribing me to be your friend/fan. A lot has been written about the recent Chase’s Chase [...]

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A simple outline for your fundraising ask

February 3, 2010

“Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. Seth Godin’s recent 8 questions and a why provides a simple and brilliant basis for every fundraising ask. I edited Godin’s questions just a tad for use in crafting your ask: Who are you trying to serve? What are [...]

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Strategic plans: so much more than a Magic 8 Ball

January 27, 2010

Headline, January 25, 2010 WSJ:  “Strategic Plans Lose Favor: Slump Showed Bosses Value of Flexibility, Quick Decisions”. I say it’s not strategic plans that hurt the for-profit sector of late, nor will planning ever hold a nonprofit back. Far from being something that ties an organization down, keeps them from being able to be nimble or prevents [...]

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In this brief job Gen Y and the nonprofit both win

January 25, 2010

The LA-based Durfee Foundation presents a great model for offering Gen Y a meaningful entry level job while constantly renewing, challenging and energizing executive leadership. Claire Peeps, executive director of the Durfee Foundation, just wrote a nice piece, “Hiring for Turnover: a Modest Proposal” for the GIA Reader. In it, she describes her foundation’s executive [...]

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