At this time of year, I’m especially grateful to my clients, colleagues, and friends for the privilege of working and growing together. I’d like to share a few things that I’ve learned along the way – from you!

One of the great things about working with nonprofit leaders is the opportunity to learn new practices that are working for their organizations. These learnings are worth sharing with others across the nonprofit sector. Yet when nonprofit leaders gather with colleagues, it is usually with others in their field. It is not necessarily routine, for example, for a leader of a social service agency to meet with one from an arts organization. In my work with nonprofits of all kinds – arts, education, human services, community development, housing, and foundations – I often find myself as a conduit for this cross-pollination.

With each engagement, my knowledge increases, as does my awareness of effective practices that nonprofit executives and boards of directors put into action every day.

What I’ve Learned from Clients

  1. It all begins with the mission, so begin with the mission. For one client, this means beginning each board meeting by reciting the mission statement. While this may not suit all organizations, try printing your mission statement at the top of board meeting agendas. This is a low key yet meaningful way to lead with the mission, keep it up front, and gently remind the board of directors what their deliberations are about.
  2. Kudos to the organization that took a page in its annual report to look to the year ahead after sharing the successes of the prior year. What a good idea to use a typically retrospective communication to captivate stakeholders with a sneak peek at what your organization is planning for the coming year.
  3. Some clients have increased the time available at board meetings to engage in strategic and generative conversations by using a consent agenda – a single agenda item that includes routine items, such as prior meeting minutes, financials, and committee reports, and is voted on as a single item without discussion. By trimming the time it takes to complete the board’s usual business, board members have the wherewithal to focus on substantive issues without feeling rushed and weary.
  4. Change is a given. Almost every project includes some sort of modification or revision. With a new strategic plan come new and inspiring goals. An executive leadership transition brings new energy and vision. How leaders view and manage change can be transformative for an organization (or can hold them back).
  5. Owning a building is great responsibility. Nonprofits that own their buildings are well served by considering their facilities when developing organizational goals during strategic planning. A building has a life of its own related to efficient use of the space, maintenance needs, and attendant financial implications. It is an important facet of delivering an organization’s mission and likely is (or will be without sufficient attention) a sizeable chunk of your budget. Don’t ignore it.
  6. Budget for strategic planning. A board member suggested that his organization begin to build strategic planning into its budget so they would be ready to begin planning anew upon completion of the plan under development. Excellent strategic thinking.
  7. When making decisions, consider the status quo as an option. While existing circumstances are rarely included in the mix of alternatives, the status quo can be a reasonable choice. Making a change is not always the best or most appropriate outcome.
  8. Visibility – marketing, PR, communications – is an issue for almost every nonprofit organization, regardless of focus area. Over the past six years, in all of my strategic planning projects, visibility has emerged as a prime topic as competition for resources has become more intense. The need to focus on raising an organization’s profile is a challenge for all clients – from those that have been in operation for over a century to those that are relatively new. In almost every case, these nonprofits struggle with how to reach their diverse constituencies in a compelling way.

A Word about my Colleagues

With each opportunity to get together with a colleague or friend, I learn from their experiences and have the benefit of their insights as I test a hypothesis. By discussing our work and sharing solutions, we expand our horizons of what is achievable, and how.

Significantly, another advantage is cultivating a strong referral network. There are many different ways to consult and work with nonprofits. My work encompasses a particular set of areas. Knowing my colleagues’ strengths and fields of expertise allows me to be a resource for my clients.

Thank you
To each client – past, present, and future – and to my colleagues and friends: you do so much for so many. Let’s continue to work together to ensure that every mission-driven organization is infused with energy and passion, making life better for individuals and communities.

I am truly thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!