Oliver Tessier & Associates is a
consulting practice dedicated to building a more powerful nonprofit sector by strengthening leadership within the field.
|
The leadership instinct you are born with is the backbone. You develop the funny bone and the wishbone that go with it.
-Elaine Agather
|
Worth Knowing
If you're not satisfied with your website, look into Plone. It's an Open Source content management application for website develoopment. Amazinglgy sophisticated, and you can download it free.
|
|
Greetings!
Recent efforts to elevate my skill level to match
my interest in communication have taken me in some new directions. First stop: Edward Tufte's seminar, Presenting Data and Information, a banquet for anyone with a passion for design. It was much
more in my league than Plone Boot Camp, a one-week crash course in the spectacularly impressive Open Source web
development application. Feeling intensely ignorant for so many days
was an education in itself. Observing the way a sophisticated product
can be developed by a worldwide team of volunteers inspired a fresh understanding of collaboration
and community.
At the macro level, the message was that effective communication relies on knowing your audience, careful
planning, formidable structure, and imagination. If that seems obvious, put it under a
microscope, and you'll be amazed by the detail that's invisible to the naked
eye.
Best wishes for the rest of the summer.
|
|
StructureThe Value of Versatile Framework
Unless you're certain you've given your last PowerPoint
presentation, do yourself a favor by exploring Garr Reynolds' presentationzen.com, described by Google
as "the most popular Web site on presentation design and delivery on the net."
Reynolds, a former marketing wizard for Apple, has risen to cult status on a
platform of simplicity, clarity, and above all structure, beneath carefully
designed presentations that appear spontaneous and stick in viewers' minds.
Much of Reynolds' philosophy appeals to me, but I'm particularly
fond of his statement that "Presentation
structure is paramount. Without it, your wonderful style, delivery and great
supporting visuals will fall flat." I want to expand his endorsement of
structure beyond presentation to our everyday professional lives. I'm a
believer: the core of my practice is organizing thinking and behavior to help
people identify and achieve their goals. It's easy to see how a systematic
approach leads to achievement, but structure also supports the creativity and
exploration groups need to process ideas.
By way of example,
consider what goes into facilitating strategic planning for a nonprofit. At
some point, you will almost certainly have a roomful of independent thinkers
trying to create a shared direction. To advance the conversation they need
framework: topics for discussion, time limits, intended outcomes. To be
genuinely productive they need an environment that encourages creative
thinking and group interaction. That, too, can be structured by defining
boundaries and assuring people freedom within them.
Structure is
limiting; it demands choices. By definition the strategic planning agenda in
our example will restrict discussion to a specific range of topics; others won't
make it to the table. If the planning committee has thoroughly explored the
issues and agreed on priorities, the group will focus on the most important points in the right sequence. If the environment has been set up to promote equal
participation, they'll examine, negotiate, and progress. But if our preparation
fails to capture key issues, the resulting plan may ignore critical needs. If
the conversation doesn't balance power among competing factions,
the results will be lopsided.
Success relies on balancing framework with flexibility. Limiting information to what we can manage is a
given, but we can't sacrifice the input we need to make informed choices. If we
have to confine spontaneity, we can't afford to stifle it. Our most careful plans
have to accommodate the unexpected.
Concerned about finding the right balance? Get feedback
from a trusted colleague or advisor. If maintaining a commitment to the
structure you've designed is an issue, make your intentions known to people who
can hold you accountable. However you manage it, please heed Reynolds' and my
advice to put structure first so you can be sure you're standing on solid
ground.
For an informative, entertaining hour, become one of the
45,000 people who've watched Reynolds' March 2008 presentation for Authors@Google.
Visit Reynolds' personal site for tips on presentation.
|
Nonprofit Leaders Ask...From Oliver's monthly column in Associations Now
As a CEO finalist, I've been asked to give the board a presentation
on my vision for the organization. Fifteen minutes followed by Q&A. Can you
offer me some tips on how to get the best response?
You'll need a strong, clear message that resonates with
the organization's needs, distinguishes you, and inspires confidence. Fitting
that into 15 minutes will be like packing a knapsack for a world trip: include only the essential, compact, and versatile.
Choose your key points carefully, and examine them from the
perspectives of various constituents. Connect your ideas to examples from the organization. Then pare down your material so that your themes are cohesive and each
statement advances toward your conclusion.
With a large group, consider using PowerPoint to help your
audience-but only as a backdrop to
your speaking. Maintain a consistent, uncluttered format. Include only key
elements;you will embellish as you present. Go for spare design with lots of
white space, and limit your special effects. Visuals should enhance, not
distract.
By the time it's written and designed, you should know your
material so thoroughly that it flows as spontaneously as conversation. Try to
use the Q&A to expand on your themes. You might want end with a summary
slide you can leave on-screen as a reference during the discussion.
You can find more questions from nonprofit professionals in the Q&A section at www.otessier.com.
|
Email Logistics
How can I make this a better experience for you?
If you're having trouble viewing this email, please visit otessier.com to view it at my website.
If
you've received this email directly from me, it's likely we know each other. To help
ensure future mailings won't be blocked by your spam filter, be sure
that "oliver@otessier.com" is in your address book. (For more
comprehensive instructions on whitelisting addresses, click here.)
If you prefer not to receive these emails, click the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at the bottom of the page, and your email address will be removed from the list immediately.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
