What Works
Each edition of this newsletter contains a section I call "What Works."
Currently, I'm focused on a series of 15 lessons that I learned while growing the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, buttressed by my observations of dozens of other groups both in Oregon and across the country.
June's lesson: Become the best at something.
July's lesson: Relentlessly focus on relationships.
August's lesson: Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate.
September's lesson: Know and tell your stories.
October's lesson: Become a very good public speaker.
This month's lesson: Plan, plan, plan.
Very astute readers of this series may have noted that I jumped from July Lesson 2 (Relentlessly focus on relationships) to August Lesson 4 (Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate) without a Lesson 3. I wasn't satisfied with Lesson 3, so I put it aside to let my thinking marinate.
The importance of planning to organizations that thrive shouldn't be surprising to anybody. But in my experience many organizations are overemphasizing strategic planning and underemphasizing operational planning.
Continue reading this rest of the article . . .
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Monograph Review
A fellow consultant recently urged me to read a short monograph.
Good to Great and the Social Sectors, by Jim Collins, is a 28 page document designed to read in concert with his well-known book Good to Great. Good to Great is a staple of business school syllabi for helping students identify what separates great businesses from good businesses. But having not read the related book, I can vouch for the fact that the monograph stands on its own.
I've read it three times now in the last week and my brain is spinning with ideas for how to apply his principles to my own thinking about nonprofit management. My bottom line review is to urge every nonprofit leader I know to read it.
But for those who don't have the time and need more, here's my brief summary of the five essential points Collins makes.
Continue reading the full review. . . .
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Recent Success Stories and New Clients
Last week I presented two sessions at the State Environment Leadership Program annual conference. I led a workshop on effective evaluation tools for advocacy organizations and I co-facilitated an "open space" session on best management practices.
I'm continuing my work with Sauvie Island Center, whose board is just wrapping up its first-ever board driven fundraising campaign. I'll be providing them some closing advice on their year-end fundraising appeal and will evaluate the board's campaign and put in place a plan for next year.
I am launching the final stage of a project from earlier this year in which I'm helping Conservation Voters of South Carolina revamp its fiscal management systems and upgrade its database.
I have begun to work with the Virginia League of Conservation Voters on their fundraising materials and plans.
I'm launching the final stage of my work with the Florida Conservation Alliance, assisting them with fundraising messaging and planning, along with fiscal management.
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Who will be my 500th friend?
I'm currently sitting at 499 friends on Facebook. Anyone want to be friend 500?
Of course, on twitter I'm just at 42 followers. Hoping to get to 100 by the end of the year.
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