What Works
Most editions of this newsletter contain a section I call "What Works."
With the cooler weather and the end of daylight savings time (later this weekend), like many of you I'll be doing more reading. In light of that, below I've highlighted three book reviews of mine for books I highly recommend for those involved in nonprofit organizations. .
You can check out all my book reviews on my website.
Brandraising,
by Sarah Durham (reviewed February 2014)
Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications (2010) is a must read for Executive Directors, development staff, communications, staff, or board leaders who want to understand the connections between strategy, fundraising, and communications. It is equally adept at providing a unifying theory by which an organization can "brandraise" and practical tips for how to put the theory into practice.
The Leadership Challenge,
by James Kouzes and Barry Posner (reviewed May 2013)
The Leadership Challenge (4th Ed. 2007) outlines 5 "practices" and ten "commitments" that anyone can use to develop their leadership skills. The book uses a combination of case studies, anecdotes, and more than 25 years of empirical research to lay out both theory and practice on how individuals can demonstrate leadership.
Good to Great and the Social Sectors
by Jim Collins (Reviewed November 2010)
Good to Great and the Social Sectors, by Jim Collins, is a 40 page "monograph" 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. |