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Helping Organizations Thrive 
October 2015 Edition
Welcome to my October 2015 email newsletter. 

The mission of Jonathan Poisner Strategic Consulting is to make the world a better place by helping mission-driven organizations thrive.  I do that by assisting my clients with strategic planning, campaign planning, coalition building, fundraising, communications, and other organizational development challenges.

To keep people informed about my work, I set up this monthly (mostly) e-newsletter.  If you want to unsubscribe, just look for the link at the bottom.   My most recent edition can be read in my archive.

For a complete lists of the consulting services I offer, check out my website.
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.
 
 
Recent Success Stories and New Clients

I'm in the final stages of working with New Era Colorado to develop a new strategic plan.  

I am the latter stages of a long-term engagement with the National Wildlife Refuge Association to provide fundraising training and coaching for its member organizations. I recently led a workshop at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia for 6 local groups that protect National Wildlife Refuges in the mid-Atlantic states. 

I'm in the latter stages of a several month development consulting engagement with the Central Oregon Environmental Center.  We are currently working to create a 2016 Development Plan. 

I am consulting on behalf of several organizations working to protect the climate, aimed at generating a more aligned and effective campaign to cap/reduce carbon emissions during the next session of the Oregon Legislature.  On October 28th, I facilitated a meeting of more than fifteen organizations looking to work better together in 2016.

I am in the early stages of a six month consulting engagement with the Bus Federation to help with the creation of a strategic framework.  We're currently interviewing and surveying stakeholders.  In early November I'll be facilitating a convening of Bus Federation affiliate Executive Directors.  

Also for the Bus Federation, on October 8th I led a day-long workshop on effective fundraising for development staff of four Bus Federation affiliates.   In early December, I'll be providing additional development training for Bus Federation affiliates at its annual conference in Las Vegas. 

On November 12th at 11 a.m. pacific time, I'll be leading a webinar for The Databank on effective donor stewardship.  Registration is free, so sign up now.  

Also on November 12th, those of you in the Portland area can check out my wife's next
Open Studio event, being held from 6-9 p.m.

On November 15th, I'll be facilitating a planning retreat for the Oregon Bus Project.

Check out my website for a complete list of all my clients.
Recent Blog Entries and Tip Sheets

Note: I am actively looking for Guest Blog submissions.  If you have some thoughts to share on any aspect of organizational development, shoot me an email and we can discuss length, timing, etc.

Preparing for an Executive Director transition
Contact Information
Jonathan Poisner Strategic Consulting
jonathan@poisner.com
phone: 503-490-1234
http://www.poisner.com

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