One of the difficulties in setting Almost Impossible Goals is trying to figure out how to communicate them to people who just don’t get it. I encourage you to share this article on The Power of Goals with those who have not been exposed. But, let’s face it, even after that – some people just don’t understand. If that is your situation, then I suggest you not push the … [Read more...] about Stretch Goals, Boards, & Banks
Integrating Staff & Strategy
You know you have a brilliant strategy – but it is not working. What’s up? There are a myriad of reasons why excellent strategies are not implemented effectively. Here are two basic pitfalls that you can avoid. #1. Undercommunicating the Strategy. John Kotter, in his classic book, Leading Change, says that leaders very often do not communicate their vision and … [Read more...] about Integrating Staff & Strategy
Fun Improves Persistence
Recent research* suggests that when working on long term goals, it is helpful to find enjoyment in the pursuit of those goals in the short run. For example when people find the process of working out enjoyable, they tend to persist longer. They found the same thing for those who experienced enjoyment with studying. We really don’t need a research study to tell us that we … [Read more...] about Fun Improves Persistence
Invest More in Fundraising!
The end of the semester is upon us at the University of Maryland, where I am co-teaching a graduate course on Nonprofit Fundraising with my colleague, Dr. Bob Grimm. Part of the course involves student teams going out into the community to visit with nonprofit organizations and do a full evaluation of their fundraising program. I have been reading the final reports and … [Read more...] about Invest More in Fundraising!
If You Really Had $100 Billion
When I encourage people to create an aspirational vision of what they would want their organization to look like if they could have it any way they wanted it – it is often hard to get them to “think big” or “think outside of the box.” To help people think big, I sometimes say “Imagine you just received an unrestricted gift of $100 billion. The donor said to do anything with … [Read more...] about If You Really Had $100 Billion