Performance reviews: Yuck!

May 14th, 2012

Larry Tucker

A client said to me the other day that her board had not formally reviewed her performance in a few years and she had not formally reviewed her direct reports in about the same amount of time. To quote Texas Governor Rick Perry, “Oops!”  

Admittedly, the best coaching takes place daily in ongoing conversations. But, once a year, you still must step back and consider overall performance. 

The discussions and coaching that takes place day to day, if even those are occurring, tend to focus on immediate problems, not on the organization’s mission and vision and certainly not on the employee’s goals and career.  

In addition, good performance reviews link everything together:  

  • Organization mission, vision and annual goals 
  • Executive Director goals  
  • Staff goals  

This assures that the vision and culture of the organization start at the board and Executive Director level, and then flow through to all employees, giving the organization consistency and a common purpose.

 I also tend to be a supporter of 360 reviews, where bosses, peers and direct reports (and sometimes clients) all provide input into the process. With the advent of free and inexpensive electronic survey resources like SurveyMonkey and Zoomerang, obtaining multiple perspectives in a confidential process is now quite simple. 

As usual, Jan Masaoka of Blue Avacado offers some great tips on performance reviews and provides a template for the evaluation of an executive director.

Author:  Larry Tucker,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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The New Leadership

May 8th, 2012

Adrianne DuMond

Leadership is a custodial role; people participate because they want to; leaders do stuff that no one else wants to do. In 2001, Jim Collins wrote ‘ Good to Great; Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t’. It was a book for business and the corporate world. In 2005 he added a monograph for the ‘Social Sectors’ and I recommend it for the nonprofit world – especially the sections that define what good leadership is in today’s fast changing environment. 

Collins states that ‘leaders are ambitious first and foremost for the cause, the movement, the work – not themselves – and they have the will to do whatever it takes to make good on that ambition’. It is a combination of ‘personal humility’ and ‘professional will’ – a paradoxical blend.

 The reason I find this applicable to the nonprofit world is because leadership is used in a very complex governance structure and often with a diffuse power base. That is, there is the Board of Directors that requires clear direction, a staff that requires direction and motivation, donors who require proof of performance, clients who seek guidance and support, foundations and government agencies that monitor the use of monies, and the public that demands proof of effectiveness. The nonprofit world is an environment where power from the top doesn’t work. Yes, there is need for clear direction (mission and goals) and enthusiasm to make it happen. But power comes from the connections made among people, and building relationships and keeping them – a never-ending challenge requiring commitment and determination. It takes ‘custodial management’ and not the traditional nature of power, then, to inspire the fulfillment of the mission. 

Collins’ monograph is interesting in the observation of how to staff an organization. He states that the great businesses focused on recruiting and keeping the right people in the right jobs – those who are self-motivated and self-disciplined, and ‘wake up every day, compulsively driven to do the best they can because it is simply a part of their DNA’. I have found that people who have this dedication and commitment to a cause own the nonprofit world. But it takes a custodial style of management to guide and support these people. 

I highly recommend Jim Collins’ monograph for some inspiring reading.

 Author:  Adrianne DuMond,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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Who do you think you are talking to?

April 30th, 2012
Dan Charobee

Dan Charobee

A client of mine is undergoing a transition. With a tight budget, is they have to stop printing and distributing a booklet that has been a mainstay in their educational program. At a recent meeting of nonprofits and video media specialists the issue was raised about traditional media embedded in the organization and the mindset of the board. How your organization talks to its stakeholders – knowing who they are and how they communicate – is a valuable part of your technology strategy.  

Considering that each generation communicates in a different way, the entry of Millenials, who brought more technology into organizations, is now being followed by the Digital Generation. The Millenials earned their place by being the generation that said “no problem” when Y2K panicked the globe. The youngest is 20 years old and they are the ones marked the most by the “Great Recession”. The oldest of the Digitals is 19, entering the workforce during a re-structuring and re-growth period; is using digital communications from their earliest social interactions. 

A technology strategy keeps your organization effective by focusing on your mission and objectives while managing the influences of mega tech ad campaigns; day-to-day “we could use an I-This, a Tweet That, a Face What”; and legacy communications methods. Here is how to begin your technology strategy:

  1. Take a position and tie it into your mission and objectives. Will you be a technology innovator, leader, authority, advanced user, user, follower, or traditionalist?
  2. Formulate your strategy: “We will utilize technology that is proven and effective for meeting our objectives”.
  3. Address technology factors in your communications activities: faster deployment, faster and quantified response, and easier pass-along vs. longer life, quality image, and traditional audience.
  4. Don’t forget the “Old Coke, New Coke” rule. If you forget to address those that rely on traditional communications, you may lose your most valuable stakeholders.

You will find it easier to manage the technology wave by having a technology strategy and even get some nice surprises. The client that is dropping the print work is able to focus more on integrating their enrollment process and program display. And yes, they figured out a way to communicate with their traditionalists as well.

 Author:  Dan Charobee,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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Welcome to the New Year of 2012

April 30th, 2012

Robin Noah

This New Year is bringing a bunch of new employee oriented legislation and in some cases changes in labor laws that can severely impact the business community.

Of great importance is the new program for processing complaints and claims from employees against their employers.

According to foxnews.com… in an unprecedented and controversial move, the White House has launched a new program at the Department of Labor which will refer workers who have complaints about their bosses to a toll free number at the American Bar Association, where they can get a lawyer to work on their case on a contingency fee basis.

The article states that more than 40,000 workers annually contact the Department of Labor with complaints about their bosses. But Labor can’t get to all of them, an estimated 10%, because of budget constraints, the White House says. So the White House has instead launched a program for “unresolved complainants” with the ABA.

Workers will now be provided a toll-free number that connects them with ABA lawyers nationwide who are experienced in things like alleged workplace abuses of minimum wage, overtime and family medical leave laws.　

The White House in a statement says this is “a new effort between the federal government and private bar to assist complainants” that may need help with “worker rights.” In a statement, the ABA calls this new alliance “unprecedented.”　

Vice President Joe Biden says the lawyers will be working on a contingency fee basis, and not pro bono.

This seems to be another job killing, anti-employer decision. Contingency fees mean that the lawyers don’t collect any fees until the employer pays. Does this give an attorney a thoughtful reason to only take on legitimate suits? 　

How will the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division know if the ABA is actually accepting these referrals or if the cases are being resolved by the private bar? In a fact sheet, the ABA says it “will provide the Wage and Hour Division with aggregate information about the numbers of referrals accepted and the outcome of those cases.”

You really need to read the complete article to get a good perspective on this issue. It is a long article but worthwhile reading. Whether you’re a nonprofit organization or a for profit business, all employers need to read this article and maintain an interest in this program as it can significantly affect any business.

Author:  Robin Noah,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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Four Keys to Writing Persuasive Copy

April 23rd, 2012
Bob Cryer

Bob Cryer

I discovered a great article on writing persuasive fundraising copy on the KISSmetrics blog.

Their first key is to write conversationally. People buy from (or donate to) people that they like. The way to get readers to like you is to write the way you talk, rather than trying to write a hyped up sales pitch or a more formally structured case for giving.

Conversational writing that projects your personality, sincerity and likability is not easy. The article suggests that you talk naturally to a close friend about why you believe in your nonprofit. Record the conversation. Then transcribe and lightly edit it to create conversational copy that projects your likability, sincerity and beliefs about your nonprofit and its programs.

The second key is to use stories. Most of us are really bad at processing vague ideas, abstract concepts or relationships, and unordered sets of things. But as soon as we have a real world example of something, we find it pretty easy to generalize it to other situations.

The third key is to present benefits and then features in your illustrative stories. The benefits are the reason why someone should donate to your nonprofit. The features of your nonprofit’s program make it believable that your nonprofit can actually deliver those promised benefits.

The fourth key is to use lots of hooks in your copy. Most people will read a little bit and then start scanning. The hooks (subheadings, bullet lists, images, boldface, etc.) tend to stop the eye from scanning over too much of your text.

If you want to write more persuasive fundraising copy, I recommend that you to read the entire article at http://blog.kissmetrics.com/copy-without-gimmicks/

Author:  Bob Cryer,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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Having Difficult Conversations

April 12th, 2012

Larry Tucker

We all seem to be similar in some ways. One very common characteristic among leaders and managers is our allergic reaction to difficult conversations. My limited perspective indicates that this is even more prevalent in nonprofits, where being empathetic to others’ situations is the “minimum requirement” for a leadership role, so creating conflict and hurting someone’s feelings are not outcomes we typically try to achieve.  

You’re probably familiar with this “phobia”: You’ve been meaning to have this conversation for a while, but dread it. Meanwhile, this person’s inappropriate activities have been accumulating. You are ready to burst, and in fact, you’re a little afraid that when you have the conversation, you may overreact…spill out everything in a waterfall of past transgressions and ill feelings that could flood the whole relationship. This could be a situation with a peer, a boss or a subordinate. 

You may have talked yourself out of having this conversation: It won’t help. Now’s not the right time. It’s not my problem.

The bad news is that I don’t have a silver bullet. You will feel uncomfortable in this conversation, and someone may leave this conversation feeling “wounded”. The good news is that there are some “templates” that will help guide you through conversations like this. One excellent source is the book Difficult Conversations by members of the Harvard Negotiation Project.  

If you are a manager, you must have these conversations. If you have been avoiding them, start researching and practicing. As an executive director, you will likely have these conversations with employees, volunteers, board members, and maybe even donors.  

Here are a few ideas to start you on this path:   

  • If you aren’t sure if this situation merits a conversation, ask some others. Get some objective views.  
  • Don’t let it build. Say something early on.  
  • If you are a manager, don’t save all your comments for the annual performance review. Find reasons to have conversations frequently.  
  • For a manager, the best approach is direct and time-sensitive. Have the discussion soon after the event in question, BUT wait until the next day. Think about how you want to approach the discussion. 
  • Start the conversation with questions.  
  • Remember and recognize the person’s strengths and the value that he/she has added to the organization.  

This can be a noble goal for you: Initiate one difficult conversation in the next month. The first one is the toughest.

Author:  Larry Tucker,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

 

 

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Attitude is Everything

April 9th, 2012

Adrianne DuMond

Do you have a positive thinker on your staff or Board? Keep him/her around and this is why. Like Steve Jobs, they tend to look at problems as a new opportunity.

I recently worked a training session where one of the participants was always offering suggestions. At first, I thought I might have a difficult time keeping him from dominating the discussion. But then I observed that he was a stimulus for others to offer their insights and often quite enthusiastically. I began to pay closer attention and realized he was quite a positive thinker. One participant seemed put off by his thinking. So I queried her about his input. She responded that he was in denial about how drastic the agency’s situation really was. 

In a Board or staff meeting, people hear different things. It can be said that people hear what they need to hear. Therefore, if the objective is to solve a problem or crisis, and your team wants to make good things happen, it is important for that voice of the positive thinker to ring loud and clear. When things go wrong, and they will, the positive thinker sees the problem as an opportunity to succeed and leads the group to take the necessary steps to create a successful outcome. 

In the training session I observed, the group was struggling with how to increase fundraising. The positive thinker offered many suggestions that resonated with the group. I left the session with small groups tackling the action steps and timeline for improving the situation. Even the doomsayer was involved. I could say this experience also helped with teamwork for these participants. We all rally to an effort to improve the situation or solve a crisis. 

I should also add that it is possible to turn the switch if you straddle the fence between a positive/negative thought process. It’s possible to program your thinking so that positive thoughts are kept and negative ones discarded. You may also discover that a positive attitude blesses your own life. After all, people are drawn to those who can give them a lift and be a positive sounding board (a positive listener).

 Author:  Adrianne DuMond,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

 

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Are You Raising Enough Money to Support Your Mission?

April 3rd, 2012

Robin Noah

Professor Paul Light of New York University recently suggested that this deep recession has put over 100,000 nonprofit organizations in jeopardy of closing due to lack of funds. Finding the solution is not as easy as it may seem. However there are a variety of programs that can be developed and implemented for raising the money you need to meet your mission and the growing needs of your organization.

One of those programs is an Annual Campaign. An Annual Campaign is a board-driven fundraising effort or appeal that seeks unrestricted operating funds from primarily individual donors, but also from foundations and corporations.

The benefits of conducting a campaign outweigh, by far, any potential negative consequences. It is one of the best opportunities to create relationships with donors, to find out their goals and to include them in meaningful giving opportunities within the organization.

Conducting an Annual Campaign and taking the time to connect donors to the mission will allow the organization the opportunity to move donors up the giving pyramid. A successful campaign will allow your organization to raise money as well as the capacity to accomplish your mission’s goals. (A giving pyramid describes the typical progressive stages that your donors move through as they become more committed to your mission.)

Donors do not attend an event and then suddenly become a planned gift or major or capital gift donor. You need a vehicle to drive donors up the pyramid to planned giving. An Annual Campaign can be that vehicle.

Yes it takes time, Yes it needs staffing and Yes it takes money – but first of all it needs a plan. So develop a plan that is focused, and is a timed philanthropic endeavor that, when executed correctly, will deliver a high rate of return to your organization

You can change the course of your organization from “putting out fires” to being proactive and successful in meeting the needs and expectations of your organization.

Author:  Robin Noah,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

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Forecasting- One Step Ahead

March 30th, 2012
Dan Charobee

Dan Charobee

 

How much? How many? When? Where? How long will it take? How long will it last? These questions provide leaders with essential planning information, but each is subject to the fatal flaws of forecasting.
Having worked with many executives that appear to have a natural instinct for forecasting the future, I found success is due to intense interest, experience, education (formal and self education), and effective communications. Here is what they know:
  • GIGO, coined during the advent of the computer age, corrupted results and reports due to this simple data problem; garbage in, garbage out. Qualify the information you are using.
  • ASSUME corrupts facts, making an “A–” out of “U” and “ME”. Verify all assumptions.
  • Weighted Forecasting comes from high value placed on producing high numbers. “Kill the messenger”, inexperience, and forecasts out of sync with operating cycles are culprits. Plan for realistic forecasts and adjust the timing to the situation.
  • Moving On, the tendency to develop a forecast to meet demands then let it go. Without relationships to objectives, it becomes a test, a painful experience; something to be forgotten. Integrate it into your communications.
One client questioned every research piece we prepared. How did this apply to his organization? What did this data tell him? Why was it prepared this way? How did other organizations use the information? What did we recommend for him specifically? We answered and they took the lead position in their field.
Larger, established organizations typically have systems for forecasting. They include baseline, break-even, last year plus/minus, planned growth, benchmark, and target. These systems consider estimates, industry trends, past performance, program development, and recruitment. To qualify the results and meet objectives, the best executives adjust their forecast and recommit resources to meet inherent operational changes. They do it by developing the timing and manageability of their forecast system.
In other words, make it yours. If you have busy, regular deadlines, consider your forecast to be a sign post to what is coming up around the corner. Then, begin to push the horizon further by opening communications with your stakeholders, talking about trends, opportunities, and foreseeable problems.
Whether you are handling revenue streams, client interactions and event participation; or preparing a financial projection for major funding; effective forecasting is one of your best tools for success.

Author: Dan Charobee, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org

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Six Critical Questions for Nonprofit Boards

March 26th, 2012
Bob Cryer

Bob Cryer

Mario Morino, Venture Philanthropy Partners Chairman, recommends that nonprofit boards answer six critical questions to insure that their nonprofit is prepared for changes that might lie ahead.

  1. “What conditions could change precipitously, endangering our mission and those we serve?” If a lot of your funding comes from a few sources (governments, foundations, major donors), how would you survive a major cutback from some of those sources? 
  2. “What can we do to improve the outcomes of our programs?” Too many nonprofits put a lot of effort in improving their processes, and never actualize big, non-incremental improvements that can save lives, enable more youths to graduate, or help more unemployed workers get jobs.
  3. “What is our organizations ‘baseline’ budget for providing the minimum acceptable level of service to clients?” You need a contingency plan for what is the smart thing to do if you have a major revenue loss. A zero based budgeting approach prepares you to always be able to keep delivering your core services with acceptable quality.
  4. “Who could we turn to if we were at risk of having to fold our tent?” For-profit businesses typically know who they would go to if they had to sell their business for whatever reason. Identifying and developing those relationships now will enable you respond effectively if you are suddenly facing a crisis.
  5. “How can we change our prospects by building on what we already know?” It is important to explore new opportunities that are directly tied to your mission and are not more than one step away from your core competency. Incentivize your staff and board to search for ideas to grow your nonprofit based on this “one-step away” principle.
  6. “What can we do to strengthen our revenue base?” First, expect everyone to play a role, not just the fundraising committee and team. Don’t just focus on your current base, but consider new sources based on the “one-step away” concept. But proceed with new sources cautiously. They can lead to a loss of mission focus and a dilution of scarce internal resources.

You can read Mr. Marino’s complete five page article on “Saving the Ship by Rocking the Boat” at: http://www.vppartners.org/learning/chairmans-corner/saving-ship-rocking-boat

Author:  Bob Cryer,  Executive Coaches of Orange County,  www.ECofOC.org

 

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