Listen up! The 2020 election presents a HUGE opportunity for your nonprofit. Here’s how to take advantage of it.
Let’s Play the New Year’s Eve Game!
It’s nearly time to light a menorah, decorate a Christmas tree, do both or neither. You’ll spend time with family or with your chosen family. You will be nearly forced to stop working because the whole world slows down in the last week or two of each year.
At some point in these next few weeks you’ll have time to reflect – to consider who you were and what you accomplished in 2019.
I know. I know. You’ll say, “I can’t believe it. Wasn’t it just Valentine’s Day?” You might utter a few sentences that start with, “If only I…..” And, of course, given the political climate, there will be some jaw dropping and eye rolling.
Perhaps you will use my favorite phrase of 2019. “I can’t even.”
That came in pretty handy every time I read the news.
But I’d like to suggest that you play The New Year’s Eve Game at some point. It’s a very simple look back on the year. You need a way to capture a list of no more than 10 things.
List the 10 biggest things you did this year that make you really really proud to be a nonprofit leader.
That’s it. Just ten things. The biggest things to you – they don’t have to be earth shattering – they can be a small thing that is actually a really big thing. Review them closely, own them. Maybe when they feel right, write an email to your staff and board with your reflections about the list and thank them for the role they played in making that list possible. Let them all know how grateful you are that their passion and determination found its way to your organization. And that their fingerprints are all over each item on the list.
That email will mean the world to them.
Speaking of lists, I have one too. It’s a list of the blog posts I wrote in 2019 that my readers – people like you – seemed to like the most.
It’s not the same kind of list but it does give me pause to reflect on how lucky I am. Over 1 million views of my posts this year supported your work. And in this very crazy and kinda ugly world, I saw thousands of nonprofit leaders – board and staff – working to create a sense of fairness and beauty in a world that often feels painfully lacking in both. And that makes me feel lucky indeed.
So holiday reflections, a few words of advice, and a list of posts folks found most useful this year. If you missed some of them, it’s a good time to catch up. I hope they help you.
Happy Holidays from a not-so-secret admirer.Continue Reading
Holiday Gifts for Nonprofit Readers
Nonprofit leaders impress the heck out of me. Not gonna lie.
I call them superheroes for a reason. They raise money, recruit and engage board members, design programs, manage staff, and there are dozens of other important responsibilities they juggle.
But there is one thing that nonprofit leaders make time for that truly surprises me.
Wanna guess?
OK, time’s up.
The answer: THEY READ.
Nonprofit leaders are readers. They look for and consume books for the express purpose of thinking about their work in a smarter way, managing their time, and understanding what leadership is really about. They strive to be really really good at their jobs.
For this reason, we run quarterly book clubs in the Nonprofit Leadership Lab (my online membership program). Members are hungry for resources and always on the hunt for the “thing” that will solve a problem or improve performance.
So is there someone on your gift list this year who works for a nonprofit or is a dedicated board member or volunteer? Need some help finding holiday gifts?
Look no more. Any or all of the following books would be perfect to place adjacent to a box of Chanukah candles or under the glow of the family Christmas tree.Continue Reading
How My Recent Vacation Changed Me
I just had a real honest-to-goodness vacation. I’m still pinching myself.
Not one week. Not even two weeks. Three and a half weeks. Away. Not checking email. Not writing this blog.
And it wasn’t just the length of time that was remarkable. We traveled halfway around the world. The trip of a lifetime to Australia and New Zealand.
I learned a few things during my vacation. More than a few. Really important things that I need to share with you. They are kinda “Dorothy wearing the ruby slipper things” and I believe they will mean something to you. So, stay with me.
But I’ll start with a few basics.
There are five sheep for every one person in New Zealand. The genius behind the Sydney Opera House actually never saw it completed. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef is just as thrilling as you might imagine (and they should call it something more than ‘great.’ That’s SO not a big enough word.)
The whole kangaroo with the joey in the pouch – it gives you goosebumps. And yes, everything in New Zealand looks like a set from Lord of the Rings (actually, I believe every nook and cranny of New Zealand was a set element from Lord of the Rings).
And lastly, Jupiter has moons and Saturn has rings. I saw them with my very own eyes.
But I need to tell you the biggest lesson I learned. And it does not require a trip halfway around the world.Continue Reading
The Dirtiest Word in Nonprofits
It was somewhere around day 60 of my tenure as the Executive Director of GLAAD when I figured out the dirtiest word in nonprofits.
Want a hint? I’ll give you two.
- It’s not usually a dirty word outside of the nonprofit sector.
- And no, it’s not “fundraise” or “committee” or “grant application” or anything like that.
And yes, I realize that last one was two words anyway.
No, it’s something much more problematic for many many nonprofit leaders. In fact, most people I know who are drawn to be an Executive Director don’t handle this word very well. They kind of suck at it.
Want to guess what it is…?
I ask this question when folks sign up for my free online mini-series that premieres this week called High Impact, No Burnout. The idea behind the mini-series is to show you the 3 keys to building a thriving nonprofit without burning out. Which isn’t so easy.
Interested? It starts on Thursday, April 23rd. It’s free. And it very much focuses on how to overcome this dirtiest of words.
You can sign up here, and I encourage you to do so.
I guess I’m about to give away the answer, so keep reading… 🙂Continue Reading
What’s The Single Best Sign of a Healthy Nonprofit?
I’m a kind blogger. Here’s a clue to the answer.
So riddle me this batmen and women.
Tell me the ONE thing that tells you a nonprofit is thriving.
You can pick just one.
No fair you say? Well it’s MY blog so my rules. But let me help you get your creative juices flowing.
Let’s start with the wrong answers. It has nothing to do with:
- A strong mission
- A cash reserve
- The diversity of your revenue streams or meeting your annual revenue goals
- Your staff turnover %
- The size of your board
Yes, these things are really important, but the charge here is to pick ONE. And these aren’t it.
OK, give up?
Read on and I’ll give you the right answer.
Stop Feeling Guilty For Wanting to Work Less
A nonprofit executive director client of mine is headed out for vacation next week.
Re-read that sentence if you don’t mind. Note that the word “executive director” and “vacation” appear in the same sentence. Without the word cancel.
So we are headed in the right direction. Then I ask the key question. “Will you be checking your email while you are out of the country?”
The answer is pretty typical: “Maybe just a few times a day, but that’s all. I’ll definitely work less.”
Like I was supposed to offer a round of applause. Like “that’s all” is evidence of a remarkable commitment to self care.
She received no applause from me.
“That’s all.” Let’s tease that out, shall we?
- That’s all… Because I don’t trust anyone else to take care of things?
- That’s all… Because I have to demonstrate that I work really hard all the time?
- That’s all… Because I’m a “pleaser” who has trouble saying “no”?
- That’s all… Because just the thought of focusing on my own well-being makes me feel tremendous guilt?
I’m going to dive into this issue – this sense of guilt so many nonprofit leaders have about any kind of self-investment. It’s time for some tough love from Joan.
Before You Take That New Executive Director Job…
The story is mine but it’s oh so common. When I was hired to be an Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, I had no idea what I was getting into. The board had even less of an idea. We had a budget on paper. Paper, it turns out, we couldn’t afford. From tip to toe, there was a lot of work to be done, starting with raising enough money for payroll.
I often wonder. If I had asked the search committee the right kinds of questions, would I have understood the depth of the challenges? And here’s an even better question. Would I have walked away from the opportunity that turned out to be one of the most professionally rewarding roles in my career?
That’s the thing about applying for Executive Director jobs. I don’t think I asked particularly good or smart questions of the search committee. Funny, right? I pride myself on asking good, smart questions.
And why didn’t I? Perhaps I wanted the Executive Director job so much I did not want to be dissuaded. Or maybe I thought the board really wouldn’t know the answers.
So what should we ask search committees when we’re interviewing for Executive Director jobs?
Executive Directors Are Superheroes, But They Have Their Kryptonite
As I write this, the biggest movie in the world is the superhero film, Avengers Endgame.
Now, I’m not the biggest action movie buff in the world, but I do know a superhero when I see one. And Executive Directors are society’s superheroes. There is just no doubt in my mind.
They go toe-to-toe with their opponents on national TV.
They fearlessly meet with elected officials to influence change.
They lead with a level of determination far beyond those of mortal men and women.
But just like Superman (and yes, I know he’s not in the Avengers), Executive Directors have their kryptonite. Their (potentially) fatal flaw.
It’s not a lack of resources… or a disengaged board.
No, those are obstacles for sure. But this problem is actually harder to overcome. And it affects Executive Directors regardless of level of performance.
And it’s not an addiction to hummus either.
Want a hint?Continue Reading
10 Things That Drive Executive Directors Nuts
My glass? Half full. As far as I’m concerned, running a nonprofit is a joy and privilege.
But I’m also a realist. These jobs are hard. You throw your heart and soul into educating, advocating, feeding, lobbying, sheltering – the list goes on.
During my time as an Executive Director, the toughest thing for me was the enormous responsibility I felt.
There was this therapy session. So why are you here? My therapist (who was wonderful) had one of those voices that’s supposed to calm you down. But I was so riled up, her voice could not even make a dent.
I cut to the chase. I really like to help people. It’s part of my DNA. And for the most part I think it is one of my finer qualities…. And probably because of this, I just took a job running a gay rights organization. But I’ve gone overboard. Now I feel like I need to help all the gay people.
Over eight years, I had days when the responsibility felt crushing and I developed some go-to strategies for when I was having a bad day.
Today I offer you my take on the top ten toughest things about being an Executive Director. And because I cannot contain myself, some color commentary and maybe an antidote for each.Continue Reading
