Every year I make a donation to help support Epic Change been making a difference for children and their education, 2 things I am passionate about.  Each year at this time they give me the opportunity to share what I am thankful for and I love reading the outpouring of gratitude from all over the world.

This year I am particularly thankful for my family and the precious time we get to share.  It has been a long, tough year for us but we have survived together.  Together is truly the operative word – whether as an immediate or global family.  Together we can make change, share love and create a better world.

The truth is, I also got stuck.  I intended to finish the series of articles for small organizations on the benefits of using a consultant.  Every time I got ready to work on it, I realized I needed to research.  Back burner again.  Today I got up and decided I’m moving on.  I may come back and work on the series at some point in the future.  Or not….

I’ve seen this same thing happen in Community Benefit organizations I’ve worked with.  Great ideas are started with enthusiasm and the best of intentions.  First steps are taken and then everything comes to a crashing halt.  It winds up on the ever growing task list where it will languish on the back burner and eventually fade away.

The difference between my blog debacle and what happens in Community Benefit organizations, is I chose to let something go that was not being productive.  When the decision is made by default due to limited staffing, limited dollars or competing priorities, important ideas are sometimes lost.

I’m a big fan of the “take a step back” school of prioritizing.  When I was an ED, at least once or twice a year our team would look at our current focus and the projects and ideas we would like to work on.  Starting with our vision for the future, we reviewed all of the choices for investing our time.  One of the most important questions in these kinds of sessions was, “What do we need to stop doing”.

Just continuing down the road because that’s where we were headed 2 years ago, didn’t mean that was where time still needed to be invested.  Some of those creative, time-consuming new ideas languishing on the back burner, were now just what we needed.

For today, I have decided it is time to begin anew with this blog and see where the writing takes me.  Hope some of you decide to come along for the journey.

Consulting is not a “one size fits all” kind of endeavor.  Some organizations needs nuts and bolts information on daily operations or training for board and staff.  They may be planning for leadership succession or need help with creating a fundraising plan.  The knowledge, experience and resources of a consultant can be invaluable in dealing with the immediate request.

But what if the need isn’t really for a fundraising plan?  What if the consultant also finds out through careful questions that the Executive and Board Chair are at odds, the organization has no plan for its future other than survival, and the Board is in chaos?  Now there is an opportunity to look together at the options that may be most helpful for the organization’s health and community impact.

Annual board retreats and strategic planning sessions are traditional times for asking questions about the needs of the community, the future of the organization and creating the steps needed to achieve identified goals.  A consultant can help frame the questions, provide the facilitation structure to keep everyone focused and provide perspective.   Through the power of questions, organizational leaders are able to work together, sharing their own knowledge, experience and wisdom.

Questions, then are the key to creating the kind of organization and community that you envision.  Next lets consider the kinds of questions you’ll want to ask before hiring a consultant.

Unless your life is vastly different than mine, the book is still sitting on the shelf or long ago disappeared when the board member resigned.  We want things to be different for our organizations and communities.  We want to have time as busy staff and board to look to the future.  What would it take to make that happen?

Amazing as it may sound, hiring a consultant might be just the step that helps you move forward.  Before you protest that there is no money, please consider the following questions:

1.  What is it costing your organization when there is no clear vision or direction for what you hope to accomplish in your community?

2. What is it costing your organization when priorities are set based on putting out fires?

3. What is it costing your organization that there is no community engagement strategy or donor development plan?

Those unseen costs may not show on your financials but they have a profound impact on your sustainability as an organization and your ability to serve your community.

In my next post, I’ll talk more about what a consultant can do to help change that picture and begin the process of achieving the results you want.

As it always has, the community is pulling together to support each other.  Food is prepared, what comfort can be provided is freely given and everyone pitches in to accomplish the tasks that must be done.

I expected that from my town.  What touched me this morning was a Retweet by @BillNigh of my post asking for support.  When I thanked him, Bill’s simple response was, “We’re community; it’s what we can do to share the burdens.”

Thank you Bill for the support, and the reminder that community exists where we create it.

For someone who loves technology as much as I do, that probably seems incongruent, but when it comes to books I am a Luddite.  I’ve never cared for reading long articles on the computer and printed out reams of documents while in graduate school.

So why is this an issue?  For my birthday, my in-laws have ordered me a Kindle.  My husband is already a convert after downloading several books to his netbook.  I have my doubts.  What if I drop it in the bathtub?  What if I don’t like reading off the screen?  What if I forget to charge it before a long plane ride?

I’ll admit, the idea of being able to carry an entire library with me has benefits.  I might not have to add any more bookcases to house the perpetually growing stacks of reading material.   I could actually carry another change of clothing when I travel without the 4 books I usually pack.

And yet there is that pesky issue of habit and the comfort of pages turning.  What do you think about e-readers?  Have you used them?  Do you like them?  What do I need to know that will help me enjoy the experience?

I suppose  you could call it an after vacation let down, but I suspect what I’ve been feeling has more to do with taking a break from the whirlwind of everyday activity and the constant stream of ideas and information I immerse myself in most days.  I turned to Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak, to refocus my life and energies in ways that are meaningful and productive for me.

It is a small book and I certainly could have raced through it, skimming the words, as I usually do.  Instead I took one chapter to savor and think about.  The words that struck me this morning and continue to tease at the corners of my mind were, “I must listen for the truths and values at the heart of my own identity, not the standards by which I must live – but the standards by which I cannot help but live if I am living my own life.”

What does the way I live my life say about the truths and values that define who I am?  How do those essential truths guide me in the choices I make every day?  These are questions that require time for reflection.  They also require a willingness to face painful truths and by inspired by what is possible.

In my work with Community Benefit Organizations, I have found the same constant activity that allows little time for reflection or planning.  Reflection may be seen as navel gazing, having little to do with the important work of the organization’s “business”.  Reflection may also be seen as a luxury for some time in the future when “there is time to think about those things”.  The reality is there never will be time unless the organization’s leadership makes it a priority.

As many organizations wind down their fiscal year, now is a perfect time to take an hour or two to reflect, not just on accomplishments, but on those standards and values that guide the organization every day.  What would your community say are the values of your organization?  How are those values visible in the work you do and the stories you tell to your community?  What actions can you take in the coming year to enhance the expression of those values?

Inspiration arises out of reflection.  Take some time today to get inspired as you look to the future!

Over the more than 10 years that Janet worked for our hospice as  manager of volunteer services, I watched her build a strong corp of dedicated volunteers involved in all aspects of the organization.  What made her so effective was not her professional manner, her inquisitive mind and commitment to life-long learning or even her passion for the mission, it was the relationships she built based on mutual vision, respect and caring.

Today, books and article abound on the recruitment and retention of Baby Boom and Gen Y volunteers.  Build relationships they say.  Connect volunteers with the vision and mission of the organization.  Respect the volunteer’s level of skill and provide meaningful opportunities to contribute.   All sound advice and wisdom that Janet knew instinctively, and long before it become fashionable.

What were those valuable lessons I learned from Janet?

• Treat every individual volunteer with respect and dignity
• Help each volunteer recognize the importance of their role in reaching the organization’s vision
• Identify strengths and encourage people to use them in meaningful ways
• Offer training and continuing education that helps volunteers be true partners in the mission and builds new skills
• Recognize volunteer contributions in ways that are important to the volunteer
• Show compassion, understand and support for the volunteer in times of difficulty and joy
• Be authentic, honest and sincere in all interactions with volunteers
• Empower volunteers to say “no” without guilt and “yes” to what works for them

Thank you Janet and the hundreds of volunteers I have worked with over the years.  Your dedication and genuine joy in serving your communities have enriched my life and the lives of countless others.  Happy National Volunteer Week!

Dear Executive Director,

I received your letter today asking me to help you serve people in our community.  I’m not sure how I got on your mailing list and don’t really know much about your organization.  The letter says times are tough and needs are rising, but so does every other letter I get from a nonprofit these days.  Even the big national organizations have increased their appeals and with the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, so many people are in need!

I’m writing today to ask, “ Why should I give to your organization when I have so many others to choose from?”  Your letter doesn’t tell me much about what you do.  You assure me that you’ve been around a long time and do good work,  but how do I know that?  I’ve seen your picture in the paper a few times receiving money from the Rotary club.  If big groups like that are supporting you, why do you need my $50?

I saw an article the other day about ratings for nonprofit organizations and thought that might help me decide.  Unfortunately, none of the ratings groups I could find list your organization.  Should I be asking how much money you spend on administration or fundraising costs?  Just because those costs are low, does that mean the organization does a better job?

The bottom line is this – I do want to help people in need.  I want to support local organizations like yours, but I’m not sure how to know whether you are doing a good job.  I also have less money to give than I did a few years ago.  I want to make sure my donation will make a difference.

What do I need from you?  Tell me your story – don’t just give me numbers of clients served.  Help me connect with the impact you see every day.  Tell me how my town will be better in the future because of the work you are doing.  Keep me informed about upcoming activities where I can see what you do.  Answer my questions honestly.  Thank me for my interest, my participation and my donation because it is the right thing to do.  I need to know that you care about me as much as you want me to care about your organization.

Thank you for listening.  I hope to hear from you soon.

Your potential donor

This is my second time through the consultant immersion class.   I attended as a “seasoned participant” with the opportunity to help others students in their learning.  In the process, I gained a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the possibilities for applying the Pollyanna Principles in daily life.

As Dave points it in Part 1 of his blog, the Pollyanna Principles were written for Community Benefit organizations, but is creating the future of our communities the sole responsibility of CBO’s?

Pollyanna Principle #3 states:

Everyone and everything is interconnected and interdependent, whether we acknowledge that or not.

Is your local Chamber of Commerce concerned about creating a thriving city or region that includes a strong,vital business community?  Is city government interested in creating a healthy, sustainable community?  How are we interdependent in making those goals reality?

What if the Pollyanna Principles were used as a foundation for starting or growing your business?  If that seems too touchy feely, consider the following questions built from the Principles:

• What are you holding yourself and the business accountable for achieving in the future?  Is your goal also to create a positive impact on the life of your community, as well as being financially successful?
• Do the decisions you make today affect the future business environment in your community?
• What values do you rely on in dealing with your customers, vendors and employees?  Are those values consistent with being viewed as a business that helps create a strong community?
• What are the strengths you and your business can build on?
• Do you have systems that reinforce the vision and values  for the community’s future and your part in that (i.e, hiring policies, employee orientation, customer service training etc.)

There is nothing more practical than knowing where you are going, and what it will take to get there.  I think that is good for everyone in a community, how about you?