ALIGN

Focus on Organization: How Passionate Are Your Supporters?

alignuser — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:42:27 +0000

We’ve all been a part of or watched an organization with a great mission begin to have trouble attracting supporters, board members, officers and, if it’s a membership organization, even members. Why does this happen?

We lose sight of the big picture – the grand purpose for which we were created. We get too wrapped up in “doing things,” like hosting events. Events are fraught with the opportunity for the clashing of ideas and egos, and pretty soon we’ve forgotten that the purpose of the event is to raise money, friends and awareness for the cause that brought us all together.

Struggling to find and keep supporters of all types? Spend a couple hours with the organization’s leadership to articulate your vision for how your organization can fulfill its mission. Begin to talk more and write more about the mission (but in short sentences – we’re in the Facebook Age – we’re looking for sound bites). Reignite the passion for the purpose among organizational leaders and watch things change!

Focus on People: Volunteering as Practice

alignuser — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:57:48 +0000

Got a smart staff member on the verge of taking the next step up? Does she need a little push or extra practice before she’s ready to take the plunge? Try giving her an opportunity to practice the new skill in a volunteer situation. If she’d like to start teaching classes for your new volunteers but doesn’t have 100% faith in her abilities, give her an opportunity to teach in a less threatening environment first – maybe as a volunteer for an organization like Junior Achievement. If he’s almost ready to manage people, but he’s hesitant to speak in front of a group of people or run a meeting, give him a chance to volunteer as a board member to gain confidence and familiarity.

By giving your staff a little paid volunteer time to gain experience, you’re helping make your community a stronger place, enabling talented staff to gain experience and confidence, and in the bargain they’re learning skills which will make them more valuable to you. It’s a WIN-WIN-WIN!

Focus on Strategy: Bringing on the Next Generation of Leaders

alignuser — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:25:12 +0000

When you have bright, enthusiastic and bought-in talent on your staff, we think it’s a great idea to include them in your organization’s strategic planning, goal setting and tactical planning processes. But if they have never before been involved with the process, a little advance preparation will help them understand the process and feel more comfortable when they walk through the doors of the planning room for the first time.

1. Explain the planning process to them – what is the purpose of the session, what is your goal for the day, and what they might expect the day to look like.

2. Be sure they understand their role, your expectations of them during the session, and tell them what they can expect to gain.

3. Include them in any pre-planning activities or events such as survey work or warm-up exercises.

Your planning time will be more productive and valuable for everyone, and you will have taken the next step in development for your next generation of leaders.

Focus on Leadership: Who is Holding Your Feet to the Fire?

alignuser — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:02:38 +0000

Having your feet held over an open flame may sound like a bad thing, but most of us benefit from being accountable to someone. Whether it’s the board we serve, the boss we report to or the constituents that count on our services, asking someone to rate our performance is a sure-fire way to improve that performance. If you want to make real and lasting improvements, tell your ‘accountability partner’ and yourself that that there will be no excuses for your nonperformance. That is, they are not to accept an answer like, “There wasn’t time after all,” or “I made progress but I missed the deadline.” A good partner will ask why there wasn’t time or why you didn’t finish, rather than simply saying, “Oh, well, maybe you’ll get to it next month.”

Self-imposed deadlines may work for a few of us, but most of us need someone else’s expectations to keep us moving forward. It’s hard to let down someone else.

Focus on Organization: Reward Employees With a Home Office!

alignuser — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:16:34 +0000

If you’re looking for ways to reward your trusted employees that won’t break the bank, think about sending them home. Providing the opportunity to work from home (WFH) is an affordable benefit you can offer. While there are some regulations to be aware of, they’re minimal and simple. So as you prepare to offer that opportunity make a list, not just the basic pros and cons (although that will help) but list the details of how it can work and how it can’t; and give the whys for each. Sit down with the people you think will take advantage of this benefit and/or some trusted advisors. Brainstorming is still a great way to tear down the sides of that box we sometimes find ourselves trapped in.

Here are a few of the things you will need to address:

• Privacy issues for the organization and its clients
• Available technology
• Assessment of work completed (think of this in terms of the work itself, not the employee – the point of a WFH environment is flexibility of work hours.)
• Communication – how to mitigate the isolation even the best employee may feel

Focus on People: Take a REAL Break

alignuser — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:59:22 +0000

We all need to take breaks from routines, projects and meetings to maintain our mental, spiritual and physical health. When you take a break, make it count. Instead of playing mind-numbing solitaire, get away from the computer completely. Take several minutes and pick up a book of word or number puzzles, read an actual newspaper, or look at artwork you’ve taken for granted. And don’t let yourself get into a rut with your breaks. Vary your break activities so they stimulate rather than become chores in and of themselves.

Focus on People: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

alignuser — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:09:14 +0000

Here’s an immutable rule that shows respect for people that “follow the rules”: Start meetings on time. Whether you’re an executive director convening a staff meeting; a board chairperson convening a board meeting; or a project manager convening a team meeting, it’s important to honor the members of the group that fulfill your expectations of them. Yes, that means we think that arriving on times for meetings is an expectation. Make sure the group’s members understand it as such – and then start on time. As we like to say, why punish the eager by holding things up while waiting for the feet draggers? Simple tip – but it sets the bar for asking folks to live up to the standards that are part of the group’s operating norms.

Focus on People: Fun at Work ?!

alignuser — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:19:48 +0000

One of the many challenges that face employers is how to pass on their own passion for the work to their employees. Sometimes it seems like you can barely keep them showing up for work in the morning, let alone stick around long enough to develop any kind of loyalty or enthusiasm for the job at hand.

Sometimes finding ways to share fun will catch the attention of someone at the right time in the right place and provide the jump start needed to really engage. Whether it is a serious team building activity; or simpler activities — what Align calls “fun-with-a-purpose;” or just occasionally letting your hair down, finding ways to bring laughter and camaraderie to the workplace breaks down barriers and strengthens relationships. A strong, committed workforce creates synergy and contributes to company loyalty. Enjoy a little fun with your staff and reap the benefits.

Focus on Leadership: “Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?”

alignuser — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:17:03 +0000

I can’t remember who first told me the story of the rabbi walking home at night, deep in thought. He inadvertently overshot his home and ended up near an army camp. A centurion challenged him, “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Like many a person, I’ve adopted that phrase — that pair of questions — as something to ask myself on a regular basis.

Good leaders know the answers. They know their personal code of ethics and values. And they know both why they value the work they do for the organization in which they do it; and of what value that work is to the organization and the people it serves.

This is a good self-assignment for early in 2012 – answer the question, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Leadership: It Takes Practice, But Learning to Say “Not Now” is Critical to Your Success – Part III

alignuser — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:03:56 +0000

The past two editions of the Angle have reminded chief executives that saying ‘not now’ is important for themselves and for the organization. To wrap up the series, here are tips that recap what we’ve said.

·         Have a strategic plan and have the items on the plan in priority order.
·         Know approximately how many hours over what amount of time (days, weeks, months or years) it will take to accomplish each initiative.
·         Keep yourself focused on the highest priorities.
·         Keep your board focused on the highest priorities.

· When the board asks you to accomplish something that is not in your strategic plan, remind them you’ll need to find the resources, including time, to accomplish the requested action.

· If the add-on initiative fits with the overall goals of the organization, ask who on the board or from the community can help.
- o If no one volunteers, ask if you can look at your schedule for accomplishing the strategic goals and get back to them with a realistic plan for adding this latest idea.