Management and Leadership in Nonprofits

My New Three Words

Last year I introduced you to a "sort of" resolution process for the New Year involving three words (thank you again, Chris Brogan, www.chrisbrogan.com). These are words to reflect on and help answer whether what you are doing now is moving you in the right direction.

The End With a New Beginning

This will be a short one. First and most important: a happy and healthy holiday season and new year to all. This includes Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Joyous Kwanza (and anything else I may have missed).

Brilliance Assembled

Scapegoats

Looking Back (Forward?)

Avoiding Panic

One of my team stopped me in the hallway several days ago. There was a crisis. (Isn't there always?) We ran through the options, and as we talked we began to get to the root of the problem. We found that with a little problem solving not only could we resolve the current crisis, we could solve the problem that caused it, thereby preventing a future reoccurrence.

Think Big. Start Small. Act Fast.

Leading Rain or Shine

This spring Wipfli launched a new program for nonprofit and government clients designed around taking our future success into our own hands. The leaders and agencies involved in the year-long effort are off to an incredible start, innovating and finding ways to lead and execute in this time of uncertainty.

Managing

We need to keep in mind that managers are measured by what they get done. Often times, we forget that the "how" we get it done can change. The "how" isn't measured. The results are. Manager's simply need to focus on getting to the result in the most effective way possible and stress flexibility on the "how".

Reaching Out

In case you've been hiding under a rock for the last few years, there's this little thing called Social Media that has created new communications between people and organizations. Not only has it helped foster political revolutions (e.g., look at the Middle East), it's reignited old friendships, ended a few friendships (and probably marriages!), helped businesses sell things, and has helped organizations increase awareness and donations.

Three Words

I'm a fan of Chris Brogan (www.chrisbrogan.com) and read his blog every day. Being a fan doesn't mean I always agree with him. I do like that he challenges me with ideas different than my own. Earlier this year, one of Chris's entries challenged his readers to create three words to focus on for the year.

Get Inspired

I was wrestling hard this week with my opponent - the empty blog topic. For most of the week, the empty blog topic was winning. For the last few weeks, I've written about the concerns facing our nonprofit world. They are very real and very big. It's just getting so darn depressing and I couldn't bring myself to write about it.

But then something weird happened. I was thinking of all the negative words: anxiety, fear, worry, etc. Then the old Jamaica tourism phrase popped into my head: don't worry, be happy. This of course led to thoughts about the movie "Cool Runnings." The movie was about a Jamaican Olympic athlete who, for some reason i can't remember, was unable to participate in the Summer Olympics in his sport (track, I believe). However, he couldn't overcome his desire to somehow get to the Olympics.

The New Normal

The New Normal. I do not like that phrase. To me, it's a little bit of a cop out to avoid the bolder statement:  Change or Die. This phrase hit home to me via author Alan Deutschman in his book Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and In Life. I don't agree with everything he says nor all his methods. But I am willing to learn from his hypothesis that we need to change our behaviors to deal with the realities of our situation (at least that's what I think he said).

Fear and Change

I'm writing this looking out my office window at the quickly dwindling snow piles here in Madison. Hard to believe a little over a week ago we had a major blizzard with nearly 20 inches of snow followed by extreme cold with temperatures around minus 12. Now our temperatures are in the 40s and last night it didn't even get below freezing! And that's nothing compared to the folks in Texas and Oklahoma (and many other places) where they've had temperature extremes  approaching 100 degrees. All this gets me thinking about that "change" thing.

Cuts are Coming

After 2 years of pretty darn good federal funding (also known as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), we are facing what appears to be a lengthy period of lean federal funding.  The first salvo fired was an announcement from the Obama administration that Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding in the proposed budget is reduced 50% with awards to be based on performance similar to Race to the Top.

Strategic Thinking

I've given a lot of thought lately to Strategic Thinking.  Most of us at one time or another have completed or participated in creating a Strategic Plan.  Strategic Planning usually includes a process around setting goals, strategies and actions (and sometimes just creating a binder for our shelves).  Let me be clear:  Strategic Planning is not the same as Strategic Thinking.  It's not even close.

What happened to the "o" in ok?

I just finished a text conversation with my college age son. The conversation ended with a simple, one letter text: "k".  I put my phone away satisfied that the conversation was done. But then I got to thinking. Did we really finish?

Value of Trouble

In talking with leaders in many organizations, there seems to be one consistent thought - stay out of trouble! After all, with trouble comes pain and dealing with pain is awfully hard. Let me ask one more question, though. What happens after the pain? Or to put it another way, what is the outcome of trouble?

Reflections on a Week

Read about Steve's take on Wipfli's 11th Annual Management Conference for Grant-Funded Programs, which was held July 12-16, 2010 in Las Vegas.

Emotions and Change

Have you ever tried to get a coworker, friend, loved one or maybe just a casual acquaintance to change behavior? Or, heaven forbid, a teenager? Think about what's involved in the process.

Risky Decisions

I hear there's a little oil leaking in the Gulf of Mexico. Wait a minute, the leak seems to be getting bigger. Oops, can't seem to plug it up but everything is being tried. Oh, and it's even bigger than first thought.

I can hear you asking, "what can an oil leak can possibly have to do with leadership and management in my organization?" The answer is nothing (regarding the leak, that is). What it does have a lot to do with in your organization is how that leak was managed both before it occurred and after.

iPad - Do You Need (Want) One?

Time's a Changin'

We are on the verge of some very new ways to use technology in business. The old days of buying a server, buying lots of storage, buying software, buying people to support it, and buying big PCs to access it are fading.

Where Does Strategy Come From?

Here you go nonprofit leaders. Time to do that Strategic Plan again. Get it done. Cross it off the list. You'll meet with the board and some of your leaders. Then, you'll meet with your staff to share the brilliance of the strategic planning team. The staff will be asked to execute the brilliant strategies. And in the end, nothing happens. Has anybody heard this story before? Some of you I'm sure have.

Grab a Saw

Did you ever want to just do it? You know what I mean. You walk in to your organization and there it sits. The problem.

Got Risk?

Great opportunity is knocking on the doors of nonprofits in your community...but what kind of risk is this creating?