Innovative Leadership Development Program

Recently, I participated in a training for senior staff of nonprofits in Los Angeles who are the future CEO's of their organizations. This new initiative for the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Nonprofit Leadership Development Program (NLDP), was five full days of intensive, dynamic hands-on leadership development. Participants immediately focused on learning about their own leadership styles and strategies to become more effective as a leader and manager. During the first session they tackled difficult questions about the role of diversity in all aspects of our work and lives, and the often lonely role of the nonprofit executive director. The following four sessions covered a range of issues, including: managing organizational change, building a diverse and effective board, getting the most out of strategic planning and my session, how to build relationships for strategic partnerships and sustainability. I worked with Maura Harrington, Ph.D. and Chief Operating Officer of the Center who developed the curriculum. Her comment on the series,“We set out to provide sophisticated adult learning opportunities to increase the skills of individuals, but with the ultimate goal of boosting the ability of their organizations to serve communities. The enthusiasm, commitment and hard work of the participants underscores the need for such a program.” Nonprofit leaders face many challenges now and in the future; a diverse population and workforce; challenging economic times; motivating stakeholders and adapting to change. I was very honored to be asked to help these 22 bright young leaders prepare for the future. Their intensity and interest gave me confidence in t heir ability to lead our nonprofits.

Creating "Wins" for Your Stakeholders

Giving your stakeholders the wins that they want is the key to retention. I read a great article by the travel writer Peter Greenberg, How to Avoid Staying in a Filthy Hotel Room.

By the way, do you know the No. 1 dirtiest thing in a hotel room? I didn't - it's the remote control. (Take a box of disinfectant wipes with you and wipe it, the door knobs telephone, clock, etc.)

Peter talks about how a hotel makes him a loyal customer. It's all about anticipating his needs and following through to meet them. "It's called service. And there's a sure-fire way to determine if your hotel really is service-oriented. I call it my Diet Coke test.

Here’s how it works: Ask for any carbonated soft drink at a bar, and chances are it comes out of the “gun.” It's either too syrupy, overly carbonated or has an aftertaste of another brand of soda. It’s much better to be served a drink that comes from a can or a bottle.

Several years ago, I stayed in a Ritz-Carlton and asked the waitress for a can of Diet Coke. She insisted that it wasn’t possible because sodas were served from that gun dispenser. When I pointed out that there must be cans of Diet Coke in the vending machines and for room service, she grudgingly got me one.

Compare that to a freezing night I spent at a Best Western in Canada. When I ordered a can of Diet Coke at that hotel’s coffee shop, the waitress asked me to wait, put on her coat, crossed four lanes of highway traffic to the convenience store, and bought me a six-pack of soda. Which one of these hotels do you think is worth five stars in my book?"

I love this story. If you can deliver a personal "win" to a donor, Board Member or volunteer, you have earned their loyalty.

Here are some from a recent Advancing Philanthropy article:

Be creative! One ballet sends note cards with photos of the ballerina's holding cards with letters spelling "THANK YOU."

Make memories! Have the students at your school create special artwork, cook a meal, spend time with the donor at "story time."

We're conducting a contest to find the best "out of the box" win you've delivered to a stakeholder. Send me your ideas via our website. The contest closes soon and we're offering $50 gift cards to our winners!

There's More to Nonprofits than Mission Alone

I just returned from a great two days in Montgomery. Alabama. If anyone knows how to make you welcome, it's a bunch of Southerners. Thanks to the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama and the American Humanics program at Auburn University for hosting me.

Once again, I heard a familiar refrain, "We are trained to go out and talk about the mission."

I believe the mission is important but with all the competition these days, the advantage now goes to the fundraiser who can build a connection - an emotional connection that forges trust and a partnership.

I think the goBeyondhello training surprised the participants with the importance of the relationship in developing a prospective donor, securing the gift and ongoing cultivation. One fundraiser said to me, "No one ever talked to us that way. We were urged to focus on the work of the mission, not on us as an individual."

I think some people were actually shocked at the way we presented techniques to connect! One person said this gave her new ways to look at philanthropy. Another said he learned how to build relationships, not only with donors, but with Board members and volunteers. Many of our participants did not know they could build relationships with these other stakeholders.

We actually quantified how much the participants knew about their major stakeholders and even those who said they had a good relationship knew far less than they actually thought about the person when quizzed about personal details.

I'm pleased that the training was so valuable and I'm looking forward to the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama State Conference, Weds., March 25, Extreme Makeover" Rebuilding Our Nonprofits for Changing Times, in Birmingham.

Yumm, more barbecue!

What Generation Gap?

I follow football - not fanatically - but as a casual viewer. Of course, I watched the Super Bowl yesterday. It was a very good game, but what fascinated me was the Pittsburgh Steelers' 71-year old defensive coach, Dick LeBeau. At his age, he is coaching players who are 50 years younger!

He was a player for 14 years - he retired in 1971- and has been a coach for 35 years - 49 years in the football business.

With all the comments about the four generations trying to work together, I was fascinated to learn how he connected with his players.

When asked, those young guys said they looked at Coach LeBeau as a father figure. In the clips showing him talking to the players, it's on a very personal level.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who at 36 years old is only a little more than half LeBeau's age, doesn't necessarily feel coaching is a young man's game.

"I think relationships with players are personality things, not age things," Tomlin said. "People who have a way with people and can communicate with people, teach people and convey messages, they can do it at 35, 45, 55 or even 71. Such is the case with Dick LeBeau. I think it's a personality thing and not an age thing."

From the New York Times

Among the biggest tributes are the private ones. Defensive end Aaron Smith claimed that knowing LeBeau has made him not only a better player, but also a better man. Defensive end Brett Keisel said playing for LeBeau made him love the game more than he ever thought possible.

“We genuinely come to work and think, I can’t wait to hear what he’s got to say and where we’re going to go next,” Keisel said.

Always smiling. Always glad to see you. Always interested in you. Always asks after your family. Never in a hurry. If Dick LeBeau has detractors, no one seems to know who they are. Asked if he has ever seen anyone disrespect LeBeau, Smith said: “I don’t think anybody would be crazy enough to do that. We’d take care of them. I don’t think they would make it out alive.”

That's definitely the way to bridge the generation gap!

What I’ve learned this year!

Notes from the road

Even though 2009 has just started, I’ve been on the road— trainings in Santa Rosa, Bakersfield and Los Angeles, CA and presentations at the ALS National Conference!

I hear one message even louder now than I did before:
“I need the money and I need it now!”

Sounds like that commercial on television! And, when you meet someone, that message shows through loud and clear.

I’ve also noticed that Board Members more quickly pick up my philosophy of “chase the relationship, not the money.” Why? Because I think they know that mission only is not reason enough to give, especially now. I think they are also used to being more flexible and trying different approaches to get their messages across.

They quickly pick up the skill-based, real-world training I bring in my goBeyondhello workshops and speeches. I take them from communication style assessments all the way to coaching on how to secure referrals and introductions.

What else do they like? They like the exercise where we build a “mosaic” about their stakeholders and it’s an eye-opener when they realize how little they know about them outside the Board or donor role!

They also like the “science” of relationship-building that I teach where I show how to measure a relationship and “when to ask.”

My Tips:

First, focus on the person. What do you know and what questions can you ask to learn more? Build as complete a picture as possible about the person’s business life, interests, hobbies and family.

Second, put his or her needs first. In this economy, everyone is feeling pinched, even the wealthy. Don’t rush to tell how your organization is hurting.

Fundraising rated A as job of the future

Fundraising has again been ranked among the best careers by U.S. News and World Report, receiving a grade of “A” in all categories including prestige and job market outlook, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals - www.afpnet.org.

The report also gave fundraising an “A” in job satisfaction and training difficulty. You can send AFP feedback on the ratings and the description the article via this email ewire@afpnet.org. They will compile the responses for a future issue.

Click here to read the U.S. News and World Report fundraising job report. You can also post comments there.. The “report card” for all 30 top careers of 2009 can be found here.

Here's the best part of the job description to me; "The best development professionals naturally inspire trust."

To me that is the most important part of the job. As a trainer, I always teach the techniques of making personal connections, building relationships and getting to the trust level. It may or not come naturally, but it certainly can be learned and practiced in a very sincere manner.

One of the problems in the future of this industry is that many young people are placed in these development jobs and have little or no training on how to approach a donor. With their youth, they tell me they feel handicapped! This lack of training is a challenge for our industry since job satisfaction goes a long way in recruiting and keeping good young people.

Our new look

Like many of you, I was very excited about the change in Washington, not necessarily just politically, but because of the image of America it represents. Finally, we have an image showing that we are a very successful multi-cultural and multi-racial society. That is a stirring thought!

In fact, in many of the images I saw today, it was it was clear that our government has a new look and in the highest government positions, both men and women are represented!

While we are waiting to see what this President does to stabilize the economy and what happens to the government programs that fund many social service nonprofits, here's a wonderful line from his speech about the importance of what many of us are dedicated to doing:

"The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good."

To read the entire inaugural speech, http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1872715-1,00.html

It's a stunning beginning to an Administration that is facing unprecedented challenges. For all of us, my best wishes go out to our new President, his family and his family of legislators who will be grappling with how to make our future much brighter. Let's hope they come up with great new ideas that inspire us all.