After thirty years in the non-profit sector, I often find myself questioning, not what we do, but how we label what we do — and how those labels often limit us. The best example of that concept, I believe, is the label “Annual Fund.” It seems as if, for as long as there have been …

Research shows the impact spirit in the workplace can have for individuals and organizations. Here are five key outcomes that everyone can benefit from: Boosts morale. Engaging in practices that support spirit in the workplace can uplift the spirits of everyone involved. Influences satisfaction. Since spirit in the workplace encourages each individual to bring their …

An Advisory Board (or Advisory Council or Advisory Committee) is a collection of people formed to advise members of a governing Board of Directors. The Advisory Board does not have formal authority. It cannot issue directives that must be followed as is the case with a governing Board. There seems to be an increasing number …

It’s common that a client will want to start strategic planning by “updating the mission statement.” After all, that’s what a lot of experts suggest. Mission statements get a lot of attention from writers and consultants. Many of them assert that the statements should be highly inspirational and easy to read. They give examples of …

Usually I end my posts with a quote to provoke further exploration of these Customer-Centric concepts. Today I am starting with one because I believe your Customer Experience map should be considered your key strategy to elevate you above your competition. Onboarding is a critical element of this strategy. “A strategy is, at its core, …

Mindful Proclamations: Studying Failed Movements Last week, I got a call from a consultant who lamented the “failure of all those management movements.” As usual in these conversations, the caller went on to explain how his particular idea was what leaders and managers really needed. That type of lament seems increasingly common in the literature …

Last week, I did a workshop among nonprofit CEO Executive Directors. Some of them expressed great frustration at the exorbitant compensation of CEOs of very large, in-building nonprofit capacity for-profit companies. They mentioned that many of the company’s products were very poor quality anyway. One participant offered a rather novel assertion that the pay of …

In many ways, the key to the design of an effective leadership development process is to assure alignment with the organization’s culture, strategic direction, and the business initiatives considered most critical to future success.

Media Notification! Avoiding Common Mistakes and Assumptions In my PR career, I’ve heard some unbelievable things people have said about “The Media.” Things that made “The Media” out to be some kind of monolithic machine, the political equivalent of the Teabagger viewpoint about “The Government” (as if “The Government” were one entity. Seriously, are they …

DUE DILIGENCE: “The process of investigation, performed by investors, into the details of a potential investment, such as an examination of operations and management and the verification of material facts.” (Source: InvestorWords.com) The title of this article may surprise some readers. What possible role, you might ask, can crisis management play in the complex interaction …