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What’s a “Mature” Organization?

I conducted a workshop two weeks ago in which a participant mentioned that some of the other participants in the room were not from “mature organizations.” He went on to explain that their organizations were still somewhat small. I countered that it’s often an illusion to assess the maturity of an organization based on it …

The Hope Theory of Leadership

I came to the overlapping fields of Leadership Development and Coaching through the stage door. I studied Theatre in college, have a graduate degree in Acting and started my adult life performing in Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters. Like my father in the newspaper business, I’ve grown up right alongside both the coaching profession and the field …

Fundraising: Leadership vs Management

In her recent (April 16) blog, “To Lead” vs. “To Manage” (see: https://management.org/blogs/leadership/), Julia Fabris McBride observed that “Organizations need leadership AND management.” That made me realize that … up to now, I’ve been talking about fundraising from the perspective of “management – the role of the director of development – managing the volunteer leaders …

Overcoming the Myth of the Paper Trail #1

As mentioned in two previous posts, the paper trail seems to be a concept widely understood by individuals in multiple organizations. The concept is a reality for many and represents how the competing interests in organizations can work against the common goal of the company and its employees.

When Good Words Go Bad

“Capacity building” is a term from the Grantonese language usually referring to an organization’s systemic effort to secure ever greater amounts of money on a consistent basis. It is not to be confused with “sustainability,” another word from the original Grantonese, referring to that state of fiscal nirvana in which a nonprofit believes it will …

How to Describe Spirit in the Workplace – Another Perspective.

It’s an honor to be co-hosting this blog with Linda and we look forward to exploring this meaningful topic with you! Linda shared with you her insights on what spirituality at work is and I’m going to do the same. As I’ve been studying and living out this topic for the past 15 years all …

Running On Empty

Way too many social enterprises are way too undercapitalized. They don’t have the cash on hand to make rational spending decisions on staffing, inventory, professional expertise, marketing, and so on, to grow their venture. Their tendency is not only to go cheap, but to go without for things they desperately need to turn their social …

How to Start Strategic Planning: Do a Plan for a Plan – Part 5

In Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this topic, we reviewed the first 12 of the 15 questions to be answered during the “plan for a plan” portion of strategic planning. Part 5 describes questions 13-15. 13. How will you get the buy-in of members of the organization? There seems to be growing cynicism …