Tobi's Nonprofit Management Blog

Is Your Team Stressed? Try Gratitude

Gratitude is underrated.  Even the holiday devoted to acknowledging     what keeps us going -- namely friends and family -- is getting the short shrift this year.  With the Christmas decorations already overflowing in most retail locations in our town, it feels like Thanksgiving got run over by a reindeer.  Am I right?  Perhaps appreciation is a lost art.

But, gratitude shouldn’t be overlooked.  It may be one of the most powerful tactics in the your arsenal to combat stress.  For overwhelmed nonprofit staff and volunteers, it can be an amazing coping strategy.  Consider my recent experience with a sports injury.

Getting Injured Sucks

Five weeks ago (and counting), I sprained my ankle playing soccer.  After a few days on crutches, my dreams of a quick recovery slowly faded into a tearful sunset.  It was pretty severe.  For two weeks, I hobbled throughout the house, waking to extreme pain as the blood rushed to my ankle each morning as I climbed out of bed.  My arms were weak, and because I’ve gained weight in recent years, I could barely hold myself above my crutches.  Navigating the stairs in our house was a nightmare with my walking sticks, with the risk of a gnarly tumble if I slipped.  

After two weeks on the couch, the swelling in my ankle persisted.  An orthopedist put me in a walking boot and prescribed physical therapy.  It would be at least another month before things would be close to normal, and another year before I would play soccer without a brace.  So much for returning to my team this season.  

Gratitude Helped

In my frustration, I remembered how I had weathered tough times in the past.  I knew that my reality was really determined by my own outlook.  And, I had some choices to make.  So, I chose gratitude and began to list the things I was thankful for.

1. I had health insurance
2. I had a caring husband to help out
3. My injury was temporary
4. I only had one set of stairs to climb up and down
5. I empathized even more with the struggles my friends with disabilities had to endure
6. I worked from home, so I could keep earning while I was incapacitated
7. I had a laptop computer, so I could work while my foot was up
8. My friendly kitty cat kept me company
9. My injury taught me patience and gave me more respect for the limits of a middle aged body
10. I was now more inspired than ever to get back to the gym and get fit 

And, an amazing thing happened.  My frustration evaporated.  I quit fighting my current reality and became focused on my recovery.  Things began to flow.  Every time I found myself slipping into old thoughts, I started my list again.  And, my injury had valuable lessons for me, yet another thing to be grateful for.  

Now, I’m happy to say, the swelling is down, the boot is off most of the time, and I’m looking forward to starting an accommodated exercise program next week.  Life is good, and I’m less stressed out.

And you can be, too.  

Make it Work for You

Nonprofit staff live with incredible demands.  Our work, though often maligned as less than the outputs of private industry, is not for the faint of heart.  We must juggle the priorities of multiple constituencies.  We must squeeze results out of every drop of meager resources we are afforded.  We must cope with the crises, both small and large, of the people we serve.  We must keep our chins up and lead even when things are at their worst.  And, we must continue to hope for the changes we wish to see in the world.  

It’s a tall order and it’s so easy to get burnt out and frustrated.  But, there’s an upside -- you have the power to change your point of view.

Next time you or your team is feeling down, try gratitude.  Make a list of what you are thankful for.  Then, make that list your personal mantra.  Bring it up any time you find yourself slipping into old thought patterns.  

By turning things on their head, you’ll be amazed at what happens.  Resistance will be transformed into resilience, and you’ll begin to see new opportunities for yourself and your team.  You'll see your morale go from low to light overnight.  It may sound corny, but give it a try.  It really does work.

And, this week, as I manage the stresses of coast-to-coast holiday travel, I’ve already started my list -- 1) I get to see my family and adorable nephews, 2) My hubby and I get a break together, and 3) I’m not on crutches anymore!  Woo-hoo!!

I'm grateful for you, too.  Thank you for staying connected, and have a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving.

 

Skilled Volunteers Require Shared Leadership

As I mentioned in a blog post last month, I’m delving into nonprofit leadership and I promised to share my thoughts with you.  Today, I’m pondering what skilled volunteers need from nonprofit leadership to be successful. 

Volunteers Want More

If today’s volunteers are anything, they’re pragmatic.  Just listen to those who were interviewed for this recent New York Times article.  One of the key reasons they volunteer is because they want to use and expand their skill sets while they are making a difference in the world.  In a struggling economy, volunteer experience makes applicants more marketable to employers.  And, it’s a win-win for nonprofits who are ready to take advantage of the skills they have to offer.  But what specific leadership skills are needed to inspire these kinds of volunteers? 

Shared Leadership May Be a Solution

For many skilled volunteers, helping out with mundane tasks around the office isn’t going to add to their resume.  It also won’t promote their own sense of accomplishment.  Likewise, being assigned through a vertical, top down approach isn’t likely to appeal either.  Skilled volunteers want a higher level of responsibility.  They want to be included in the decision-making, and they want to have a fair amount of autonomy as to how they complete their assignments.  

Does our top-down management style really mesh well with this new reality?  Perhaps a new model of shared leadership might help.

What is Shared Leadership?

In “Shared Leadership: Reframing the Hows and Whys of Leadership,” shared leadership is defined as a “dynamic, interactive influence process among individuals in groups for which the objective is to lead one another to the achievement of a group or organizational goals.”  The distinction between more traditional hierarchical models of leadership and shared leadership, researcher and author Jay Conger explains lies in decentralization, “Leadership is broadly distributed among a set of individuals instead of centralized in hands of a single individual who acts in the role of superior.”  

It’s a huge paradigm shift to be sure.  It means transferring real power from the few to the many.  And, it brings up all kinds of questions about accountability, productivity, and identity.  Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of case studies to choose from.  Research literature about shared leadership is abundant in the education sector.  Not so for nonprofits.  But, I think it’s worth looking into.  If we are interesting in transitioning to shared leadership, what best practices can we adapt from others?  And, what new skills will our volunteer managers need to hone?  Below are a few to get us started.

Shared Leadership Skills for Volunteer Managers

• Listening -- An oft overused term, listening isn’t just about individual conversations.  How do we better “hear” our stakeholders at all levels, though a variety of media.  If we learn to listen, we’ll be better able to make decisions that are best for the common good.
• Consulting Widely -- A second cousin to listening, consulting with a wide swath of sage experts and observant novices, can bring a tremendous amount of clarity to a decision.  If consensus can’t be reached, in the end someone must decide, but if many  ideas and solutions are aired, the decision can be said to be shared.
• Tolerating Ambiguity -- The more cooks in the kitchen, the more complicated the broth.  Chaos is inherent in broad collaborations and has to be managed to some extent.  At the same time, leaders have to develop the courage to live with ambiguity as issues are sorted out.
• Speaking for the Team as a Whole -- As the saying goes, there’s no “I” in Team.  When authority is truly shared, team members are unlikely to defer responsibility to others.  And, members share a group, versus individual identity.  Items that affect the common good take precedence over individual priorities.

These are only a few skills that leaders throughout an organization would need to develop to be successful.  

Do you think shared leadership is possible at your organization?  Why or why not?  Share your thoughts with us.

 

8 Steps to Training That Keeps Volunteers Coming Back for More

All volunteers need some sort of training.  In fact, training has a big impact on whether volunteers stay or go.  According to “Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers,” a study by the Urban Institute, “Charities that say they have adopted to a large degree the practice of hosting recognition activities for volunteers have a higher rate of retention, as do those that offer training and professional development opportunities for volunteers.”  So, why do so many organizations leave it up to chance?

Good Training Means Better Retention

Whether it be a simple orientation to the policies, procedures, and mission of the organization or a five-day boot camp of complex technical information volunteers must master before they are able to provide direct service, all volunteers need be provided information that will help them do their job to the best of their ability.   An effective training program will not only improve your program outcomes, it will also help create a smooth onboarding process for volunteers as they acclimate to their new environment.  The successful initiation of volunteers promotes higher job satisfaction and, ultimately, greater retention.  

And Yet, Learning is Left to Chance

Unfortunately, some organizations haven’t invested the time necessary to develop a solid training program that adequately prepares their volunteers for success.  Often, the training content development is left to well-meaning ad hoc trainers with little experience.  They fire up the power point and start making slides based on what they believe to be important.  The final training materials will inevitably vary, depending on who’s training and the topic du jour.  In the end, participant learning is inconsistent at best.

Develop Curriculum Like a Pro

On the flip side, it is possible to develop training materials the ensure that your volunteers learn the critical “need to know” content at your organization.  For less intensive volunteer jobs, your content may focus on your organization’s mission and vision for the future.  A high-quality training experience will result in volunteers who are knowledgeable ambassadors for you.  For more intensive volunteer positions, a training process combined with a certification test may be what’s in order.  Regardless of the length and level of intensity, any team can develop a training like a pro using the process below. 

Curriculum Development in 8 Steps

1)  Develop Your Work Plan -- Decide who will be on your training development team, what are the key tasks they will complete, and when should they be done.  You may also want to set up an advisory group of end users to give feedback on the materials you develop.  Better yet, include some of your key volunteers on the development team.

2)  Determine Tasks & Priorities -- Create a comprehensive list of all the possible tasks a volunteer might be responsible for.  THen group similar tasks and prioritize the,  Which are the most important and hardest to learn?  They should be the ones you focus on in your training program.

3)  Write Task Analyses -- Break your priority responsibilities into step-by-step task analyses that describe exactly how the task should be accomplished.  Task analyses are the blueprints that you will develop your training from.

4)  Structure Course & Objectives -- One you know exactly what you will be training, as identified in the task analyses, develop your course structure.  Will your training be broken into discrete modules?  How long will they last? What will be their topics? And, what are the learning objectives for each module?  In other words, what will people know how to do (not just have an awareness of) when they leave the training?

5)  Select Methods & Develop Materials -- Only after you’ve figured out exactly what the end goals of training are, can you begin to develop your materials.  You’ll need to decide how you will deliver the training (in person, self study, online, etc.).  Once that’s decided you can develop the materials that make the most sense given the delivery.

6)  Orient Trainers -- Make sure the folks who will be responsible for presenting the training (paid and/or volunteer) are given an opportunity to get to know the materials and how they work.  If they’ve been in on the development form the beginning, you can skip this step.

7)  Pilot & Revise Course -- No matter how experienced you are, there’s always something that doesn’t work according to plan.  When you pilot test, make sure you ahve at least one observer who is not presenting training.  They should be timing the various sections of the training module as well as observing participants to see if there are moments where they appear confused or unhappy.  Also, participants should be encouraged to give their feedback on training evaluations.  The training should be revised as needed to improve the experience for both learners and trainers.

8)  Present Course & Evaluate Results -- Once the training is revised, it is good to go.  But, you aren’t finished yet.  Plan to conduct ongoing evaluation of your training program.  Are the volunteers learning what is being trained?  Does the training content still reflect the current volunteer tasks and priorities?  What is the feedback you are getting from learners on training evaluations?  Are there any significant trends?  If you keep a running file of your observations, you’ll be ready for the next update of your training program.

Training is directly related to volunteer retention.  You spend a lot of time and energy finding and welcoming your new volunteers.  Don’t make the mistake of offering sub-par volunteer training that deflates their enthusiasm or makes them feel inadequate.  Instead, provide them with a high quality learning experience that builds confidence and a deeper connection to your good cause.

 

It’s Official! Providing Food at Volunteer Events Actually Makes a Difference

Have you ever been questioned about purchasing food for volunteer gatherings by your fiscal department or the higher ups?  They wonder if you’re wasting the organization’s money on frivolities when “we have real work to do.”  But, you know that tasty snacks help things run more smoothly and keep your volunteers happy.  It’s common knowledge, isn't it?  Well, now science can back you up!

The Experts Weigh in on Food

In Lunch: Your Secret Weapon, neuromarketing expert Roger Dooley discusses how food can make your communications more effective.  He notes that research shows:

• As a favorable stimulus, food can spark more positive attitudes.
• Eating also involves socializing, which in turn promotes successful negotiations.
• Treating people to a meal may also inspire reciprocity, and the favor will be returned.

So, next time someone wonders whether or not you should be buying food for your next volunteer meeting or orientation, politely let them know the providing food is a research-based practice.  It helps you build stronger connections within your team, increases volunteer satisfaction, makes your volunteers more amenable to proposed program and policy changes, and promotes leadership.  Go food! 

 

Not So Different: Business and Nonprofits Face the Same Problems

The other day I was reading the Five Challenges Facing Marketing, a Harvard Business Review blog post by David Aaker who’s an author and brand marketing expert.  I’m always curious what the business world is doing, partly because it helps me grow my own small enterprise, but also because I often find something I can re-purpose for nonprofits.  This time was no different.

As I read his prophetic insider’s view on what’s troubling marketers, I had a surprising revelation -- businesses are struggling with some of the very same issues nonprofits grapple with in terms of reaching and engaging our customers.  My assumptions were blown away.  I assumed that becasue private industry has resources, talent, and Madison Avenue to boost their advertising, they must have found the silver bullet.  Apparently not.  

Below is my take on Aakers' five challenges for businesses and my thoughts for nonprofits.  See if they resonate.

Five Challenges for Business Marketers and the Implications for Nonprofits

1) For Business: Companies need to lead with big ideas and transformations that enhance the product or service with customer “must haves.” “My brand is better than your brand” strategies don’t work anymore.

• For Nonprofits: In order to differentiate themselves and remain relevant, nonprofits need to have the guts to take bold and innovative steps in redesigning service delivery models that are lagging.  Being free isn’t good enough anymore.

2) For Business: Marketing needs to be strategic rather than tactical, making smart use of consumer feedback, a well-developed value proposition, and a brand that informs how they do business.

• For Nonprofits: A “To Do” list is not an outreach and marketing plan.  Nonprofits need to invest the time to strategically identify who they are trying to reach, what their organization stands, what they can offer of value, and how they will take proactive steps to communicate their identity through their materials, their services, and their day-to-day actions.

3) For Business: Marketers need to dismantle silos that promote competition and isolation and replace them with a more integrated approach. 

• For Nonprofits: Nonprofits need to work to destroy silos both within organizations, which serve to isolate teams and departments, and without, which pit organizations and sectors against each other to no end.  The sheer volume of work that needs to be done cannot be accomplished without strong community collaborations.

4) For Business: Marketing needs to revitalize their brands though community involvement.

• For Nonprofits: Businesses are looking to charitable causes to inject energy and authenticity into their brands.  If you can find the right corporate partner, why not capitalize on the opportunity?  Nonprofits also need to “walk the talk” of community involvement by engaging and involving volunteers in authentic, linchpin roles in their organizations versus merely giving lip service to volunteerism.

5) For Business: Marketers need to bring their “A” game to a broad range of communications channels and tactics.  This means working with people who are willing to innovate and create something exceptional.

• For Nonprofits: “Good enough” just isn’t good enough anymore.  We need to take proactive steps to attract the kinds of talent we need to our organizations -- both paid and volunteer.  Since we rarely have the resources to pay high salaries, we need to rely on our own wits to foster an intellectually-engaged team culture that strives for excellence, is willing to take risks, demands accountability from everyone, and provides the support necessary to fail and yet keep on innovating.

If nonprofits can meet these challenges head on, they’ll have a better chance at not only surviving but thriving.  

What do you think?  Are there challenges I've missed?  What would you add to the list?

And, more improtantly, which twin in the photo above do you think best represents nonprofits and which the business community?