Summer Hiatus

NPManagement.org is on hiatus until September.  New articles will be added only intermittently until then.  One article expected in September deals with decision making.  From what I've seen so far, it's going to be interesting - and useful.

EJT
Management in the Not for Profit Organization

Do You Have a Strategy?

Have you developed a strategy for your organization?  Or are you trapped in wishful thinking?  Some state a strategy that is so much of a stretch, it sets their people up for failure.  Others confuse goals with strategy.  The concept of "Bad Strategy" has gained some traction, and an article that makes the distinction between effective strategy and "Bad Strategy" clear can be found at the McKinsey Quarterly site here.

As a social worker who is a project manager, ensuring solid linkage between my projects' objectives and the nonprofit organizations' strategies is a critical success factor.  That is, a project that achieves objectives aligned with "Bad Strategy" will have poor results, even if the project is successfully executed.

If we all read and utilize the information in this article, "Bad Strategy" might become a lot harder to find. 

ejt
Management in the Not for Profit Organization

Social Networking: Helping or Hurting Organizations?

I am an advocate of utilizing social networking tools.  I participate in LinkedIn discussions on how to do so, and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on that might help me do it better.  I especially like the real-time exchange available through things like Facebook and Twitter for use in projects, where each person's actions/decisions often immediately affect everyone else's work.

However, it appears that not everyone takes the time to learn about how to use social networking tools before diving in.  A recent study described by Chris Nerney of ITWorld (article found on PCWorld here) explains the lost productivity (measured as an overall 1.5% drop) experienced by organizations when employees are doing their FB thing during work hours.  In other words, they're not just using social networking to get work done.  They're virtually hanging out with their friends instead of doing what they're paid to do.  While I view this largely as a supervision issue rather than something inherent in social networking (anything can distract people if we're not careful, not only social networking), I am genuinely concerned about something found in an IBM study mentioned in another article by Mr. Nerney.  It turns out that many organizations are using social networking incorrectly, and they are suffering for it.  As Mr. Nerney put it, they're "botching" it.  The IBM study pointed out how they are doing so, and the issues ranged from incorrect assumptions to poor motives to improper execution.

According to that study, it turns out that people don't network with a company because they want to be its friend.  They want something tangible from their involvement.  And 60% of them say they need to believe a company is communicating honestly before they'll interact with that organization.  So if we use social networks as just one more boring form of billboard, with a thinly veiled sales pitch as its main message, hang it up.  Unless you are willing to give something that people want, don't bother with social networking.  But if you are interested in real and real-time exchange with people, learning about your market, and potentially forming a constituency through open and honest dialog, then go ahead - set up that Facebook page and Twitter account.

EJT
Management in the Not for Profit Organization

Today's article: They Loved You Once, They Can Love You Again: How to Win Back Lapsed Donors

The article posted on Management in the Not for Profit Organization today was provided by Sumac.com.  It provides good advice about restarting donations from those who have been supportive in the past, but who have let that support lapse.  I plan to put the knowledge I gained from reading it to good use.

EJT
www.npmanagement.org

Results of Our Survey

The report on the NPManagement.org survey conducted in late 2010/early 2011 is complete.
The report has been placed on the site here:
http://www.npmanagement.org/Article_List/Articles/Survey_Report_2010-Fall_Survey.htm

EJT
Management in the Not for Profit Organization

Nice guys finish last?

Sometimes it appears the old saying "nice guys finish last" is true.  The reasons for that mantra are easy to understand.  Nice people seem to advocate for themselves less, and might not appear to have that aggressive edge that some employers look for when offering promotions.  They can even be viewed as boring.

However, in these times of lessened civility in some settings (politics springs to mind) I've noticed a new appreciation for nice people.  It seems that things like fairness, honesty, respect for others, and simple politeness are at a premium.  What used to be boring is now a breath of fresh air.

It's nice to see.

EJT
Management in the Not for Profit Organization

Leader or Manager?

Are you managing people or leading them?

If they are set out before you, and you need to push them where you want them to go, you're managing them.

But look behind you.  If you're being followed, you're a leader.

www.npmanagement.org