Nonprofit organizations come in all shapes and forms from small charitable groups to large industry association. Their issues include the development and execution of plans fund raising, team building, leadership and member loyalty. Shown below and linked to our blog are subjects of interest for those in non-profit organizations.
- DirectorsBoards of Directors Boards of Directors are essential. They are required by law to ensure that the public good is furthered. They should also be a vital resource access not just to funds but also to community connections and expertise. Unfortunately, too many boards are ineffective and seem to the staff and to themselves to be of questionable value. In some senses, this should not be surprising. Outside the nonprofit world, there is extraordinarily little understanding of the nature and function of ...Read more
- Building Great LeadersBusinesses and Organizations Need Great Leaders As business coaches, one of our most important roles is the development of great leaders. Whether your role is company president, nonprofit executive director, department head, entrepreneur or even parent, leadership is key to your success. We defined leadership success as the continual achievement of your own predetermined goals stabilized by balance and purified by belief. Bruce Avolio author of Leadership Development in Balance: Made/Born states, Let us be clear, even if you are predisposed to ...Read more
- Don’t Make a Bad HireBetter Hiring As our businesses and organizations return to a pre-virus status, our owners and managers are currently in a hiring mode. Because of the lack of applicants, one may be overly anxious to hire the first available candidate. Let us consider the cost and time wasted in hiring the wrong person and consider a better methodical approach. Consider the time and cost associated with finding and evaluating candidates. There are first the media costs, whether you use a publication, a website ...Read more
- Nonprofit Leadership During a CrisisResilient Leadership You started the year with great plans and expectations, but sometime during the month of March, the work seemed to end. You may have had to close your office and possibly work from home. Your staff may have become apprehensive about working with clients. The annual fundraising event may have been canceled or postponed. You found yourself disheartened and in a state of crisis. Stephen Covey once explained the difference between management and leadership. He said that if a manager ...Read more
- Focus on the PlanStaying Focused So often we find that a business or a nonprofit organization has wandered into an area which might not be consistent with their Mission. They are spending time and energy addressing some idea that diverts them from the important issues which need to be addressed. Let me remind you that our business name is RLS Focused Solutions. One of the roles of a business coach is to remind the client not to lose their focus. Let’s consider an example. I ...Read more
- Hiring Motivation and the KASH BoxThe KASH Box During several of our seminars we often project the illustration shown here on the right. Upon noticing it, the most common question is: “What is this?” This is referred to as the KASH Box and as we explain its purpose and meaning, the listener usually nods their head and smiles. They often said, “I’ve believed this for years, but I never saw it expressed this way. Seeing it reinforces what I’ve always known.” Consider the four sectors of the square ...Read more
- Trust at WorkTrust and Leadership I believe at the core of leadership is whether the leader is trusted by others. Would you be motivated to believe and follow a manager who you did not trust? How would the staff work to accomplish the plans and goals put forward by that leader or manager? Whether you are the owner of a business, the leader of a nonprofit, or a government official, leadership starts with Trust. This is true not only in leadership, but in all ...Read more
- New Year PlanA Time to Plan This is that time of year when we reflect on the events of the previous year and begin to plan for the current year. Think back over the last year and think what you learned from your failures and successes. We hope to be lifetime learners and understand that much of our education comes from our practical experience. Therefore, let’s build our future with what we learned for the past. In thinking back over 2019 ask yourself: What ...Read more
- Are Leaders Born or Made?Some Management Coaching Ideas on Leadership Leadership is a key element in the development or rebirth of any organization, whether it is a for-profit business or non-profit community organization. It is important to large corporations, such as General Electric; small local businesses, such as a town dry cleaner; city, county and state government; churches, and service organizations such as Rotary. Many of us admire the skills exhibited by those who assume leadership roles in these organizations and assume such skills are well ...Read more
- Strategic PlanStrategic Plans That Never Happen Maybe you are a business or a non-profit that completed writing a strategic plan within the last one to two years. You spent many hours with your board of directors or management team carefully crafting the wording within each step of the process. Maybe you used a consultant or let a team member lead the discussion. Everyone felt good about the completion of the document, but a year later the status quo continues. What happened? Of course ...Read more