Instant Gratification vs. Innovation

If I told you that if you reduced your nonprofits services by 10% this coming year, you could be back to where you are the next year along with a 20% improvement that would carry on in future years, would you make the reduction?

I hope that you would say “yes” – the math works.

But if I said you had a “chance” to get the 20% improvement – not a guarantee – then it becomes tricky.  And that is the problem that a lot of organizations – for profit and nonprofit – have with innovation.  They are unwilling to take the chance that investing money and time in innovation will pay off in the future.  It is a short term focus.  And it is not unlike the problem of instant gratification.

You have probably heard about the Stanford Marshmallow Study in the 1970s.  Children – four and five year-olds – were given a marshmallow and told that if they would wait to eat it until the adult comes back into the room in fifteen minutes they would be given a second marshmallow.  But if they eat it before the adult comes back, that’s all they get.  (Click here for fun video example.) When these children were tracked through their adult years, the ones who exercised delayed gratification had much higher quality of life in a wide variety of measures.  Having the self-control to focus on the future and delay gratification paid off in a big way for these children.

Can we learn delayed gratification from these children and forgo some of today’s services for the hope of more in the future?

It is admittedly challenging.  Most nonprofits are dealing with real people who have real challenges right now.  But it is likely that you will continue to have people with these needs into the future – probably more than you can serve.  Therefore, investing in the future makes sense if we want a long term Mission Impact.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site.  You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.

CEO of Your Health

You cannot make much of a Mission Impact if you do not have good, quality health.  And whose job is that?  You are the CEO of Your Health.  How would you evaluate your performance in that CEO role?  Here are some suggestions for improvement:

*Create A Health Vision.  What do you want your health to look like, feel like, and be like all through the decades as you age?  Create a picture of this for yourself along with a description.

*Set Health Goals.  Set some short term achievable goals – especially if you are re-committing to your health, along with longer term stretch goals that will take you toward your vision.  See here for more on effective goal setting.

*Design a Health Strategy.  Now that you know what kind of health you want, how will you get there?  Who are your Docs and how often will you see them?  What are your sleeping and eating habits?  What vitamins (if any) do you take?  What kind of exercise will you do and how often (FYI: “I don’t have time for exercise” is not a good health strategy.)

*Health Strategy Implementation.  Create specific action plans for your goals and strategy.  As a CEO or supervisor, you know that strategy often breaks down at the implementation stage.  Don’t let this happen to you!  Get a coach if you need one or some accountability partners.  Don’t be discouraged if you have ignored your health for years.  While it is best to start early with implementing your strategy, you can catch up.  Check out the book “Younger Next Year.”

Remember that you “hire” your Docs and they are like consultants.  I fired a cardiologist a few years ago and got a new referral.  When the new Doc asked me why I changed I said “I fired him because he was not paying close enough attention to my situation.”  I have been getting very good service from the new guy.  Also, get second opinions if you question a diagnosis.

[NOTE: Being the CEO of Your Health does NOT mean that you pretend to be an MD! Don’t self-diagnose unless you stubbed your toe and don’t self-medicate unless it’s a beer after your favorite team lost.]

You are the CEO of your Health.  As one of my mentors used to say, we don’t have a “health care system in the USA,” we have a “sick care system.” We need to take control of our health future so that we have good quality of life through the years, can enjoy life more over time, and make a Mission Impact while we can.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site.  You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.