Fun Improves Persistence

Recent research* suggests that when working on long term goals, it is helpful to find enjoyment in the pursuit of those goals in the short run.  For example when people find the process of working out enjoyable, they tend to persist longer.  They found the same thing for those who experienced enjoyment with studying.

We really don’t need a research study to tell us that we tend to work on goals we enjoy rather than on goals we do not enjoy as much.  But what does this tell us that we can apply to the workplace?

It appears to emphasize the social context of work, i.e., making work enjoyable – even fun!  Some “old schoolers” (and I count myself as one) might bristle at this.  “It’s not supposed to be fun – that’s why they call it work!”

But this research tells us that if we can find ways to inject some enjoyment into the work day this can help us persist in our goals.

A simple way to do this is to encourage those we work with who are natural “fun-seekers” to let their “fun flag fly.”  These folks are often told to “get serious.”  Maybe we need to encourage one another to “lighten up” more.  I am fortunate that I’m on a “work hard, play hard” team.  We recently hosted a very successful regional conference and you can check out some fun we had at the final event with our University of Maryland mascot, Testudo, here.

Maybe your office needs a social committee or a fun committee? 

Or maybe this will all happen more organically as more millennials enter the work place – I think they will insist on a little more fun included with work.

Certainly we want to encourage one another by focusing on the long term vision of what we are doing – especially for those of us working in very challenging human services capacities.  But doing the best we can to add some joy to the daily work will help us all persist and make even more of a Mission Impact.

*Woolley, K. & Fishbach, A.  Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, “Immediate Rewards Predict Adherence to Long Term Goals,” pp. 1-12, 2016.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   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.

Invest More in Fundraising!

The end of the semester is upon us at the University of Maryland, where I am co-teaching a graduate course on Nonprofit Fundraising with my colleague, Dr. Bob Grimm.  Part of the course involves student teams going out into the community to visit with nonprofit organizations and do a full evaluation of their fundraising program.  I have been reading the final reports and one main theme jumps out.  Nonprofits need to:

Invest More in Fundraising!

The theme of our course is “No Money, No Mission” – and I know we all agree with this.  But our student teams are finding that most of the nonprofits they have evaluated can do MUCH more to raise more money for mission if they devote more resources to fundraising.

More Staff.  There seems to be a reluctance to hire more staff and devote their efforts to fundraising.  Perhaps this is due to concerns for overhead.  If so, organizations should check out The Overhead Myth web site for ideas on making the case for this.  More time spent – especially on major gifts – can be a big payoff for most nonprofits.

More Board Involvement.  Based on the small sample of nonprofits, Boards can be much more involved in giving and asking for gifts – especially making personal asks.  Training, of course, will be needed for this.  But, we need Board members going out to the community to represent the cause and ask for support.

We are not going to make significant increases in the funding that nonprofits desperately need without investing the resources needed.  We simply cannot make more of a Mission Impact without the funding.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   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.