If Not-For-Profit, Then For What?

We can’t figure out what to call ourselves.

I most often hear “non-profit” or “not-for-profit,” but both describe what we are NOT – not what we are FOR.

We certainly aren’t for loss – though some organizations are mistakenly managed this way!

We have tried so many alternative labels:  philanthropic, independent sector, social sector, non-governmental, mission-based, charity, etc.

Part of the challenge is that we are FOR so many things.

We’re for healthy kids, for a green planet, for well-educated young people, for the arts, for cures to illnesses, for everyone being well-nourished, for the humanities, for everyone having safe affordable housing, and the list goes on and on and on. 

Here’s an idea, let’s try “Mission Impact Organizations.”  That’s what we are and what we are FOR.  We all have that in common!  No?  You don’t think it would catch on?

Hmmm.  Well, while it would be nice to come up with a new label for our sector, maybe we just need to make sure that each organization clearly communicates what they are here FOR.  And this is communicated in our mission statements.

We need to be clear on our IMPACT (the difference we make) and AIM (for whom/what) when we state our mission.  For a mission statement mini-case, check this link.  Make sure that you are clear on your Mission Impact so people know what you are here FOR.

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.

The Dark Side of Confidence

Confidence is absolutely necessary to be a successful leader.  And yet, gone too far, it can become arrogance and can lead to poor decisions – even disastrous decisions.  How do we find a balance?

One way to balance this is long term versus short term confidence.

Long Term:  “I am confident in . . .

. . . the importance of our mission and the impact we make.”

. . . the talents of our team.”

. . . the value of working hard together on the mission.”

Short Term:  “We have a challenge/opportunity here . . .

. . . I have a few ideas, but no obvious answers”

. . . I want to hear your ideas.”

. . . if we work together we can create the best next steps.”

As leaders, we need to give up the old-fashioned, heroic notion that we need to have all of the answers.  We need to be open-minded about the best direction to take in the short term while being ever confident in the long term.

Arrogance can be a huge leadership derailer.   Once we think we are invulnerable, we are a step away from being proven wrong.  Try backing off the temptation to be the Hero Leader and invite your team to be partners in forging the path ahead.   It could provide a significant improvement for your Mission Impact. 

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.

Experts Get Stuck in Status Quo

When you are stuck in the status quo there are a lot of things you miss.  Opportunities are one of them.

If you are sure that there is no better way of going about doing what you are doing, then you will for sure miss Opportunities.

If you are an expert and you know that this certain way of doing things is the right way, then you will not see Opportunities for new ways to do things.

But if you give up your arrogance (come on, I am talking to myself) that “you know the best way to do it,” then you just might have a chance at seeing a great Opportunity right at your doorstep.

One of the best ways to discover Opportunities is to set Almost Impossible Goals that you have no idea how to accomplish.  By definition, once you set an Almost Impossible Goal then you need to search for an Opportunity on how to accomplish it.  And if you make a commitment to that goal, then you certainly won’t give up until you discover that new way.

This is what former GE CEO Jack Welch called Bullet Train Thinking.  He said that Japanese executives told their engineers that they wanted them to invent a train that would go from Tokyo to Osaka in three hours – instead of the six that it used to take.  There was no “tweeking” that would get them to three hours.  They had to invent an entirely new technology.

Don’t get stuck in incrementalist, status quo thinking.  Check here to learn more about Almost Impossible Goals and make even more of a Mission Impact.

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.

Strategic Plan? Oxymoron.

Strategy?  Yes.

Plans?  Yes.

Strategic Plan.  No.  Not exactly.

What organizations need is a Strategy – an overarching general explanation of how they are going to guide their performance during the coming years.  Then they need to build specific Plans to implement the Strategy.

The Strategy should be targeted toward Strategic Stretch Goals that are designed to significantly enhance the Mission Impact of the organization.  The Strategy explains, generally, how the organization will Leverage its Strengths, Fortify its Weaknesses, Seize its Opportunities, and Block its Threats as it pursues the goals.

Once the Strategy is set, then the Strategy Implementation process begins with Planning. Specific Plans are guided by the themes of the Strategy as the organization pursues the goals. Plans are detailed, but fluid.  Ideas for achieving the goals are developed and implemented.  Sometimes the ideas work, sometimes they don’t.  If they don’t work, then new plans need to be created.  As the new plans are created they continue to be informed by the Strategy.  The Strategy is constant (unless something in the environment dramatically changes).  The Plans change as necessary to accomplish the goals.

Strategy = general & constant.

Plans = specific & fluid.

So, in a way, the term “Strategic Plan” is an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms.

Focus first on creating your Strategy.  It will guide you for the coming years.  Then let the implementation process begin and allow the Strategy to guide you as you make your Plans.  This is the path toward increased Mission Impact.

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.

More Effective SWOTing

Conducting SWOT analysis (identifying an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is one of the most commonly used activities in strategic planning.  It is also an activity most often done poorly.  Here are three ideas to improve your SWOTing:

1.  Be Systematic.  Don’t just ask people on your strategic planning committee what they think your SWOTs are.  Use an assessment tool or framework so that you can systematically think through your SWOTs.  For organization assessments, you can read more here about the VPP/McKinsey assessment tool and for Board Assessment you can learn more here about a tool from BoardSource.

2.  Seek External Input.  Go beyond your strategic planning group to solicit SWOTs.  What does the staff think, what do donors think, what do your clients think?  You want to get a divergence of ideas and perspectives.  Make sure to collect environmental data from external sources so you can consider facts, not just opinions.

3.  Get Relevant.  When you decide which SWOTs are most important to keep in mind during strategy formulation, challenge yourselves on the relevance of each item.  How will we leverage this Strength to move toward our goals and vision?  How will fortifying this Weakness help us move forward?  Why will seizing this Opportunity allow us to catapult ourselves into the future?  What is it about this Threat that could derail us?  If you cannot provide solid answers to these questions then the particular SWOT you are discussing is not relevant.  Identify those that are.

Accurately identifying your SWOTs sets you up to identify strategic actions that will move you forward toward your goals and vision.  Take the time to improve your SWOTing process so you can make an improved Mission Impact.

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.