Checking the Headlines
When you grow up in a family where both parents are journalists, headlines are important. One of my sisters actually thought in headlines: whenever she did anything, good or bad, she’d write the headline in her head and then she’d tell my parents. Perhaps it is why I enjoy the “virtual clipping services” that gather the headlines on a daily basis and send them to me (and everyone else who subscribes). From a headline, I can quickly see what is going on in the world Read more
Nonprofit Confidence Crisis
My recent Google Alerts for nonprofits have yielded a sorry snapshot of the sector. Eight of the three dozen or so stories were announcements of newly formed nonprofits, three were about organizations or their employees in trouble with the law and two were about how to check up on the “goodness” of a nonprofit.
So, what does this say, beyond the obvious? First, the sector must stop growing. While their origin stories may differ, the screaming question in each case is, “Did you really have to Read more
Embrace Trust
Trust. It is such a huge word for the nonprofit sector yet one we spend little time talking about. Our whole currency, if you will, is based on trust: our clients, donors, collaborators, and others trust that we will do a good job, deliver a valuable product, protect and steward our dollars, fulfill our mission promises, etc. If these stakeholders stop trusting us, we are doomed.
Yet, when was the last time the staff and board of your organization talked about trust? What does it means Read more
December 18th, 2009 0 Comment 