Note: This guest post is from Harvey McKinnon, with assistance from his colleague Kevin Wilson. Thank you both! For many years I served on the board of a small arts organization. I loved the nonprofit, but one thing bothered me every time we went over the budget: our endowment. The endowment totaled about $900,000, just shy of our … [Read more...]
Designing a complicated meeting? Use video to help clients prepare
Note: This guest post is from Allison Grappone of AGG Consulting. Thanks, Allison! I dislike wasting anyone’s time. Everyone has important things to do. In general, people need more time to themselves, away from meetings, and away from Zoom. To make better use of everybody’s time, I use videos to prime the pump before complex … [Read more...]
The future is here – and it’s hybrid
As we wind down our second pandemic year, I’ve been watching the emergence of hybrid workshops, meetings, and events. For our purposes, the word hybrid means that some participants share the same physical space – maybe indoors, maybe out – while others participate remotely through their devices. Think of it as “some in the room, others … [Read more...]
The Talmud of Zoom
In the Jewish tradition, the Talmud is one of the core books: a primary source of Jewish law. The Talmud is drawn from centuries of oral teachings and includes the opinions of many, many rabbis. It was compiled about fifteen hundred years ago, with more commentary added in subsequent centuries. I’m no scholar, but what I most … [Read more...]
Time or money: Which is easier to get?
When leading a fundraising workshop, I often use the following two-minute exercise. “I want to try a thought experiment,” I might say, “and this experiment is about you.” That gets everyone’s attention. “I'm starting with two assumptions: you don’t have enough time and you don’t have enough money. I could be totally wrong – in … [Read more...]
Post-pandemic icebreakers
A few weeks ago, I led my first in-person, indoor job in 18 months (!) I traveled to Maine to facilitate a planning meeting for the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, a long-time favorite client. I had the pleasure of partnering with graphic facilitator Marsha Dunn to design and deliver the retreat. We began the day by asking … [Read more...]
Board president confidential
Several years ago I shared Treasurer Confidential, which described my experience as treasurer of a nonprofit board. My volunteer career has progressed and (surprise!) I’m now president of our grassroots, one-employee organization. In theory, I am well-qualified. I’ve served on multiple boards. I train boards for a living. I write books … [Read more...]
Consulting and COVID, Part 2: What will you keep?
In a previous post, I shared how consulting colleagues have responded to the pandemic: rethinking priorities, pivoting to new styles of work, embracing emerging opportunities. I’ve been inspired by their thoughtfulness, creativity, resilience, and commitment to justice. I asked them to reflect on what they’ll carry forward into the … [Read more...]
Consulting and COVID, Part 1: What changed?
Hey consultants! How has your work life changed over the last year? As we pass the pandemic anniversary and gradually emerge into whatever comes next, I’ve been asking peers how they’ve adapted to this new reality. Today’s post outlines changes in the world of consulting, training, facilitation, and self-employment. In the next … [Read more...]
Statistics and storytelling: How to turn numbers into narrative
Note: This guest post is from Dana Sanders of Osage Hill Associates. Thanks, Dana! Does the word statistics stress you out? Do you have bad memories of math class? I’m here to help. The nonprofit world is filled with data. This post outlines the methods you can use to collect data for and about your organization, and how to use what … [Read more...]
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