Month: October 2013

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Five Ways to Balance Warmth and Power When you Speak

A lady speaking at an event

BalanceAs speakers we always want to come across as confident, knowledgeable, and well…powerful. But as we all know, too much of a good thing can be a problem. I think absolute power in speaking can be very intimidating. If we intimidate, we don’t influence people to do anything except fear us. On the other hand, too much warmth or niceness can project weakness. The audience may like us but not respect us enough to take action on our suggestions.

So what is just right? I think an appropriate balance of power and warmth can be our most successful combination. We want to be strong enough to command attention, but open enough to connect and inspire our audiences. Here are some ways you can find your power, and express it in a warm, connected way.

Breathe to release tension and to relax your voice. This is one place your stress or nerves could show up, so do all you can to relax into your voice. Open your chest, stand tall, open your mouth wide when you speak, and keep breathing.

Plant your feet in a wider, stronger stance. Train yourself to not cross your feet. Plant them firmly wherever you are in the room. Stand still much of the time, and move only from point A to point B, rather than pacing or wandering around. Use a powerful stance to feel strong from the inside out.

Keep your hands out in front, and use a few large gestures rather than lots of small ones. Get your elbows away from your waist when you gesture. Use a neutral position such as a relaxed steeple whenever you are not gesturing. But don’t gesture all the time; cultivate some powerful “quiet” or neutral body language as well.

Slow down your eye contact slightly. Be deliberate and calm as you send your energy outward to each member of your audience. If you are ever uncomfortable looking right into their eyes, be sure to look at their faces, specifically at their eyebrows. And don’t rush from one person to the next or you can look anxious.

Beef up your content by using solid structure. What is your message? Distill it into a crisp targeted message. What three questions or statements will capture and direct your attention to this message? What will be your memorable close and tie together with your message? Hone and refine these until you could say them in your sleep. Then create just a few slides or use flip charts for a “chalk talk” to drive that message home. Keep slides and visuals simple so that the focus remains on your message and the conversation around it.

Finding the right balance between power and warmth is not easy. You might need to experiment, get some feedback, read some blogs and books on speaking, or even hire a coach to help you figure it out. But when you think about all that is at stake; your great idea, the sale, the promotion, the respect of your audience, it seems well worth the price. In order to be a successful speaker you will need to find the right balance of warmth and power.

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I would love to hear from you. How do you balance power and warmth in speaking?

Author Gail Zack Anderson, founder of Applause, Inc. is a Twin Cities-based consultant who provides coaching and workshops for effective presentations, facilitation skills for trainers and subject matter experts, and positive communication skills for everyone. She can be reached at gza@applauseinc.net.

Web site: www.applauseinc.net

Blog: www.managementhelp.org/blogs

twitter: @ApplauseInc

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Making Your Case For A Fundraising Program/Campaign

Someone arranging a case file

There is an enormous amount of easily accessible information on constructing a nonprofit fundraising Case-For-Support … from the library, bookstores and the Internet. Countless volumes and articles have been written on the subject, and there are always workshops and seminars dealing with this critically important topic.

Keeping that in mind, I’ll try to give you the condensed version of what I’ve come to know about this vital “selling” tool for all nonprofits.

No nonprofit should ever be without a strong and compelling argument for its support. The Case should convey a sense of urgency, suggest efficiency in operation, state a uniqueness in filling a demonstrated need to an identified constituency, and provide personal (mostly internal) rewards to the donors.

The Case For Support is the “argument” for your fundraising program/campaign or your project in need of funding. It grows out of your organization’s mission statement in the sense that the money to be raised will be used by your organization to advance that mission.

It articulates your organization’s reason for being, its integrity, the good you do, the good you want to do, your specific fundraising need … and the urgency for it.

Developing the Case For Support and setting an annual goal and/or the goal of a campaign are preliminary, almost intuitive, steps in the process of creating a development/campaign plan, and they generally occur simultaneously.

The goal is the overriding concern of the program/campaign, and the focus and strength of the case to be made for the campaign are dependent on the size and purpose of the goal. The Case For Support often becomes the main tool used to recruit volunteer campaign leadership and solicitors and to convince prospective donors to give.

From what I have seen of compelling and relevant case statements, here is a suggested case development outline:

1. A statement of the problem/challenge.

2. One-or-more specific examples of the need.

3. Proof you did your homework – that you have studied and planned.

4. Evidence that you can make it work – that you have the skills and the organization to do it.

5. A discussion of how the donor might benefit … by helping others, or by doing something heroic.

6. A “Call-to-Action,” showing the donor what s/he could/should do to help, and why.

How short or how long should the Case For Support be?

It depends upon the magnitude and scope of the program/campaign or the project. Good judgment will tell you not to make it too brief, as it could suggest to the prospect that you have not researched adequately or that perhaps the project is not so important.

Then too, if it’s overly long, you run the risk of losing the attention of your reader. (If I have kept your attention thus far, I hope my Case Statement tips will work for you.)

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Have a question or comment about the above posting?
You can Ask Tony.
There is also a lot of good fundraising information on his website:
Raise-Funds.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and cheap ($1.99 – $3.99) ☺
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line and you would like to comment/expand on the above, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page, click on the feedback link at the top of the page, or send an email to the author of this posting. If you’ve received this posting as an email, click on the email link (above) to communicate with the author.

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Many Faces of Action Learning: A Key to Learning from Experience

Smiling woman reading with a tablet

Need for Flexible Approaches to Action Learning

My hope is that Action Learning practitioners throughout the world will fully embrace the passion for discovery and active experimentation—the pillars on which our practice is built. Both are essential factors in adapting Action Learning to the evolving needs of our clients. My purpose as an Action Learning educator and practitioner is to encourage the importance of a flexible approach to the practice of Action Learning, and to suggest the need to adapt our practices to the evolving challenges and opportunities our clients are facing. This intention is at the heart of Action Learning Source—an organization I founded with Dr. Carter McNamara and Teri McNamara of Authenticity Consulting. (www.actionlearningsource.com)

The Importance of Learning in Survival

It goes without saying that that the global rate of change continues to accelerate. Reg Revans—a physicist at Cambridge University and the founder of Action Learning—observed that if organizations don’t learn faster than the rate of change, they will not survive. This chilling reality no doubt contributed to his approach to generating new knowledge—insights to supplement knowledge of experts. This new knowledge, in his concept, came from powerful questions asked by a small group of people dedicated to solve emerging challenges. Team members learned from their actions and took new actions based on their learning.

Learning from Experience

Revans, in effect, was one of the pioneers in experiential learning. We know from research that the vast majority of learning comes from experience—from actions we take. The second most important means is the coaching we get from managers, mentors, peers, and trained coaches. Action Learning combines both learning from experience and coaching into an intentional, disciplined, and repeatable problem-solving and learning method.

Unfortunately, research tells us that most people are only getting a fraction of the value of learning from their experiences. Our ability to leverage experience depends to a great extent on fostering “learning agility.” Mastering learning agility requires the development of what Dr. Steve Terrell calls “learning mindset” and “learning practices.” (www.aspireconsulting.net)

Understanding — and Cultivating — Mindset in Learning

Research by Dr. Carol Dweck and Dr. Steve Terrell has shown the benefit to leaders whose attitude or mindset toward learning embodies (a) a belief in their own learning and growth potential; (b) openness to experience; (c) motivation, willingness, and desire to learn; (d) curiosity about others and how they do what they do; (e) an attitude of discovery and exploration; and (f) the intention and willingness to gain something positive from experience. These leaders experience more growth and contribution to organizational success than leaders who do not have these attitudes toward learning.

The learning mindset facilitates the use of key practices that leverage learning from experience including (a) taking responsibility for your own learning and development; (b) approaching new assignments/opportunities with openness to experience and positive intention to learn; (c) seeking and using feedback; (d) developing a clear understanding of your strengths and areas for development; (e) asking great questions; (f) actively reflecting; (g) experimenting with new approaches; and (h) observing and learning from others.

Action Learning Accelerates the Development of Learning Mindset and Learning Practices

A learning mindset and learning practices are no strangers to experienced Action Learning practitioners; both are common outcomes for participants in Action Learning programs. So what is it that Action Learning does to increase the likelihood of learning from experience? If we look at the many approaches to Action Learning around the world, there are certain elements that are common to all that foster a learning mindset and learning practices. Action Learning is an intentional process in which a small, diverse group of people is committed to addressing a real challenge faced by at least one member of the group and learning from their experience together. They do this through the use of powerful questions to both frame and solve the challenge. The taking of action and the reflection on the action taken are integral parts of the process. In many cases, there is a facilitator or coach involved who guides the group’s search for clarity and learning; in some cases, the groups can be successful in self facilitating as well.

Many Factors to Consider When Customizing Action Learning

Major differences of approach arise in 4 key areas: (a) the role and participation of the coach/facilitator; (b) the specific ground rules that govern the process; (c) the level of diversity of the Action Learning team and (d) the use of specific learning and problem solving tools and techniques. For example, in some models, the Action Learning coach (or facilitator) is a very passive participant—intervening only to help the group gain clarity and to facilitate learning. In another model, the Action Learning coach is an active participant in the group. For another example, in one model, there is a very prescriptive set of steps taken with tools provided for each step. In another model, there is a very loose set of steps and minimal tools provided by the coach to facilitate addressing the challenge and learning. Here is a concise depiction of many of the parameters that must be considered when customizing Action Learning.

Success of Action Learning Starts Before Groups Meet

I have had the benefit of great mentors and colleagues including Dr. Mike Marquardt and Dr. Cindy Phillips. I have learned the hard way that a one-size-fits-all approach does not necessarily result in learning from experience. More recently I have partnered with Dr. Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting. Carter and his wife Teri, have opened my eyes to ways of thinking about Action Learning.

What I have learned is that the first principle of accelerating the impact of learning through experience is to tailor the process to the needs of the organization and the needs of the team. It sounds obvious, yet the underlying assumption that you have a flexible process that can be adapted is not true in many approaches to Action Learning. I have concluded that as much as 80 percent of the success of learning from experience in Action Learning comes from what is done to create the conditions of success before the very first team meeting.

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Chuck Appleby, PhD, is founder of Appleby & Associates, and is a leadership and organization development consultant with over 30 years of management, consulting, and coaching experience in government, industry, and non-profits.

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Founders of Nonprofit Organizations

Two ladies having a discussion in a meeting

A Guest Post by Tony Poderis

The best, and the most needed non-profit organizations begin with a founder’s vision to do something good for society — often to serve a need no one else is serving, and unfortunately, sometimes addressing needs some others would rather not even know exist. So, as such a founder, good for you with your mission and vision. You are a true non-profit entrepreneur, though you know there is no profit motive involved.

However, wanting to achieve what you want to achieve to your own founder’s vision, could, sooner than later, change and be counter to your original founding views.

That’s because, when you form “your” non-profit organization, it then become a public charity. You cannot personally control it. Even if you name yourself, or are named, by your Board of Trustees as the Executive Director on one day, at the board’s discretion the next day, with cause as they see it, they can fire you. Or, only serving as a board member, you can as well be replaced by board decree.

That’s reality, and something you should know right from the start.

All founders of non-profits should know that no individual or group of individuals can “own” a non-profit. Typically, a founder of a non-profit organization has a difficult choice to make: should I be an employee or a board member? While it’s legally *possible* to be both, there are ethical and legal restrictions imposed on such a dual status.

In addition, organizations having the founder’s tight and unyielding grip often find it more difficult to attract new Board members, other volunteers, donors and grant support than do organizations with better-defined, more diverse, governance structures — i.e., other volunteers involved in making policy and carrying out the mission, and even changing the mission course as needed.

Beware of the “Founder’s Syndrome”

Founders who bring new ideas to the “table” develop a mission statement for their new organizations as the embodiment of their own vision and ideas, usually based upon a personal experience or passion.

Quite often though, the organization’s clients/users, donors, volunteers and staff play largely a passive role, responding largely to the founder’s passion.

A Remedy For “Founder’s Syndrome”

To succeed in today’s nonprofit “marketplace,” a new organization must be able to attract board members, other volunteers, audience, donors, and staff. And it does that through a shared vision and imparting “ownership” of the organization to others. A shared vision that speaks to and appeals to a diverse constituency is critically important to success of any nonprofit organization.

Staying On The Mission Statement “Course”

Your mission statement is working at its best when it clearly and firmly guides the board in making effective decisions about the organization’s future. It motivates and challenges the staff to meet well-defined and shared goals. And it is the beacon of hope for the people the organization directly serves. It is the responsibility of leadership to see to it that the organization always operates within the confines of its mission.

With that necessary team effort, that mission course might or might not be the one as originally set by the founder.

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Have a question or comment about the above posting? You can Ask Tony. There is also a lot of good fundraising information on his website: Raise-Funds.com .

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Have you seen The Fundraising Series of ebooks? They’re easy to read, to the point, and cheap ($1.99 – $3.99)

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If you’re reading this on-line and you would like to comment/expand on the above, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page, click on the feedback link at the top of the page, or send an email to the author of this posting. If you’ve received this posting as an email, click on the email link (above) to communicate with the author.

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Hey Delta, Are You Smarter Than a 4th Grader?

Anonymous person with miniature airplane on chalkboard

Belatedly thwarting a grade schooler’s scheme is nothing to gloat about

Most American airlines have been struggling to maintain any type of positive reputation for years now. With many of the most rage-inducing issues, like long security lines, beyond their control, you would think they’d be taking pains to ensure their own processes are working like clockwork. Speaking of, with the amount of focus that’s been placed on protecting our commercial planes since 9/11, shouldn’t we be able to expect airlines to stop a passenger from boarding without a ticket?

After reading this quote from Minnesota’s KARE 11 news, you’ll be asking the same question we were – hey Delta, are you smarter than a 4th grader?

Despite numerous checkpoints and gate agents, officials at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport say a 9-year-old was somehow able to sneak through security and onto a Delta flight headed to Las Vegas.

“At this point, this is a Delta and TSA issue,” said airport spokesperson Pat Hogan. “This is a rare incident.”

The security mishap occurred Thursday on Delta Flight 1651. It wasn’t until the plane landed in Las Vegas that the boy was stopped and questioned.

MSP officials say they’ve reviewed security footage and at this point do not believe he was carrying a boarding pass.

Delta’s statement after the incident was less-than-impressive from a crisis management standpoint, with more of a focus on self-congratulations than apologizing for allowing a potentially devastating gap in security:

“Delta continues to work with authorities and look into the circumstances involving an un-ticketed minor boarding an aircraft in Minneapolis-St. Paul. We commend the flight crew of flight 1651, whose vigilance and awareness of the cabin led them to proactively alert authorities to the situation prior to the aircraft landing in Las Vegas. Safety and security are always Delta’s highest priorities and we are reviewing our policies and procedures to make sure something like this does not happen again.”

Where was an apology to the boy’s family? Where was the red-faced spokesperson who should have stood in front of a camera and said, “We screwed up, we’re sorry, and we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again”?

n the first half of 2012, natural catastrophes and man-made disasters caused insured losses of about $21 billion, Swiss Re said.

The numbers confirm what we’ve long espoused — crisis preparedness is an investment, not an expense. The above mentioned damage averages at $9.3 billion monthly. The cost of comprehensive vulnerability assessment, crisis planning and training is miniscule compared to the potential losses.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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Using Differentiated and Self-Paced Learning

a-trainer-and-a-trainee-in-an-organization
cartoon
Everyone take’s the same exam.

Montessori and other private schools have used these learning techniques for years, but it is beginning to sound like public schools may be getting the same treatment if higher education has its way. However, it is a big change for the public schools. Probably even bigger than the change to using technology, i.e., where all students have iPads for books and notes. We were lucky to have a film to sleep through.

What does differentiated and self-paced learning mean for trainers? We are already using technology. That’s one modality. What options are there for us? I’m going to play dumb here to keep it basic. I searched the Internet. Where else can one find information like this? I did two simple searches since I’m not writing a term paper here.

One search focused on education. The result: the educators are very focused on differentiated learning and have been for a while; however, the hard work of the higher educational system that teaches new teachers how differentiated learning is important is erased by student teaching in a district that does not embrace it.

My other search was focused on training. The result: while trainers embraced differentiated learning they didn’t have the training to use it. They like the idea of being able to market different modalities and this is the opportunity to do so since the learning depends on each individual student’s progress. However, with trainers, I’m sorry to say, I didn’t see much in the way of face-to-face getting-to-know the particular learning styles that worked best–just what the learner preferred. So in this case, all bang, no buck. The technique does not use “preferred,” but rather actual ways a student or trainee learns best. Most of either class will tell you what is the least work for them is preferred.

Self-paced learning by itself helps. The current system rewards those who remember the most knowledge or concepts from class by awarding levels or grades. For students, it’s something to shoot for, but it can also be a stigma, an expectation, a pressure to others–even the students with the good grades. Bad grades often add to low self-esteem. Not always a positive.

Self-paced learning allows a student or trainee to continue until he or she has mastered one concept before moving on to the next. A person has a sense of accomplishment for finishing the race even if he or she wasn’t first. Obviously this is great for learning math. It’s very difficult to proceed to the higher, more complex level if you haven’t mastered the previous level. As for trainers, trainees can prove themselves at each level before moving into an area where safety or experience in earlier procedures are based on their competence.

caveman
Major obstacle to change.

The most prestigious educators think differentiated and self-paced learning is in the immediate future, but it is implementation that is most difficult especially for teachers. School systems are seldom run by young, informed educators and parents. Change means cost to a district. It means a revamp of teaching schedules, a re-haul on parent/teacher communication, What seems so easy to accept in theory becomes so difficult and complicated in implementation and practice. This “change” is extremely hard to accept for practical reasons as well as the usual resistance to change.

For a teacher, it can be dangerous debating with the very administration that hired you over the way schools do things in its district. In a standoff like that it’s easy to see who wins. And what new teacher wants to put her job on the line to do that? It takes a certain talent and knowledge to use differentiated and self-paced learning. It’s not something someone just takes on. You have a variety of teachers at a public school and not all are trained, some don’t want to be, and some won’t be. A major obstacle to this change before you even begin.

Trainers have an easier time of it. Once they have figured out the best way to ascertain how the trainees learn, then they can provide a plan of differentiated and self-paced learning, if, and only if, the material requires it.

It’s not that these techniques are new either. I studied differentiated learning and self-paced learning in my psychology learning class in college. And, that was 30 years ago. The theory and practice has been around at least that long. You’d think we’d have use it by now. Again, in the education setting, smaller private schools are able to adapt. Some of us in a classroom instruction actually do most of it as we let the pace of the class drive us. We know who is struggling and who needs to stimulated and we help in the right direction. We use different modalities. Unfortunately we have limited time, much like that of any other classroom teacher. It’s not enough. While we bring these different modalities to the classroom, they don’t work for everyone. That’s why you have to get with the whole program.

However, some of the best schools, without the nod of school boards, are getting it. Younger administrators are allowing experimentation, combining classes, breaking up classes in their districts in an attempt to do this on a small scale. Testing it before they take it public. At this point it may be the best we can do. It’s a start. Bravo!

Trainers need to do the same. Get some training ourselves. Learn what looks easier on the surface. Starting small will make you more proficient. And when you know it you can communicate it better to clients. For more information on this topic, see Bill Cushard’s blog titled When to Choose Self-Paced Learning Versus Online Learning.

Happy training.

A disclaimer. This commentary is mine and mine alone, and the opinion expressed here is not influenced by The Free Management Library in any way.

As the Host of the Blog site, I ask that you take a look at my new blog that focuses on other topics than training. My other training/speech blog is still out there, but I’m letting it die in cyber space. My best selling e-book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development is out. I need to tell you that I know Cave Man is not spelled that way and that is on purpose. The Cave is where we work, play and live. Read the book and you’ll get it. I hope to have two more following it soon. I also have a futuristic e-novel, In Makr’s Shadow, a look at what happens when society gives up control of the mismanaged dying planet to an evolving artificial intelligence. It is available directly through Barnes and Noble (Nook Book), Amazon (Kindle) and Kobo (Epub) and any book store that sells e-books, as well as directly through Smashwords. By the way on my blog site you’ll find snippets of the novel.

For more resources about training, see the Training library.

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More Promotion Channels: Bequests VI

Last month I focused on IRA gifts, now I’m back to bequests, picking up from August with strategies other than direct mail to promote bequest giving. (See Tony’s previous posts on Planned Giving.)

If you haven’t got the budget for direct mail, these are for you!

If you’re using direct mail, augment it with these methods. Think multichannel engagement. It’s essential in today’s interconnected world.

Look at your meetings and events
In face-to-face sit-downs and at larger events, it takes just a few sentences to ask prospects to think of your organization when they prepare their long-term plans. This message isn’t appropriate for every event, so look for the times when you’ve gathered people who love your work and you’re already asking for their support. They can support you in the long-term by including you in their wills.

Look at your publications
Newsletters, magazines, annual reports, anything where a fundraising message is appropriate. You don’t need a full article; a sidebar will do. Include your legal name and federal tax ID number (Employer Identification Number, or EIN), so readers can take action. A lawyer will need those to prepare a bequest properly. If you have an attorney on your board, or otherwise close to the organization, prevail upon him or her to write a sample bequest paragraph to include. It won’t take more than five minutes to write one for you.

Use your Website
I wouldn’t make this your first priority, but it doesn’t hurt to have a presence because enough seniors are internet savvy, and the rate of penetration increases each year. Also, your prospects’ attorneys might go to your site looking for the necessary details. Provide information similar to what I’ve suggested for your publications. You won’t need more than a page or two.

Small ways, too.
Can you slip a couple of check-offs into your annual appeal reply card? What about a check-off saying “send me information on including you in my will” on the back flap of your return envelopes? Wherever you’ve got a few extra lines on something your donors are returning to you anyway, give them the chance to ask for information or tell you they’ve already included you in their wills. Don’t put the “have included” option anywhere it’s visible to outsiders.

Get out there and promote! You’ve got something newsworthy: you’ve inaugurated a Planned Giving program.

Next month, wills can be undone – changed at any time. What does this mean for stewardship?

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Tony Martignetti, Esq. is the host of Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.
He’s a Planned Giving consultant, speaker, author, blogger and stand-up comic.
You’ll find him at TonyMartignetti.com.
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Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and cheap ($1.99 – $3.99) ☺
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line and you would like to comment/expand on the above, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page, click on the feedback link at the top of the page, or send an email to the author of this posting. If you’ve received this posting as an email, click on the email link (above) to communicate with the author.

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Crises Cost $56 Billion in First Half of 2013

Frustrated, stressed young man trying to work

Still don’t think crisis management should be a priority?

We all know that crises can create financial damage, but do you really understand how much damage? The stats below, quoted from a BusinessInsurance.com article, may surprise you:

Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters caused insured losses of $20 billion in the first half of 2013, with floods a major contributor to that total, according to a Swiss Re Ltd. report released Wednesday.

The Swiss Re sigma study found that natural catastrophes and man-made disasters caused economic losses of $56 billion and resulted in insured losses of more than $20 billion during the first six months of the year, $17 billion of the total due to catastrophes.

In the first half of 2012, natural catastrophes and man-made disasters caused insured losses of about $21 billion, Swiss Re said.

The numbers confirm what we’ve long espoused — crisis preparedness is an investment, not an expense. The above mentioned damage averages at $9.3 billion monthly. The cost of comprehensive vulnerability assessment, crisis planning and training is miniscule compared to the potential losses.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

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What Do You Want Us To Write About ??

What Do You Want Us To Write About

For over three-and-one-half years, we’ve been writing/posting about Fundraising/Development — The Basics and the more Advanced.

We’ve written on (in alphabetical order) Board & Staff Relations, Capital Campaigns, Certification, Corporate Fundraising, Development Staff, Donor Categories, Donor Recognition, Donor Relations, Effective Grantsmanship – Foundation and Government, Fundraising Accounting Practices, Fundraising Constituencies, Fundraising Consultants, Fundraising Ethics, Fundraising Leadership, Fundraising Planning, Hiring Consultants, Major Gifts, The Mature Non-Profit, The New Nonprofit, Nonprofit Leadership, Planned Giving (including Bequest Programs), Planning Studies, Special Events, Social Media, Workplace Fundraising and even a couple of book reviews.

We’ll keep ’em coming, but we’d like to write about what you’d like to read about.

What do you say ??

Let us know.

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Have a comment or a question about starting,
evaluating or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
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Have you heard about
The Fundraising Series of ebooks.
They’re easy to read, to the point, and cheap ($1.99-$3.99) 🙂

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Conflict: Does It Divide or Bring Together

Colleagues having a conflict dispute during a meetng

In a recent program on conflict resolution for the marketing department of a health care company, I asked the following.

  1. Can you describe the conflicts that occur most often?
  2. What could be possible reasons for these disagreements?
  3. How these conflicts are usually resolved? Or they keep coming back?

As you would expect, this generated a lot of conversation. I had set the expectations of open discussion without finger pointing or blaming.

Conflict is Like an Iceberg
I use the idea of an iceberg to help people think about conflict in a positive, problem-solving way.

Above the water line are the “Symptoms” – for example: Forgetting – Chronic lateness – Dragging one’s feet – Not paying attention – Avoiding or ignoring requests – Rolling eyes, whispering, put-downs. Others than I’m sure you can come up with.

Below the water line are the “Real Causes” – here are six:

1. Perceptual Differences: Seeing things differently.
A common example is when two people can view the same event ( in a crime TV drama witnesses to a robbery) and have different perceptions (It was a tall guy with glasses; no it was short with a baseball cap, etc

2. Informational Differences: Having different facts or understanding.
The parable of the blind men and the elephant illustrates this. Briefly six blind men wanted to know what an elephant was like. Of course, being blind they had never seen one. So they went to find one and when they did, each touched a different part of the elephant. Of course, each had a different impression.

3. Procedural Differences: Having different ways of doing thing.
How do you start a puzzle? From number 1 and go systematically? Or start anywhere you can and work from there?

4. Goals Differences: Disagreeing about priorities and importance.
This happens between different functional groups. In many companies, sales and marketing is driven by quotas – getting more customers; production by quality – making sure it meets specific standards. The conflict arises when one group has expectations that don’t coincide with the other group.

5. Role Based Differences: Disagreeing about responsibility and accountability.
Who does what? It’s your job; not it’s yours; I make the decision; no I do. This happens a lot regarding line and staff authority; or corporate vs business units.

6. Personality Differences: Behaving and communicating in different ways.
Someone is a quick, shoot for the hip decision maker and the other is slower, more methodical. Or someone is task focused, and wants you to get to the point fast and the other is likes to talk about all kinds of things before getting down to business.

What Was Causing the Most Conflict?
It was role based differences. There was lack of clarity as to who’s accountable for monitoring deadlines as well as who has final authority on marketing collateral and a whole range of other issues.

What Was the Solution?
I introduced Steven Covey’s model and had them focus on what they could influence. There were several suggestions: taking responsibility to ask questions and verify client’s expectations; using less email for communication with other functional groups and more personal interaction; and to get clarification and support from management as to the department’s responsibilities and authority.

Management Success Tip:

Conflict is inherent in our differences—in people’s differing backgrounds, perspectives, values, needs, goals, expectations, etc. Conflict by itself is neither good nor bad. It’s the way we manage conflict that produces constructive or destructive results. What are the main conflicts in your organization, department or team? Also see Manage Conflict Before It Erupts

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?