Category: Professional Development

Attention BP (NYSE: BP) Board of Directors:

There is, at this point, only one way I believe you might save your company’s reputation and, ultimately, its survival. Make a pledge to liquidate whatever company assets are necessary to correct all harm caused by the Gulf spill disaster. Accompanied by a very humble apology and commitment of both the aforementioned monies — and personnel — necessary to mitigate all harm as quickly as possible.

Do you have the courage to do that?

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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, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

Strategic/organizational analysis methods depend on the particular organization. A list of data sources is available for determining training and HRD needs. The list includes the following; human resource inventories (formerly known as manpower inventories), skills inventories, organizational climate measures, and efficiency indexes. Some of these sources, such as efficiency indexes are continuously monitored by many organizations as part of the normal control procedures and the data are readily available. Other existing organizational measures can be used as a basis for performance improvement and training efforts also. Such sources include employee surveys and interviews. For example, the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan markets two instruments – Survey of Organizations and Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire – that are supported by substantial reliability and validity data.

Here is an additional list of questions to ask during an organizational analysis:

1. Are there any unspecified organizational goals that should be translated into training objectives or criteria?
2. Are the various levels in the organization committed to the training objectives?
3. Have the various levels or participating units in the organization been involved with developing the program, starting with the assessment of the desired end results of training?
4. Are key individuals in the organization ready to accept the behavior of the trainees, and also to serve as models of the appropriate behavior?
5. Will trainees be rewarded on the job for the appropriate learned behavior?
6. Is training being used to overcome organizational problems or conditions that actually require other types of solutions?
7. Is top management willing to commit the necessary resources to maintain the organization and work flow while individuals are being trained?

As suggested, organizational analysis can be a critical component of an effective HRD effort. Although it would be optimal to conduct a complete organizational analysis on a regular basis, resource and time limitations often make this difficult. At the very least, HRD managers and professionals should continuously monitor the organization’s environment, goals and effectiveness by taking advantage of information already collected by the organization. This responsibility is increasingly expected of ALL managers and supervisors, as the environment becomes increasingly more turbulent and competition more fierce.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Enjoy!

Leigh

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

– Looking for an expert in training and development or human performance technology?
– Contact me: Leigh Dudley – Linkedin – 248-349-2881 or 248-277-2966
– Read my blog: Training and Development

Financial reward can be a powerful motivator. The potential for personal profit can provide intense focus and efficiency to almost anyone. Indeed, incentives drive entrepreneurs in their relentless search for success, overcoming obstacles along the way. Money might not be their only motivator, but dollars (the kind they get to keep) are always their favorite measure of success.

That’s mostly missing for most nonprofit social enterprisers. Why? Many folks in the nonprofit sector believe that incentives are not permitted by the IRS. In fact, if structured properly, incentives will not put your tax exempt status at risk. Sales people can receive part of their compensation through commissions; and managers can be incentivized as well — as long as it’s “reasonable.” (Caveat: I am not a lawyer; be sure to discuss with counsel.) Secondly, many nonprofits believe that making a difference in the world is all the motivation that’s needed to get the most from people.

Fair enough, but the fact of the matter is that incentives work. In public radio, where I worked for many years as an executive and now as a consultant, an important source of revenue comes from underwriting. Underwriting is a kinder and gentler form of on-air advertising that public radio stations are allowed to “sell” to companies that want listeners to hear their messages. Some stations incentivize their underwriting staff, others do not. Guess which stations tend to do a better (in fact much better) job of generating revenue to support the station?

I’m confident that many social enterprises would be more successful if they structured incentives that line up with their priorities. Don’t miss out on an important tool that firms in the for-profit sector never ignore.

Consider making greed part of your social enterprise creed. It works.

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Copyright © 2010 Rolfe Larson Associates – Fifteenth Anniversary, 1995 – 2010
Author of Venture Forth! Endorsed by the late Paul Newman of Newman’s Own
Read my weekly blogs on Social Enterprise and Business Planning

My twice-monthly newsletter, Crisis Manager, is distributed by email and then is archived indefinitely at my website, where the newsletter page gets brisk traffic second only to my home page.

I welcome guest authors who would like to get some promotional value out of being exposed to my readers. The criteria:

• The article must in some way be related to any aspect of crisis management — crisis prevention, crisis planning, crisis response, etc.
• Length — no less than 500 words, as long as 2,000 words
• Submit anytime to [email protected]

Familiarity with the ezine is important, of course, so peruse the Crisis Manager Archive, where you can also sign up as a subscriber.

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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. and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

Finances Are Just a Symptom, Not a Solution

When people think of financial sustainability, they usually think of getting enough money to pay bills for the long-term. Then they focus on strategies to keep getting enough money. That’s the wrong approach.

1. Strategy for Sustainability — Be Realistic

If an organization is trying to do far too much, it will likely not have enough resources, including not enough money to do what it wants to do. The solution is not to keep trying to get more money, the solution is to do less. Yeah, that’s right, do less. Cut back on the number of goals and priorities to address OR extend deadlines in which to address them.

2. Strategy for Sustainability — Ensure High-Quality Programs

If your organization does not have high-quality programs and services, then clients’ participation will eventually decline as will funding. That’s why it’s so important to do a few things very well, rather than a lot of things not so well. The solution is not to keep trying to get more money to offset deficits. The solution is to pick which programs you can do very well, do them — and keep proving your strong results.

3. Strategy for Sustainability — Financial Planning

Two of the best practices are achieving a financial reserve and doing contingency planning. Many leaders even laugh when they hear suggestions to establish a reserve. Too often, that’s from a mindset that all money must soon be spent because that will accomplish even more positive results for the community. The irony is that that approach too often hurts the community because the nonprofit remains in financial crises, which can hurt programs and services.

4. Strategy for Sustainability — Think “Organizational Sustainability”

When Board members and other nonprofit leaders talk about sustainability, they’re ultimately worried about having enough money to continue to support the organization. So remind them that financial sustainability is really just part of organizational sustainability. Help them talk about being realistic, ensuring strong programs, and doing financial planning for reserves and contingencies.

What do you think?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Nonprofit Capacity Building.

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my weekly blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, Nonprofits and Strategic Planning.