Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Brad Wolff, author of the bestseller, People Problems? How to Create People Solutions for a Competitive Edge, joins Dolph to deliver an important lesson: all problems are people problems. Walking us through his origin story, Brad shares the experiences and lessons that have helped him understand that solving any organizational problem starts with taking an honest look at your people – especially yourself! Links: To learn about Habit Technologies, email Brad: [email protected] Free ebook Maximize Your People, Productivity, and Profit: https://peoplemaximizers.com/maximize-profits PeopleMax: https://peoplemaximizers.com/ Brad's book People Problems? How to Create People Solutions for a Competitive Advantage *****Timestamped Highlights***** (4:18) Somewhere between birth and walking… (6:40) Doing it wrong > Doing it right: What Brad learned as a recruiter (9:05) Guess what? The most successful leaders are open to getting better! (10:53) Low turnover rates may not be a bragging point (13:28) The notable difference between a producer and a manager (14:34) Beware the Halo Effect and Horn Effect! (16:18) The dark period when Brad's business failed (18:20) The cognitive dissonance bus runs right into Brad (22:35) Dolph finally accepts the properties of velocity and mass (25:22) Brad and Dolph share the process of being human (31:22) Debunking the talent myth (32:50) Creating a safe and open work culture (34:19) From definition to application, Brad talks habits

Mazarine Treyz of Wild Woman Fundraising joins Dolph for a session of career coaching. They share a lot of Amen! moments as they discuss strategies on everything from negotiating a great salary to making the world a better place for all of us. Links: Mazarine's Book: Get the Job: Your Fundraising Career Empowerment Guide Wild Social Media: https://wildwomanfundraising.com/product/the-wild-womans-guide-to-social-media/ Wild Woman Fundraising: www.wildwomanfundraising.com Mazarine's Art: http://encausticarts.net/ Mazarine Treyz: www.mazarinetreyz.com *****Timestamped Highlights***** (3:43) Stand out: Incorporate their cause with your personal story (6:42) The game of reveal and conceal in your resume (7:48) Navigating interview questions – tackling the expected and unexpected (9:33) Tips for approaching (and deflecting) the salary question (11:50) Mazarine shares resume writing tips (13:14) Blind screening resumes – to help see the whole (15:23) Start with your board (17:59) Shareholder value is bullsh*t (18:56) Staff love > donor love (20:15) The effects of "intern pay" – the mindset of undercompensation (23:51) Use your A.R.M.S. – and no, not not your limbs (26:58) What to consider when negotiating your salary (30:13) Hedonic treadmill – more, more, MORE! (32:58) Setting time aside to do what you love (36:25) Dolph is a five of diamonds

Evaluation consultant Shelby Roberts joins Dolph to discuss how to squeeze the most out of your data by tracking as you go along. Simply put, start counting! Shelby also explains how she helped implement the strategic plan of Intown Collaborative Ministries. Links: Shelby's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-roberts-4935358/ InTown Collaborative Ministries: https://intowncm.org/about/board-of-directors/ *****Timestamped Highlights***** (3:30) When a project does not go your way (6:16) Easy ways to measure output (7:44) Step One: Count. Step Two: Store it. (9:19) Excel: Shelby's choice for data analysis (10:30) Focusing on short- and medium-term outcomes (11:36) Using a pre- and post-survey to track outcome measurements (14:32) The benefits of tracking output over time – paint a picture! (16:48) Communicating your plan for measuring outputs (and outcomes) (18:26) The power in the Red, Yellow, and Green: Using scorecards to measure progress (24:40) Shelby recalls her earlier role in Intown's strategic planning (26:45) How Shelby helped implement Intown's strategic planning process as board chair (28:06) Intown's staff roles vs. board roles (28:50) Kate Hayes was onto something… having talent on your board brings benefits (30:53) Shelby's Weekend Plans: More rigorous than yours

Kim Powell is back and she's changing the perspective about who can be a successful CEO! Podcast veteran Kim Powell returns to the podcast to discuss key takeaways from her latest book, The CEO Next Door. Kim explains the traits of successful executive directors and debunks CEO myths. Links: Kim's website: www.ghSMART.com Buy the book: The CEO Next Door: www.ceonextdoorbook.com Kim's debut, Episode 27: https://www.successfulnonprofits.com/archive/creating-a-100-day-launch-plan-for-your-new-ceo-with-kim-powell-episode-27 *****Timestamped Highlights***** (4:19) Myth #1: Successful CEOs have Ivy League degrees. (5:07) Myth #2: Successful CEOs began pursuing the top seat early in their careers. (6:16) Myth #3: The CEO is a superhero who saves the day. (7:29) Myth #4: Successful CEOs are extroverts. (8:05) Myth #5: Successful CEOs have swung from success to success throughout their careers. (9:30) Career blowups are an opportunity to learn (11:30) Step "broad" (15:10) Kim discusses four behaviors that can propel someone to the CEO position (15:44) Behavior 1: Being decisive (18:20) Behavior 2: Delivering reliably (20:56) Behavior 3: Engaging for impact (21:43) Behavior 4: Adapting proactively (25:01) Kim's shares the most interesting interview conducted for her book (28:55) Kim shares the most diplomatic ways interviewees turned down her interviews for her book

Dolph talks with Rick Alexander, author of Benefit Corporation Law and Governance: Pursuing Profit with Purpose. Rick schools us on the various Bs: B certified, B Lab, and B Corporation. He also outlines the similarities and differences between B corps and nonprofits, and shares instances where nonprofits spin off for-profit entities with B corp legitimacy. Links: Rick's Book, Benefit Corporation Law and Governance: Pursuing Profit with Purpose Rick's Website: www.FrederickAlexander.net B-Lab's website: www.benefitcorporation.net Measure your Nonprofit's B-Corp Fit: https://frederickalexander.net/resources/ *****Timestamped Highlights***** (3:51) What inspired Rick to get on board for B corps (5:25) Cute and crunchy, but not something for serious corporate law (9:44) A lot of Bs flying around (12:30) Why become a B corp? (15:30) Impact investors come in a variety of sizes (20:45) Choosing between a nonprofit structure and B corp structure (25:52) Rick explains his book's dedication to the 1129 human beings lost in the Rana tragedy. (29:15) Win-win: Rick and his publisher get the titles they want.

Kate Hayes of Echoing Green, a seed-funding and leadership development program for social entrepreneurs, joins Dolph for a lively discussion about the care and feeding of baby boards. Kate also shares her love of site visits to reignite board members' passion for the organizational mission. Links: Kate's firm: www.echoinggreen.org Kate's Article in SSIR: A Roadmap to Better Boards Archive of Kate's Articles in Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katehayes/#630769431a85 *****Timestamped Highlights***** (4:08) Growing from the "friends and family plan" (7:12) Why now? What do I want my board to look like? Who do I need? (10:34) The perks of cold-calling prospective members (12:40) A critical piece of the puzzle: matching context and content (17:06) Until Bernie Marcus knocks on your door, keep giving that homework (19:32) Peer pressure for a healthy culture (20:30) Bless and release (23:48) Recommitting board members by sparking their passion

We invite Larry Velez, founder and CTO of Sinu, to help us understand and accommodate millennials in the workplace. Top of the list: make sure your organization's systems and tools are mobile-ready. *****Timestamped Highlights***** (6:58) The trend: Millennials love iPhones! (9:23) Finding balance for seamless integration of devices, data and more (12:45) Yahoo's semi-cautionary tale (15:47) Being remote but having an office for those who need it (17:07) Trust Issues: Why the older generation fears the cloud (22:35) Accommodating millennials by increasing usability of your tools (24:40) The value of video (28:30) The gift Banksy left on Larry's office Links: Larry's firm, Sinu: www.sinu.com Remote: Office Not Required: https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Office-Required-Jason-Fried/dp/0804137501 Banksy Rat Mural on Canal Street, Chinatown, New York City Courtesy of Carina DeVara: Click here for the details on Banksy's Famous Rat Mural on Canal Street

Dolph and Kelsey Vatsaas, principal at CliftonLarsonAllen, discuss ways to streamline operations within the nonprofit finance department to improve efficiency, accuracy, and audit results. A good place to start? Step back and ask, "Do we actually use this information?" Learn what to track and what to let go. Links: Kelsey's Firm CliftonLarsonAllen: www.claconnect.com Read Kelsey's Blog: Signs of Finance Department Dysfunction and What to Do About It Freemium: Contact Kelsey for a Free 30-minute Consultation *****Timestamped Highlights***** (5:08) A record breaker: The client with a whopping 1,800 ledger accounts (9:48) Getting federal grants can be a good time for reflection (12:28) Don't be scared to ask for help (14:35) A Gamechanger: Negotiate the Indirect Cost Rate (20:35) Show some flexibility with your audit timeline (22:32) Approaching your auditor when things don't make sense (25:15) The management letter: a useful and under-utilized tool (30:25) Kelsey's Wedding: a dysfunctional function? Nah.

Peter Gross of Build Consulting is a nonprofit technology expert. And he's here to tell you that the real issue around technology in many nonprofits is not that they have the wrong system. Nope. It's the failure of leadership to get behind the system and support its implementation and use across the organization. Peter never wants to hear another ED say, "Well, I'm not a tech guy…" again! Links: Build Consulting: https://buildconsulting.com/ Build Consulting Newsletter: https://buildconsulting.com/newsletter/ *****Timestamped Highlights***** (1:31) Strip it down (7:20) The Cadillac (10:15) Never say that again (13:32) It's getting easier and easier (21:10) Small nonprofits…spreadsheets and QuickBooks (23:20) Vendor agnostic (27:52) Cows, otters, chicken, deer

We are well underway on this bonus break series about succession planning, and this episode is about the often-discussed, hot topic of executive director contracts. We explore the pros and cons of offering the executive director an employment contract, specifically as they relate to transition planning.

Some leadership transitions are straightforward – the executive director gives a month's notice before their final day. These are often the simplest and easiest transitions to plan for, but the board needs to prepare for more abrupt and even temporary transitions. In this bonus break, we will outline the four types of executive transitions your organization may experience and help you begin the succession planning process

We received such strong feedback on the strategic planning bonus break series, that I'm now offering another series – this one on executive transition planning. In this seven-part series, we'll discuss What is a transition plan? Why do you need one? The four types of transitions. Good time to think about contracts Developing your interim plan Write your ED playbook Reviewing and refreshing your plan Hire a consultant or do it yourself? In this first Bonus Break of the succession planning series, we explain the importance of transition plans.

The ability to research prospective funders and develop a highly targeted list of possible foundations is a key skill that all grant writers must develop. Dolph shares how you can build a list of likely funders, narrow down the list, and create a great grant calendar. Links: www.guidestar.org www.propublica.org

Look before you leap by asking these three questions before you even start writing a grant proposal.

Taking time off work for self-care is essential. Sure, financial and work obligations are reasons to forgo vacation, but Dolph shares his tricks for making the time to take a trip - - - even when your budget won't allow a vacation at the Ritz.

Dolph Goldenburg offers 14 interview questions that will help ensure you find a good consultant in your local market.

When it comes time to hire a new member, there is a lot of pressure to settle for the candidate that seems sufficient but not stellar. Beware, settling for the short term actually causes more pain in the future.

This is the tenth segment of our strategic planning blog series, and in this final segment, we will discuss overcoming the most common objections to strategic planning.

Dolph answers the most common question posed to strategic planning consultants: "How much will this cost?" and "What exactly will you do?"

Learn how to maximize your strategic plan to enhance your public relations, support fundraising efforts, attract visitors to your website and build your social media base.

We share how to structure your strategic plan, offer hacks for writing your plan, and discuss the ideal length.

The board retreat is among the most important steps of your strategic planning process. This episode shares techniques to ensure your board retreat fully engages participants in the planning process.

At this point in the planning process, the work group has spent two to three months to research and fully understand the organization's history, constituencies, strengths, challenges, and opportunities. So now it's time to focus on strategic goal setting. Specifically, the work group needs to identify one or two strategic goals - you might call them big bold goals, big hairy audacious goals, or cathedral goals.

As noted in the first two parts of this series, there is a lot of work involved in the environmental scan and reviewing the mission. In this segment, we discuss the role of the strategic planning work group and how to recruit high performing people to volunteer for it.

This bonus break is the third installment of a multi-part series about strategic planning. This episode focuses on developing a mission, vision, and core values that is both memorable and inspirational.

This Bonus Break is the second installment of a multi-part series about strategic planning. This series is based on a lunch and learned that I presented last month, and I am breaking the lunchtime presentation into several Bonus Break podcasts. The first part of the series was released last week, and it focused on determining if you need a new strategic plan and wheter your organization is ready to actually begin the planning process. Once you are ready to roll up your sleeves and begin planning, it's good idea to understand the stages of strategic planning. There are four distinct stages of strategic planning that we will discuss over the next several segments in this series, and these stages are: The environmental scan, drafting the initial strategy, board feedback, and finalizing the plan. This bonus break dives into the first stage of planning process: The Environmental Scan

As a consultant, I get a lot of questions about strategic planning: What is a strategic plan? Do we need a strategic plan? How does an organization actually write a strategic plan? How long will it take? If we start now can we have a strategic plan next week (next month, next year)? If we want a consultant to manage the process, how do we find the money to hire that person. And what does this consultant actually do? What components should be in a strategic plan How can I overcome objections to strategic planning Last month, I answered these questions at a presentation at The Commerce Club in Atlanta. I felt it would be worthwhile to turn this into a series of blog posts. These posts might anger some nonprofit consultants because the isn't always "go ask a consultant"

Nothing kills enthusiasm like long, disorganized, unproductive meetings, and this goes for all meetings. Whether a staff meeting or one on ones, we must make sure that all of our interfaces are productive and worth our time. Learn how a commitment to attendance, communication, shared agendas, inclusion, participation, and more will warrant more productive meetings for your nonprofit.

Are your gift acknowledgement letters connecting donors to your mission? Do you feel that donors cherish your thank you letters? Listen to this bonus break to learn some of the techniques necessary to craft and send sincere thank you letters that strengthen the relationship between you and your donor.

January is a great time to cultivate all the donors who gave to your organization in 2017. And one way to cultivate those who gave last year is by sending a thank you letter that shares the many accomplishments their 2017 gifts made possible. As an added benefit for your donors, this letter should also include a summary of all 2017 gifts that can be used for tax purposes. Listen to this week's bonus break to learn more about this best practice.

We offered tips on how to raise more money at the end of the year (and next year) by: #1: Reminding board members of their annual financial commitments #2: Calling board members who met their annual financial commitments to say "thank you" #3: Calling your largest 10 donors and thanking them for supporting your organization #4: Sending thank you letters for all gifts received in the past few weeks #5: Soliciting 2016 donors who haven't given yet this year