mission

Ten truths of Smiley Pt I

We were pleased to host organizational guru Marc Smiley at our June Revitalization Training in Marietta (thank you to Marietta Main Street for being great hosts!) Marc did not disappoint as he spent the day clarifying organizational concepts, answering attendees’ questions, and providing humorous anecdotes. If you didn’t get the chance to attend, I’ve compiled some highlights, or truths, that Marc conveyed, for you to use in your day-to-day operations. We’ll go through 1-5 today, and then pick up 6-10 in a couple days.
1) The best organizations build relationships with their stakeholders over time.
How many times have you witnessed (or even worse, been a part of) an organization offering a board seat to an individual who has just recently joined an organization? Some organizations put out such a desperate vibe for board members (or other important leadership positions) that it seems their only qualifications for board service include a pulse and the ability to recite the name of the organization upon request. While the kind-hearted nature of the typical community volunteer means they feel part pity, part embarrassment at being asked, and part desire to help improve the culture of the organization, what begins with good intentions may not end with as good of results.
An organization moving its volunteers through deliberate phases (member, event volunteer, committee member, board member, organizational leader) gives both the organization and the volunteer a chance to get to know one another before either makes a big commitment in the relationship. When both sides have a better idea of what to expect from the other, the chances of burnout, frustration, and unpleasant surprises are lessened.
2) Neither the board or staff are islands unto themselves when it comes to raising money.
When it comes to fundraising, especially when looking at bigger donors, there are a bunch of tasks, from developing the “ask” materials, to prospecting for donors, to establishing and developing the donor/organization relationship, to making the ask, to stewarding the donor “post” ask. And any organization that does a good job of fundraising understands how those tasks are distributed among staff and board. The board cannot drop the job of fundraising into the executive director’s lap, nor can the executive staff put up its hands and expect the board to handle 100% of the fundraising tasks just because fiduciary responsibility sits squarely with the board.
3) Fear of raising money is not an excuse not to raise money.
Sometimes an organization develops the “woe is us” collective mentality, coupled with an intense fear of active fundraising to make things happen. You know the organization: they’re figuratively clanking their tin cup while sitting on the sidewalk, in the hopes that a kind soul will pass by, take pity on the group, and drop a few coins into their cup.
Organizations suffering from their own inferiority complex have two options: go for the extreme makeover, convincing themselves first, and then everyone else, that they play an important role in improving the community in which they are located. They take every opportunity to tout the good work they do, and to continually make the argument that they do what the public sector can’t do, or what the for-profit sector does not want to do. They demonstrate that donors giving to their organization will see returns on their giving, and do their best to insure that stakeholders are delighted to be involved with their mission-based work.
The other option? Let that fundraising fear paralyze the organization until their relevance within their sphere of work drops to a negligible level and the organization has to close its doors for good. (I promise: I’m not trying to write a “scared straight” post here.)
4) Understanding what is important, and what is urgent, and giving each its proper attention, is key.
This is where good planning habits come into play. Organizations that balance the approach of short-term and long-term planning are able to address not only the fires that have to be put out today (those decidedly un-sexy conversations about the ideal placement for outdoor trash receptacles), but the grand visions that, once accomplished, cause people to look directly into one another’s eyes, mouths agape, and say “Did we really just hold a ribbon cutting on that white elephant building that had been vacant for 25 years???”
It’s too easy, when we’re strictly focused on today, to forget to put our mission into the context of what we’re supposed to be accomplishing 20 years from now, just like it’s hard to tackle today’s problems when all we can focus on are the big-fix needs in our community. A good organization finds the balance between devoting resources to today’s urgent and tomorrow’s important, keeping both in mind.
5) Job descriptions for everyone!
No really, everyone needs a job description. OK, I sense those rolling eyes, and that sarcastic thought “Hooray, more busy work for me while I watch my community go to hell in a handbasket.”
But when it comes to getting off on the right foot, stakeholder to organization, there’s nothing better than shared expectations, transparency in expectations, and everyone being on the same page with what exactly those expectations comprise. And, one of the best ways to institutionalize that foundation is through a job description outlining function(s) within the job, responsibilities, and expectations.
Don’t fret if you’re involved in an organization totally lacking in job descriptions. We have many examples we’re happy to share as templates for you, as does Marc Smiley, here. See? Not that bad.
Anyway, we’ve covered 1-5. I hope you’ll join me in a couple days for the rest of the best, courtesy of Marc Smiley.

Comments are closed.