Management

I was recently blown away by a TED Talk titled, Ernesto Sirolli: Want to help someone? Shut up and listen! As a young Italian aid worker in Africa back in the 70's, Ernesto learned how we often get helping so wrong. The talk is so good that I not only encourage you to watch the entire 17 minutes video yourself, but also took the time to write extensive notes for those of you who prefer to read or scan text. For me, the video has not only inspired my thoughts on entrepreneurship and aid, but also is triggering ideas for how these principles [...]

Today, some nonprofit employees seem like rolling stones. They come in, work for a few years or less, and leave to other opportunities. Why are employees--particularly fundraisers--“gathering no moss”? Can organizations effectively quell the revolving door trend? The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports in Half of Fundraisers in the Top Job Would Like to Quit, that fifty percent of chief fundraisers plan to leave their jobs within two years. Forty percent are thinking about leaving fundraising entirely. “Too many organizations lack a culture of philanthropy, which means that development directors don’t have the conditions they need to succeed,” Marla Cornelius says. “It’s a [...]

  What are your nonprofit career goals? Are you considering making a career change within the sector? Or do you see yourself advancing in your organization over the next few years? Either way, it is important to set goals.   Bridgespan and former Bridgespan partnerWayne Luke discuss the steps to building your career in the nonprofit sector with Building a Nonprofit Career Path.   1. Focus on your current job. Do your best at your current position. If you are thinking about trying to advance within your organization or are thinking about a career change, doing your best now will pay off [...]

How can an organization create a compensation plan that will allow it to attract, retain, and motivate the talent necessary to carry out its mission?  Employee compensation is a significant portion of any business’s operating expense, but an effectively constructed compensation strategy can do just that. Many organizations may not realize the value of a good compensation plan or the impact it can have on performance. It’s not uncommon to think of compensation simply as a line-item expense and not as a strategic opportunity. With unemployment hovering around 4%, not-for-profit organizations need to think creatively about developing a compensation strategy that [...]

Startups Nonprofit-Style Many of my friends have recently left the comfort of government and corporate jobs to take a chance with a startup company. In fact, last year, I did the same thing. It’s the type of risk that our parents shudder to think about and it’s something that a lot of people further in their career wouldn’t dream of doing. But startups can be incredibly exciting, liberating and lucrative if you get in with the right idea at the right time. There are so many for-profit startups that have completely exploded over the last five years – particularly in the [...]

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you made a job offer, the candidate accepted, and then quit, before the first day of employment rolled around?  If so, you aren’t alone. The 2018 Nonprofit Salaries & Staffing Trends Report from PNP Staffing Group shares that a remarkable 36% of nonprofits surveyed found themselves in this predicament last year. As if it couldn’t get worse, 33% of the survey respondents said they had a candidate accept, start on the job, but then resign within the first three months of employment.   So what’s causing the problem? As the economy has [...]

  I know there has been a lot of talk about “Millennials” over the past couple of years. So much so,  in fact, that I’ve noticed a bit of “push back” from folks when they hear the word uttered. It’s almost like that hit song that first went viral, then got overplayed, then got parodied by everyone in animated holiday videos and finally got to the point where people just didn’t care about it anymore. (Sorry, Carly Rae Jepsen!)   So, if need be, grab a wooden spoon to bite into and help you get through this post-- because there are some really [...]

"While I wouldn't recommend using it for a second round interview, online video interviews are a great way to screen interviewees for the first round," offers Don Tebbe, an Executive Succession & Planning Consultant and Author. "It gives more texture to your interview than a phone call," but he warns that it shouldn't act as a substitute for all face-to-face meetings or for advanced rounds of interviewing. Technology exists to make our lives easier: By utilizing online platforms like Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, Skype, or Google Hangouts, "...you can leverage technology and increase cost effectiveness at your organization," according to Tebbe. Having conducted many [...]

  Workplace diversity is indeed a diverse concept, encompassing a wide array of people in terms of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, age, ability, economic status, and more. Most nonprofits tout diversity in their staff and their actions as though achieving full-fledged diversity were a high honor. But how many prioritize diversity, making it a reality for most nonprofits?   According to the Level Playing Field Institute’s April 2011 study of over 1,600 nonprofit employees, “Nearly 90% of employees believe that their organization values diversity. However, more than 70% believe that their employer does not do enough to create a diverse and inclusive [...]