Archive for the ‘Simplify and communicate your case’ Category
Storytelling & The Power of Story
Posted by: Tom Suddes May 8, 2008
I just returned from Ireland, where we did our first FOR IMPACT TRAINING. Wonderful, incredible people. A country and economy that is growing, booming. And, For Impact Organizations that have powerful ‘Causes’ and ‘Cases’! Reflecting on the plane ride back, I realized that I didn’t make a big enough deal of THE POWER OF STORY. As in all of our trainings, the attendees were slightly overwhelmed with the Presentation Tools, the Buckets/Circles, Altitude, Flow, etc. (”Overwhelmed” in a good way, though.) I stood at the front (during breaks, at lunch and after the training) with a flipchart and tried to help people with the MESSAGE part. As always, their message was too much, too complicated, too many words.However, when I asked each to simply TELL ME THEIR STORY… the “WORDS” jumped out!
HUGE lesson for all of us:
DESIGN THE STORY! TELL THE STORY! SHARE THE STORY!
3 Big Ideas
1. STORYBOARDING. It’s a Walt Disney animation term… but it works perfectly for us. Actually laying out the ‘STORY’ is a way to Prepare and Practice your Presentation!
- HOW do you begin?
- HOW do you talk about the WHAT, the WHY and the HOW?
- WHO do you talk about? (Their Story)
P.S. The story doesn’t always start with “In 1842, Father Sorin and six brothers came to a snowy lake which was actually two lakes…” (Notre Dame).
2. STORYTELLING!!!! Here I am, in Ireland and the land of incredible “storytellers…" and we’re caught up in Presentation Tools and Buckets and Flow and Framework, etc. STORYTELLING is about AUTHENTICITY. It’s about VISUALIZATION and IMAGINATION. And it’s about PASSION, EMOTION andENTHUSIASM.
3. SHARING THE STORY. Nick and I have been
using this for a long time. It’s so much easier for you and your Board and anyone connected with your For Impact Organization to SHARE THE STORY then PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY …then it is to go and “ask for money”!!! THE POWER OF STORY helps with the Open, Dialogue, Conversation, and much more.Building, telling, sharing your STORY is ALL you need to do. And I mean that pretty literally. For more, including STORYTELLING RESOURCES, See THE YEAR OF STORYTELLING.
9 Big Board Questions
Posted by: Nick Fellers January 11, 2008
I’ve been a part of dozens of board retreats (leader/observer/participant), meetings and planning sessions in the lasts few years. A traditional strategic planning session lays out goals and actions but often fails to ask some really big driving questions.
What if we asked these questions?
- What is our purpose or raison d’etre? This is different from mission - which should be the same thing but usually ends up being more about ‘place in the world’ vs. purpose. Raison d’etre literally means REASON FOR EXISTENCE. It’s the WHY question. If you can’t answer WHY then WHAT and HOW are irrelevant.
- How can we (intentionally) go out of business? As this for the short term (1000 days) or long term (50+ years). You exist to change lives, save lives or transform lives. How often do we re-examine our activities and ask, “Can we find a SOLUTION?”I started to qualify this question - to say that it might not apply to some organizations such as schools. Then, I withdrew my qualification. Ask it anyway; see where the conversation takes you. Education is changing.
- What would you do with $100M? Or pick a number that is a factor of 10x higher than anything you’re thinking about now. I attended a board retreat last weekend as a board member for Road of Life Cancer Prevention for Kids. With $100M one board member said she would get laws changed to make health education mandatory at an earlier age and another said we should invest in longitudinal studies to understand how health prevention impacts kids. Those are two VERY DIFFERENT priorities and we aren’t doing either right now. Ultimately, the question helped to build consensus around focusing on EDUCATION.Until the question was asked, every debate was about incremental tactics, not vision or even, I would argue, strategy.
- What strategic partnerships can we pursue? You have finance committees, development committees, marketing committees, campaign committees. If anything, I would like to see a partnership committee. Better yet, just a commitment to partnerships as a core priority (DNA) of the organization.I haven’t seen the numbers in a while but we’re somewhere in excess of 2million nonprofits and many more socially focused businesses (all For Impact). Current structures and strategic planning questions focus on bloat, not partnerships. We’re all trying to make a difference so let’s make a commitment (financial resources) to exploring this full time.
- How can we maximize our impact? Simple and open-ended… but not asked enough.
- What are we best in the world at? Jim Collins has made this conversation prevalent in the last few years (revisiting the Hedgehog Concept). It’s ultimately a question of priorities and focus. Consider finding the one thing you do very well and FOCUS on that.I can’t tell you how important this discussion is for your staff. It helps them make decisions about grants, programs, staffing, etc. Equally important is identifying those things that you’re not good at.Side note: I am a big Marcus Buckingham
believer. He tells you to focus on your strengths. Our strength at For Impact is in-person training, facilitating and coaching. We’re focusing on ways to do more of that in 2008 (live, via web and on-demand).
- Should we grow ‘wider’ or ‘deeper’? It’s a scope of services question. Ultimately a lot of ’strategic planning’ comes down to this question. Do we add more depth to our current programs (make them longer, more available, etc)? Or, do we expand our scope of services (diverse offerings, expanded continuum, etc.)? Refer back to question six to help you frame this debate.
- How much money do we need to achieve our vision? What usually happens: we spend time tweaking funding goals based on last year’s results. It would be of huge value [to everyone] if we knew how much money we really needed to accomplish our vision (annually or over time via a campaign initiative).Reflecting on this, I would say that this question is often asked in preparation for a campaign but it is not asked in relation to our operation (annual). Why not? Instead, we set a number and then allocate it (budget)… every year.
- What is our business model? Or, what business are we in?
I think this goes along with several other questions and relates to strengths, focus and priorities. It also adds clarity and could even become part of your message.
I think these questions would also SOLVE a lot of the problems I hear about every day:
- Board engagement / Staff communication: Iit works both ways.
- Board meetings: If we’re on board about the big stuff it raises the level of the conversation. I think a lot of the comments I hear about board members being too detail focused or staff members seeming unfocused is resolved when we can communicate about and focus on the big picture.
- The proverbial rat race: Incremental thinking gets incremental results (some times).
Stop Cultivating and Start Communicating
Posted by: Nick Fellers September 28, 2007
“Why do we cultivate people?” As Tom always reminds me, “Cultivation is that thing you do with plants and manure.”
I really, truly don’t understand ‘cultivation’. We are in the business of saving, changing and impacting lives. If you can help someone understand your impact then it’s really not about cultivation; it’s about asking whether or not they want to help you with your cause.
I always reduce this to a simple story in order to emphasize my point. Imagine that you and your prospect were walking around a lake and came upon a drowning child. What would that prospect do? It’s likely she would jump in with full commitment to save the life of the child (so would you). I can’t imagine a scenario where you would first try to spend years getting this person interested in saving children (read: cultivation).
So… if you’re saving or changing lives then you can’t really argue that we need more cultivation. I would propose that the issue at hand is really much more about communication. That is, how you communicate your impact in such a way that is clear, concise and compelling. So clear, in fact, the prospect jumps on board (read: into the lake) to make a major investment in your vision.
If you can communicate the impact, the income will follow. If you can communicate the impact, you can ask for any amount of money on the first (sometimes second) visit. The challenge, again, is that we struggle with our message. Or, we might even have the message, but we’re not out visiting with people, one-on-one, to share the message and present the opportunity for them to help (save the child - as it were).
Your job is to communicate the impact, not spread manure. I know that’s blunt but I want to motivate you to action with this idea. You’re doing great things… so present the opportunity for someone to help… now.
People come from all over the world to training camp because they need more money (Final Training Camp of 2007: October 18-19). This email helps me communicate why we spend the first third of the camp helping organizations with communication and why attendees have success when leaving. They have the ability to communicate their impact in such a way that it is as clear as saving a drowning child.
Note: Many of you don’t need training camp you just need to show the people you’re with how you’re saving lives, changing lives or impacting lives.
PS - If you think my example is too simplistic or unrealistic please know that this same example is what set into motion the greatest philanthropist of our era - I’ve altered the lake example somewhat but stole that from noted philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer who wrote an amazing article last year in the New York Times: What Should a Billionaire Give - and What Should You? In that article he also explains Bill Gates’ moment of clarity around impact that moved him to action.
The Three Big (Business) Questions
Posted by: Tom Suddes September 10, 2007
Here are three big questions for you think about this week.
- WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU IN?
- WHY ARE YOU IN BUSINESS?
- HOW DOES YOUR BUSINESS WORK?
Nick and I have been working with a lot of wonderful organizations in the last 60 days… especially helping them with their MESSAGE, PRIORITIES and FUNDING PLAN.
It struck me this morning that IF every one of us and our organizations could answer ‘THE THREE BIG QUESTIONS‘… it would help us:
- COMMUNICATE OUR MESSAGE.
- FOCUS ON OUR PRIORITIES.
- MAKE BUSINESS DECISIONS/CHOICES.
I know that somewhere in the back of my (old) brain… these questions are driven by Peter Drucker, Jim Collins, Tom Peters and others.
However, I don’t know that I’ve ever stated them this clearly.
My CHALLENGE for you this week:
ANSWER THESE THREE BUSINESS QUESTIONS (as best you can)!!!
Three Quick Notes:
- WHAT business are you in… should be answered at the HIGHEST LEVEL!!! (Drucker’s old line about being in the ‘RAILROAD’ business or in the ‘TRANSPORTATION’ business might help.)
- WHY are you in business… is all about your VISION and your IMPACT and your RAISON D’ETRE.
- HOW does your business work… is all about your BUSINESS MODEL and your BUSINESS PLAN and your FUNDING/REVENUE STREAMS.
P.S. Collins uses three CIRCLES.
I think this also works.
Let me know if this helps CHANGE THE GAME!
How to Answer the Most Important Question of Every Investor
Posted by: Nick Fellers July 25, 2007
One of the most important questions of every investor asks is
“WHERE does the money go?”
Parenthetically, they’re also asking “WHY does it go there?”
In our all of our recent trainings, we have boiled down the PRESENTATION to PURPOSE… PRIORITIES… PLAN.
‘PRIORITIES’ is where we answer the question about “Where does the money go?” (Use of Funds). One of our metaphors for this answer is YOUR THREE BUCKETS. The three Buckets represent the most important priorities to be funded. These symbolic ‘buckets’ literally represent the ‘HOW’ you do ‘WHAT’ you do.
Lately, we have been illustrating the three buckets as three connected circles. Regardless of the visual or the design, the important thing is to have three things that can be simply stated to create engagement and dialogue.
Some examples might include:
- Research
- Education
- Service
- Education
- Training
- Disaster Relief
- Students
- Faculty
- Campus
Note: The students/faculty/campus example works for every school.
- People
- Programs
- Place
This last example (PEOPLE, PROGRAMS, PLACE) is a very simple way to capture almost every FOR IMPACT ORGANIZATION’S PRIORITIES.
P.S. One terrific way to see if this works is to take your Operating Budget and see if you can “fit” almost every line item into one of your Three Buckets.
Altitude: For visits, business and board meetings
Posted by: Nick Fellers July 17, 2007
Altitude - for your board meetings, business, presentations and, well… everything!
We want to remind you of one great framework that will change the way you run meetings, provide coaching/counsel and order your presentations. It may even change the way you do business.
(In its simplest form):
| 30,000′ | The WHY | Vision |
 |
Think ‘big picture / blue sky’. Planes fly at 30,000′. |
|
| 14,000′ | The WHAT | Strategy |
|
Think ‘top of the mountain’. | |
| 33′ | The HOW | Tactics |
| Think ‘nap of the earth’ (NOE). | ||
As this applies to your MESSAGE:
You are so immersed in your programs that you want to talk about the HOW (programs) at 33′. You need to stop! Go back up to 30,000′ and start with the WHY (your purpose, cause, message, etc.). If someone doesn’t understand or buy-in at the 30,000′ level then there is NO POINT in dropping down to 14,000′ (or 33′!).
As this applies to your PRESENTATION FLOW (on a visit):
Use this to create call flow. Start at 30,000′, then continue to 14,000′ and then 33′.
As this applies to your BUSINESS or ORGANIZATION:
WHY are you in business? WHY are you in this funding campaign? Answer this at the 30,000′ level. We challenge you to take five minutes and answer this question right now. To make a point: 50% of those reading this email cannot answer the WHY question. 98% can’t answer it clearly and concisely. If you have no clue, then drop everything and call a time-out.
“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
- Peter Drucker
As this applies to BOARD MEETINGS:
Run these at 30,000′… occasionally dipping down to 14,000′. A board meeting should never get to 33′ (even though many run at three inches!!!).
There are literally so many WOW ideas as you start applying the altitude framework.
Let us know how this applies to you, your plan, or your organization.
Everything is an Option
Posted by: Tom Suddes May 8, 2006
Nick had me pick up a Sports Illustrated over the weekend. Lance Armstrong is on the cover. LANCE NOW.
If you are in the FOR IMPACT WORLD , it’s impossible to read this article and not be motivated by some of the ‘nuggets’!
Here’s a quick sample:
- THE LOOK. Represents determination, persistence, I’m going to do this … whatever it takes. “Can this persistence be annoying? Absolutely. But it is useful in someone who intends nothing less than to CHANGE THE WORLD . ” (My caps.)
- THE BIG GOAL. Dr. Andrew von Eeschenbach, Director of the National Cancer Institute, set the goal of “ELIMINATING CANCER AS A CAUSE OF SUFFERING AND DEATH BY THE YEAR 2015.” He went on to say that “without the spur of a deadline , big goals are MEANINGLESS.” He took a lot of heat. Still is. But, laying out the VISION and the GOAL … with a TIMETABLE is critical.
- BONO. Bono says about Armstrong, “Most people don’t believe that the world can be CHANGED. Lance is different. He understands that hills can be climbed, and he isn’t even depressed when, upon reaching the summit of one, he sees a larger one (ahead). He’s used to that. That’s what Lance Armstrong stands for.”
- OPTIONS. I love this. On February 17 the, Lance Armstrong Foundation brought together some of the brightest minds in the fight against cancer. (Think Leadership Consensus Building/Vision Day!) The panelists were instructed to put all OPTIONS on the table and SUSPEND DISBELIEF. “Don’t think about what can’t happen because of current realities. Think about what NEEDS to happen in your field.”
Every one of us in the For Impact world needs to ‘PUT ALL THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE’ and ‘SUSPEND DISBELIEF’ if we want to CHANGE THE WORLD! - MORE THAN A SPECIAL EVENT. LAF GALAS are one of the few ’special events’ that actually raise a lot of money. (NET. NET. NET.) One week last fall, LAF ‘fundraisers’ in Austin and New York took in $12 Million. But, unless you’re LANCE ARMSTRONG, with his legion of contacts, network and followers, stay focused on MAJOR GIFTS!Even Lance understands that! He goes on to say, “While it is great to raise a million or a hundred million or two hundred million, what we really need is the B word and that’s BILLIONS!”
- THINK BIG. That’s right, BILLIONS! In fact, when Armstrong was with President Bush at the ranch in Texas, he was asked by Bush what he needed in the fight against the disease. Armstrong replied, “A BILLION DOLLARS.” *To grab people’s attention, I used to suggest to ask everyone you meet for a MILLION DOLLARS. As always, Lance raises the stakes. Maybe we should be asking people for a BILLION DOLLARS!
- NO MAGIC BULLET. von Eeschenbach says, “A lot of people in cancer are still looking for the magic bullet. Lance has demonstrated that it’s not magic. It’s personal commitment, bringing all the pieces together. There’s no simple solution, BUT THE IMPOSSIBLE CAN BE POSSIBLE.” Pretty clear.
- KAIZEN & TWEAK. “Lance is not about INCREMENTAL progress. He wants to do something DISRUPTIVE in this fight. Meaning, very BIG.” Dave Lyon, the LAF Marketing Director. (THINK BIG!)
- EVEYRTHING’S an option. Armstrong is talking about his new house. Points out a massive oak tree that appears to have been in that spot for a least a century. “That tree right there? Used to be over there.” (He points to a lot 200 yards away.) “I can’t believe that was an option,” says a visitor. Armstrong responds in a tone suggesting the visitor has not been paying attention: “C’MON, MAN. EVERYTHING’S AN OPTION.”
You are what you think about
Posted by: Tom Suddes January 7, 2006
WOW! Here’s one of the most profound “THOUGHTS” (pun intended) ever recorded:
“YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT.”
Earl Nightingale is literally the father of PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE STRANGEST SECRET was literally the seed from which this personal development industry grew.
Written in 1956, when Earl was 35 years old, he recorded this short message for a small group of salesmen one Saturday morning. The message had such a positive impact that everyone wanted copies to share with their friends and family. Earl Nightingale arranged with Columbia Records to duplicate this record and ultimately received a Gold Record for sale of a million copies. (This is in the 1950’s!)
I started to summarize this book but that’s very unfair. Just order your copy right now. It’s 19 small pages (the book) and takes only 30 minutes to listen to (the audio).
To whet your appetite:
“Men simply don’t think.”
“We become what we think about.”
“Success equals the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.”
“Instead of competing, all we have to do is create.”
“Impact = Income!” (I swear it’s in there!) He calls it the Law of Mutual Exchange.
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Just Added
Tom Suddes Video sharing the For Impact Point of View
