November 3, 2011 | Tom Suddes
I am working with one of the best development people I’ve ever coached. ‘L.B.’ is a sponge. She gets it. And she knows what to do with it.
We were strategizing a recent call on a company that is located, literally, right ‘next door’ to the college. The presentation was for support to help underwrite the cost of the New Campus Master Plan.
L.B. did her normal great engagement/conversation. Then, in a brilliant flash of total authenticity, she said to them, “We are coming ‘next door’ to ‘borrow a cup of sugar’.” (!!!) The company executive loved the analogy and committed $25,000, which was the request. More importantly, it’s the start of a much stronger relationship… ‘like a good neighbor‘.
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November 3, 2011 | Nick Fellers
In the Community vs. Of the Community
We’re working on a project that would launch a proven education and workforce development model in an urban Boston area. The team’s leaders have visited with over 500 stakeholders – including community leaders, families, schools, funders and government officials.
A funder shared that they reason this project appears to be working is that it is ‘of the community’ not ‘in the community’.
In. Of.
World of difference.
In the US (and perhaps globally) we don’t have money problems. We have effectiveness problems. How often have we seen philanthropy or government throw money at a problem without any solution?
For the project in Boston, this has become an important part of the message to funders; I believe we all now understand that whether it be impacting a slum in Kenya, transforming Newark’s schools (see: Putting Zuckerberg’s Millions to Work for Schools) or launching an innovative workforce development center in south Boston that the solution must be OF the community, not IN the community.
Sharing here because I know many of you can use this frame in your work and your message; many of you are facilitating change that is OF the community. Tell that story. Have THAT conversation.
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November 3, 2011 | Nick Fellers
For Impact In November (Atlanta, Boston, California, Denver, NY City… and more)
In November we’ll be these cities:
- Atlanta – final dates TBD
- Boston – Nov 9
- Columbus – Nov 15-16 Custom Training at Eagle Creek
- Denver – final dates TBD
- New York City – Nov 14
- Philadelphia – Nov 17 Workshop: A Roadmap to Major Gifts
- Phoenix – Nov 29 – Two workshops through/with Arizona Alliance of Nonprofits
- Rochester, MN – Nov 8 At National Philanthropy Day
- San Francisco – Nov 7-9
- San Diego – Nov 16-18
Some of the events above are organized workshops or conferences. If we’ve not listed details then it means that we’ll be in the area and hosting a meet-up or office hours. If you would like to meet-up send a note to Carol Rowland (carol@forimpact.org) who is coordinating.
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November 2, 2011 | Tom Suddes
“In this day and age, people expect access all the time… not when the company (organization) wants to ‘sell’, but when the customer wants to ‘buy’.” (Which is 24/7… ‘always on‘.)
This comes from my friends Kelly and Nancy, who run one of the ‘hottest/coolest’ integrated marketing firms in the world.
Here’s Kelly’s visual:
The ‘On-Off’ Model reminds me of why Traditional Campaigns are so outdated, out moded, out everythinged.
Every organization should be looking at the ‘Always On‘ Model of TODAY | TOMORROW | FOREVER.
[vs. the 'Feasibility Study/Case Statement/Strategic Plan/Silent Phase/Public Phase/General Phase... Pause 3-5 Years... then Repeat' Model!!!]
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November 2, 2011 | Nick Fellers
Among the other things, we’re trying to teach people how to listen.
- Listening doesn’t always mean having to respond.
- Listening doesn’t always mean having to correct the other person.
- Listening doesn’t always mean having to incorporate and change your approach based upon the other person’s feedback.
Sometimes listening can just be about being quiet and letting the words soak into your head. Sometimes we don’t have to do anything for listening to have a profound impact upon the other person speaking.
In fact, sometimes it’s more powerful NOT to say anything or simply say, “I hear you.”
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October 31, 2011 | Tom Suddes
“There are no companies that have GOOD SLOW DECISIONS.
There are only companies that have GOOD FAST DECISIONS.”
Larry Page
Google Founder and New CEO
Stop planning, feasabiliting, and jacking(around).
Make a Good DECISION…FAST. Then Execute.
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October 31, 2011 | Nick Fellers
“How big of an impact do you want to have?”
While in San Diego last week I had a chance to have breakfast with Chris M. who was indoctrinated into all this For Impact stuff about two years ago.
I need to write about the broader success story of Chris and the great work they’re doing at Solutions for Change in North San Diego County. For now, I just want to shared a quick nugget.
Chris just finished raising $20 Million in 1.5 years. (Goal was to raise this in 3 years.)
Over breakfast, Chris walked me through how he does the pitch on a blank sheet of paper.
- • He lays out the Problem – very simply.
- • He lays out the Solution, which has 3 parts.
- • And he lays out the Funding Model and the Math. For them to get one family out of homelessness, it costs $22,000 via the Solutions University. One-third of this is paid for by the government, one-third of this is paid by the families and one-third of this is paid for by private supporters.
After Chris lays all this out, he simply asks somebody, “How big of an impact do you want to have?”
I think this goes along with Tom’s note the other day about a client in Colorado that is asking everybody if they would consider a ‘Leadership Gift‘?
What I love about both of these stories is the amazing simplicity of the Ask. The hospital is on its way to raise $90 Million and the Solutions Team just hit a $20 Million mark.
It can be that simple.
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October 24, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Just finished a great week in Ireland. 3 straight all-day trainings with amazing people from Business to Arts, One Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropic and Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.
Then, spoke at SEI’s Annual Award Ceremony (followed the leader of Ireland, the Taoiseach!)
Also met with the new Provost (President) of Trinity University and his Foundation/Development Team. I’ve worked with a lot of colleges and universities… but none that were founded more than 400 years ago!!!
Will share more later, but here’s 3 Big WOWs from the training.
- 1. ‘WHITE SPACE’. Just because you take something off of the Engagement Tool… doesn’t mean you can’t use it!!!
- It just becomes an Impact Point/Talking Point to be brought out when needed.
- 2. SFP. We used 3 Framing Devices for everyone’s Funding Plan:
- The Pyramid. (1, 2, 4, 8, 18 = 33)
- The 3 Circles. (Projects x Cost = Goal)
- The 3 Levels. (e.g. Partner, Sponsor, Angel)
- Then I wrote SFP in large letters… and asked what it meant.
- A wonderful woman (one of my favorites) said, “Simple Freaking Plan.” (She didn’t use “freaking“. It’s Ireland.)
- She was right! It is.
- Mine was Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.
- Both work.
- 3. BRILLIANT. The Irish use it for everything! (Even me ). However, as Leo Buscaglia says, “People call me brilliant… because I tell them what they already know.” Same thing here.
- I provided Frameworks and some Coaching, but they had the answers inside themselves.
Big Week. Big Impact. Big Income (to follow, for them).
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October 19, 2011 | Nick Fellers
The Puzzle is the Vision. The Piece is the Ask.
This is a metaphor that came out of some work we’re doing with a large community health center.
The center sees over 100,000 patients each year. It also provides comprehensive wrap around programs, including Mental Health, Wellness and Education. To my eyes, it does so in a way that illustrates that healthcare doesn’t have to be broken. Furthermore, each of clinical environments is outstanding. Considering the demographics (poor/marginalized) that are served and impacted, one is struck immediately by how the place feels more like a “Googleplex with creative health specialists” than a “Greyhound Station with doctors”.
It’s a WOW!
The Suddes Group was called upon to help the organization devise a strategy to raise $2 Million a clinic construction project. One could quickly see that this one clinic (in the context of 17 existing clinics) was just a project – a piece of an entire health ecosystem (which, in total, had some $60 Million in projects on the horizon).
With the team, we re-framed the story around the bigger picture: the innovation ecosystem that was successfully challenging the healthcare paradigm. Talking about the entire scope and vision made the clinic much easier to talk about. It gave it context, which is what a story should do.
I asked the team how things were changing at the organization through our engagement. One of the grant writers had a great line. She said, “I used to always get hung up on how to position the piece. Now it’s a lot easier to talk about the puzzle than just zero in on one piece of the puzzle for the ask.”
I love this. It’s a great metaphor. The puzzle is the vision. The piece is the ask.
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October 15, 2011 | Tom Suddes
What’s with superwoman (literally) on Friday? She is running a very fast growing ‘marketing’ company. Running a household with two teenagers. Engaged in a community. And serving on the Board of a local college.
As we were reviewing the draft of the Engagement Tool for the college… she asked a very simple question (re: the Blue Box Message and the 3 Storylines).
“TO WHAT END?”
Her point was easy to get and easy to accept. ‘WHY’ were we talking about that particular topic of those particular words? “TO WHAT END?”
A really great reminder that we can spend a lot of time with these Engagement Tools and worrying about our words and themes and our stories… and forgetting to ask that very simple question:
“TO WHAT END?”
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About For Impact
We help "nonprofits" fund their visions through training, coaching and consulting based on 25+ years of experience and $1Billion+ raised directly and $1Billion via coaching/training. For Impact is also our message, our commitment and a movement.
