The context for my note: I was working with one organization to put together a $6M project and revamp the development operation. This particular org had 1.5 development positions and received about 40 gifts annually from corporations and foundations in the ranging from $2500 – $10K. The problem was the development was spending too much time ($$) and energy to secure those gifts. Sometimes a $5K grant would take three meetings, two days of grant writing and as much time to complete reporting.

This is not a ‘not-for-profit issue’, it’s a business issue. Spending a lot of time for a little money—or to lose money—is not good business.

I told the team we needed to change and heard common objections:

• “But these are relationships. Mr. XYZ loves us and he’s done this for several years. We can’t just change.”
• “But we know we’ll get the grant. We can’t just not take the money.”
• “We can’t just walk in and say, ‘we’ve made a business decision and now things have to change!’”

Yes you can. Make a business decision AND explain the business decision to your funders. Making business decisions and having strong relationships is not mutually exclusive – it’s responsible. You’re not here to be some charity… you’re here to make a difference by leveraging resources effectively. At the same time, you can decide where if and when you need to move the line to accommodate a relationship… so long as you have a line.

If Hoops Then > $30K Rule:
For this organization we created a new rule. If we have to jump through any hoops we need to set a $30K minimum (as a goal). Otherwise, the hoops aren’t worth the hassle.

Factor into the cost:

• All the staff (sales) time needed to write request, have meetings and submit requests.
• In many cases a controller’s or CFO’s time who needs to crunch a bunch of numbers to make data look pretty for a request.
• Delivery of the CORE program time – you want to maximize money toward this. If you have to create a bunch of new programs for the money then consider whether or not it’s worthwhile.
• Reporting time
• And most of all the OPPORTUNITY COST of not finding and meeting with better prospects.

The Result: We went to each recurring funder and explained that we had made a business decision that we needed to set a minimum threshold for ‘partnership’ at $30K. We explained the rationale.

Sometimes we walked away (or were turned away).
Sometimes funders got rid of the hoops (in which case it made it ‘profitable’ for us to accept a smaller gift)
Sometimes we turned $10K commitments in to three year commitments
More often than not we were told in some way, “Sure. No problem. This makes sense.”
Bonus: The team is now thinking bigger about every opportunity. No longer chasing mice – because they can’t.

I really enjoyed this article on PRODUCTIVITY from Think Simple Now.

It reinforces the idea that you should manage your energy not your time. I shared it with some development officers and ED’s earlier this week and the concepts seem to be powerful for others so I’m re-posting here.

Here’s the really cool thing about sales / nonprofit-development-sales. If we JUST focus on the PRODUCTIVITY we can actually have 2-hour workdays.

“”In knowledge work, time input isn’t the point, your value comes from your output”

Read the article. Be productive.

I’ve been encouraging development officers to self-coach through these three questions EVERY morning BEFORE email – over a good cup of coffee.

1. What can I do to bring in more money today?
2. What am I doing to advance the ball with my top 10 prospects?
3. What are my next action items to line up visits?

What can I do to bring in more money TODAY?

I (Nick) don’t care about more prospects if we’re not doing follow-up with existing and previous relationships… if we’re not closing. Adding more to a bad process does nothing. Trust me – much easier to ‘close’ that visit from three weeks ago than it is to open a new door.

Top 10 prospects…

This one’s all about the ‘self fulfilling prophecy’. Focus on your top 10 – a little bit – each day. The problem is, most people look at the number one prospect and think, “Well, that’s a long way off…” or “We don’t know them.” Then they open their email and respond to all the urgent but not important requests. This becomes a routine. Over time we never define the action steps that get us a visit with our top 10. The funds (potential and real) from those prospects can never be made up… nor can the leadership and connections.

Visits…

Visits and asks (advancing and maximizing relationships) is the lifeblood of philanthropy. If dollars-raised is a productivity measurement then this is the measurement on the way to productivity. Are you scheduling visits this week? If not, you will not have new funds to show for it in 6-8 weeks (plus or minus).

If it helps, think of these three as CLOSING. HOMERUNS. ACTION.

Managing your ENERGY includes figuring out when you are most productive (early a.m. for most people) and then doing your most important things at that time.

It’s also about practicing OSCILLATION. Jim Loehr says this OSCILLATION means the constant BALANCE between INTENSE ACTIVITY and RECOVERY. Building RECOVERY time into your day such as exercise or meditation or a walk or even a nap (as W. Clement Stone used to do) provides RECOVERY. You can practice oscillation on a daily, weekly or even monthly basis. (Funny thing. I’m actually dictating this as I’m walking down to feed the horse and the miniature donkeys.)

I wish everyone would grasp this idea as soon as possible. It’s amazing what happens when you focus on your ENERGY LEVEL instead simply allocating time during a 10, 12, 16-hour “day”.

Note: Something to think about. TIME MANAGEMENT is all about lists and priorities and Quadrant II activities vs. Quadrant IV. It doesn’t take into consideration your ENERGY, your ATTITUDE or the INTENSITY in which you function.

Funny thing. TIME management ends up using a lot of TIME, while ENERGY management ends up being about FOCUS and FLOW and takes a heck of a lot less TIME.

P.S. This oscillation, intense activity combined with recovery is tied back to the whole both/and thing. Every elite athlete knows that intense “muscle burn” needs to be offset with ‘muscle rest or recovery’. You don’t work out 10 hours a day every day. World class boxers who are “in training” mix in Road work and Ring work and Rest. (Often taking naps during the day. George Foreman was supposedly really good at this. ?) This concept can be applied to your life and to your business day. Even a few moments to work on pranayama or yoga breathing, meditation, counting to ten or whatever can re-charge your energy system.

Special Note: ROE is a great LIFE principle… and an important BUSINESS and SALES idea. It’s Eduardo Pareto’s 80/20 on steroids. It’s Ivy Lee and Andrew Carnegie writing down the most important things they have to do that day and then doing it (with maximum ENERGY). It’s particularly applicable to WHO you work with, WHERE you work, and WHY you’re working.

I’m sick of ‘meetings‘. And I’m at an age where I can ‘just SAY no’.

Political pundit James Carville says,

“LOSERS MEET. WINNERS DO.”

He goes on to say that, “Absent a major peace negotiation, complicated merger or complex legal settlement, there’s no reason on earth to have a meeting last more 30 MINUTES.”

After 35 years in the ‘business world’, I never want to attend another meeting in my life. I believe this is also true of every other meeting ‘attendee’ (excluding the ‘meeting planner’ or ‘boss’ who is holding the meeting.)

I wish I had a magic alternative. I’d love to see more ‘GATHERINGS’ of the right people at the right time on the right subject… to brainstorm or reevaluate or correct the course. (Imagine what life would be like without ‘meetings’, but where you ‘GATHERED’ together in a fun, productive session with real results.)

A meeting, by the way, is not a place to INFORM! If you want to share information, write it down and get it out in a one-pager.

If you’re going to ‘gather’ for actionable results, then people need to be engaged and involved in the session… not listening to one person ramble with no purpose.

I’d love to see more opportunities for ‘CELEBRATIONS’ of accomplishments and success (rather than just ‘talking’ about what we’re going to do).

P.S. If you really, really want a PRODUCTIVE session, either STAND or go for a WALK!

Frank was literally the first person in my “business life” (and, actually, one of the very few people) that talked about his personal life and his family and his own goals… as they related to his business and sales goals.

Frank ultimately came down with Alzheimer’s at the end of his life, but, by then, he had impacted so many people and left a huge legacy. These “personal goals” and “family first” was his GIFT to me. I am forever grateful.

***Frank’s the one who first gave me the idea of “solo time” with the kids, which I turned into BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST, where we actually went over their “favorite” books, TV, friends, food, etc…. and then did their GOALS for the upcoming year. I tried to capture all that in my journal/green book.

If you’ve never done ‘GOALS’ with a 3-year-old, you’ve really missed out!

Mark Sanborn just wrote a little book called The Encore Effect: How to Achieve a Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do.

It caught my attention for two reasons. One, I heard Mark Sanborn speak many, many years ago at an Inc. Conference. I remember talking about his Harley and Colorado and much more.

Second, I am pretty big on the whole “PERFORMANCE” thing right now. Mark talks about the traits of extraordinary performers:

• PERFORMANCE
• PASSION
• PREPARATION
• PRACTICE
• PRESENCE
• POLISH

Just looking at this wonderful alliteration gives you 6 pretty big P’s to think about.

As I finish these thoughts on balance, I’m reminded of PHYSICAL BALANCE, as I am actively engaged in 3 pretty physical activates: boxing, biking and yoga.

I practice at least one of these things daily. All of them (as well as most every sport) requires considerable BALANCE. PHYSICAL BALANCE has a lot to do with CORE STRENGTH. In life, ‘CORE STRENGTH’ is about your CORE purpose, passion and principles and about your STRENGTH of character, commitment and compassion.

Interestingly, both boxing and yoga also rely heavily on POSITION or STANCE, which obviously applies to our lives as well.

As a follow-up to the challenges in the last few weeks, I want to challenge YOU (PERSONAL LIFE) and YOUR ORGANIZATION.

BALANCE in your organization might be best presented around the concept of BOTH/AND (vs. either/or).

“The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold TWO OPPOSING IDEAS in mind at the same time… and still retain the ability to function.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The goal is to balance the Yin & Yang (the Chinese concept of total opposites coming together to create perfect balance) of organizational development, growth and impact. In an ideal organization, with an elite team, there is the combination (Both/And) of left brain and right brain to achieve great success.

Tom Peters says, “The ‘SOFT STUFF’ is always the ‘HARD STUFF’.”

Zig Ziglar, master motivator, says, “People buy on EMOTION and justify with LOGIC.”

With that in mind, here are some left brain/right brain BALANCE ideas:

Regarding your personal life, seeking and finding BALANCE is obviously a major challenge for every one of us.

Zig says “TRUE SUCCESS requires BALANCE. (SUCCESS) is only real if it encompasses physical, mental, spiritual relationships, career and finances.”

I’m going to push a little bit here. The idea that you can’t have reasonable “BALANCE” in your life is an absolute CROCK. After all, it is your life.

It’s not just about work and your career. (It’s why we so often hear the term “GET A LIFE”).

Michael Gelb is one of my favorite authors and thinkers. In MORE BALLS THAN HANDS, he uses the juggling metaphor to help solve this issue of stress, time pressure, and desperate ways to make changes in our lives that will help find balance.

In my own writings, I use the idea of ‘LIFE ROCKS’ as a concept with a double meaning. Yes, Life should ROCK! There are also six LIFE ROCKS that need to be juggled and balanced:

Here’s the challenge. We are all ‘TERMINAL’. I’ve been around a ton of “workaholics” and supposedly “successful” business people who believe in the impossibility of BALANCING life, family, business and career. They’re all going to die.

When you talk to old people like me, they will tell you that ‘quality time’ vs. ‘actual time’ is just a cop out. That your children will never be this age again. That your parents will eventually be gone. That your brothers and sisters will be spread around the country. That your email box will never empty nor will you ever run out of “stuff” to do.

BALANCE, like so many other things, is a function of PRIORITIES.

MAKE A LIFE… NOT A LIVING.

PERSONAL SUCCESS and ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS .

(Almost) everybody WANTS it. (SUCCESS)

(Almost) nobody can DEFINE it! (SUCCESS)

If you can’t DEFINE it…You can’t MEASURE it.

If you can’t DEFINE it and MEASURE it…

How will you ever know if you ACHIEVE it???

I’ve tested this with thousands of people at trainings and workshops and conferences. Ask anyone if they want to be a ‘SUCCESS’ , and (almost) everyone raises their hands.

Everybody wants it, yet few can actually define what it means to them . Fewer yet can measure it .

This week’s CHALLENGE is to actually define what SUCCESS means, both PERSONALLY and FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION. (Try to get it in writing . Tie it to goals . Include a timetable , etc.)

Here is how we are defining SUCCESS with a college advancement team (SALES TEAM).

SUCCESS is tied to our 3 BIG GOALS :

1. MAXIMIZE RELATIONS… AT THIS GIVEN MOMENT. (Lead Investments, Project-Related Gifts, President’s Circle)

2. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS… FOR THE FUTURE. (Annual Fund, Reunions, 1842 Society)

3. FUND THE VISION AND INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITIES. (4 Big Projects, 3 Huge Priorities, etc.)

We will measure FINANCIAL SUCCESS by achieving specific goals within our FUNDING PLAN (based on our’ Green, Purple, Gold’ Holistic Model).

While I won’t attempt to help you define your PERSONAL SUCCESS, I can share some thoughts on SUCCESS from some really smart people.

In 1936, Napoleon Hill wrote THINK & GROW RICH , which has become one of the all time classics in the personal development field. He also wrote THE LAWS OF SUCCESS . Mine is 3″ thick with a bright red cover. Hill’s copyright is 1937. My first reading (inscribed inside the cover) was 40 years after than on the 25th of May, 1977.

Here’s Napoleon Hill’s definition of success:

“SUCCESS is the attainment of your DEFINITE CHIEF AIM without violating the rights of other people.”

Obviously, in order to achieve Hill’s SUCCESS , you’d need to know exactly what your DCA is!

Earl Nightingale, the actual father/founder of the personal development industry, wrote the all time classic motivational and inspirational book entitled THE STRANGEST SECRET. Recorded in 1956 for a small group of salespeople, THE STRANGEST SECRET went on to become one of the all time best selling records. It is also captured in 19 small pages. (THE STRANGEST SECRET is really not that strange and it’s not a secret: YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT. That’s the whole message.)

Earl lays it out like this:

“SUCCESS is the progressive realization of a WORTHY IDEAL.”

Again, it would be hard to meet Earl’s definition if you weren’t sure what your ‘WORTHY IDEAL ‘ was!

Here is my own definition of SUCCESS. At my age and stage in life, it works great. It also comes straight from an iconic legend from my youth, Bob Dylan.

“SUCCESS IS WAKING UP EVERY MORNING… AND DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO.”

[Sometimes, just "waking up every morning" is a good way to define success. ]

Special Note: In all my readings, the philosophers and Big Thinkers never tie SUCCESS to MONEY. I found that very interesting, since most people in their younger years relate SUCCESS to how much MONEY they have… or how much MONEY somebody makes.

Along those lines, here are 3 quotes to think about from 3 pretty well-known people.

“Try not to be a SUCCESS, but rather to be of VALUE.”

Albert Einstein

“Many people have come to a point their life when they want to move from SUCCESS to SIGNIFICANCE.”

Peter Drucker

“Our focus should be on FULFILLMENT, not SUCCESS.”

Viktor Frankl

Even Maslov, in his eponymous pyramid, says our highest need is SELF ACTUALIZATION.

We wish you SUCCESS … however you define it or measure it .