Communication is Everything.
People who give their hard-earned money to charitable causes want to know that their dollars are being spent wisely. With so many competing priorities, doesn’t it make sense to give them the assurance they need to make contributing to your organization a priority?
Masai Interactive has over 18 years of experience creating compelling messaging, annual reports, event materials and web sites for non-profits of all sizes. We develop solutions that will help you increase your capacity through fundraising campaigns, volunteer coordination and improved internal processes.
Contact us to find out more if:
- You are the Leader or Board Member at a non-profit organization
- You are preparing to file or just received your 501(c)(3) designation
- You are looking to increase your donor base
- You want to recruit more volunteers or community stakeholders
- You have a loved one who has a vision and needs some help getting to the next level
All of us know someone who’s a leader or member in some kind of volunteer organization, whether it’s a church group, fraternity/ sorority, student group or neighborhood association. Here are some bad habits that I’ve witnessed keep mission-based organizations from doing their best work:
10. Planning for the Best Case Scenario
Optimism is an important part of keeping your enthusiasm, but it’s not a sound business strategy. Develop an action plan that takes into account things not going exactly as planned.
9. Not Hiring Professionals
People work better when they get paid. Expecting them to donate their services is exploitation. Whether its a member or an outside person, pay them (on time), even if you have to negotiate a reduced rate.
8. Forgetting the “80/20” Rule
No matter what you do, 80% of the work will most likely be done by 20% of the members. Assigning tasks to people equally will yield very unequal results.
7. Forgetting That Donors Are Customers
People who give their hard-earned money expect something in return, even if it’s just appreciation. Build relationships before you ask, and express thanks each and every time they give.
6. Forgetting That Volunteers Are Customers
People who donate their time are just as important as those who donate their money. Keeping them happy often simply means showing them the results of their participation in dollars raised and people helped.
5. Working for Your Staff and Not the Other Way Around
You should be receiving measurable productivity from each and every person on the payroll. If not, you need to re-evaluate …even if that person is a friend or relative!
4. Expecting Something for Nothing
You get what you pay for…enough said!
3. Believing Money Is The Devil
Money may not be your mission, but it is the fuel that allows your organization to successfully fulfill its goals. Not dealing with it is not an option.
2. Letting Strong Personalities Hijack the Organization
“Hurt people hurt people.” Be selective about who you put in key positions. Some people just like to throw their weight around.
1. Playing “Vendor Roulette”
Is your group or chapter using different vendors every year for the same projects? It’s usually because either the vendor or the leadership was unhappy with last year’s results. Choose vendors you can build relationships with, not just the cheapest – and pay them on time (“the person with the checkbook is out of town/ didn’t make the meeting” is not an excuse!)
- You are the Leader or Board Member at a non-profit organization
- You are preparing to file or just received your 501(c)(3) designation
- You are looking to increase your donor base
- You want to recruit more volunteers or community stakeholders
- You have a loved one who has a vision and needs some help getting to the next level
July 1 marked the mid-way point in the year. By now, we’ve weathered the long, snowy winter, reveled in the (too short) spring and are experiencing the second half of summer. Soon, vacations will be over, kids will go back to school, leaves will change color, and football season will begin!
This month was also a good time to take stock of the state of your organization – where you started, the progress you’ve made, goals left to reach. But don’t dwell too long, because you’ll be busy again before you know it.
This is always a reflective time of year for me because July is not only my birthday month, it’s the birthday month of my business. This year makes number 19 as a full-time entrepreneur…and I’m still figuring it out!
How are you preparing for the second half? Have you revisited your goals to see if they’re still relevant? What do your 6-month numbers look like? What are your projections for the fall? Do you have any, or are you operating month to month? Halftime is the time to regroup and develop a winning strategy for the second half. If you’re ahead – great; if you’re behind – there’s still time to adapt and overcome. But to win the game, you’ve got to be in it 100%.
Don’t wait for the avalanche of work and responsibilities to come crashing down, because then, you’ll spend all your time reacting. Contact us today to schedule your halftime evaluation so we can put together a winning strategy. So when December comes, you’ll be at the top of your game!
“I’ve got all this work to do, and nobody’s helping me.”
“I can’t take a vacation because everything will fall apart.”
“If I want it done right, I’m gonna have to do it myself.”
Sound familiar?
These classic phrases are typical of Work Martyrs, those people in most dysfunctional organizations who are often both the key and bottleneck to progress.
Funny thing about Work Martyrs – they complain ALL THE TIME, but they resist every attempt to help them. They burn through staff, consultants and vendors like a book of matches. They’re like a person drowning, flailing around during the rescue attempt, endangering both themselves and the rescuer.
Why would someone do that? If you need help, and someone’s offering it, why would you not accept it?
It makes no sense, until you look at it from an emotional perspective.
Work Martyrs love being indispensible, and they expect to be paid for their never-ending sacrifice in praise and sympathy. To actually solve their problem is to rob them of their identity.
Work Martyrs see themselves as victims, but they are actually emotional bullies. They hoard information, alienate co-workers, and shun new ideas or anything else that threatens their status. They seek absolute control over their environment. If they can’t find dysfunctional situations to fix, they create them.
By the way, “Work” Martyrs also tend to be “Family” Martyrs, “Event” Martyrs and “Volunteer” Martyrs! Owners and managers often put up with them because, in truth, nobody is going to work as hard as they do! But trust me, in the long run, they are costing you more productivity than they are bringing you.
How do you prevent the Work Martyr from wreaking havoc on your organization? The best way is to address the behavior as soon as it starts. However, since they are good at masking their true nature until they are fully entrenched, that may not be possible. In that case, control and/or extraction becomes a very delicate and complex operation.
Does your organization have a “Work Martyr” problem? We may have a solution. Don’t wait one more day – Contact us to find out how we can help you create a more pleasant and productive work environment!
Stay tuned for Part 2: “Taming the Work Martyr Within”
In my last post, I discussed the concept of the “Work Martyr,” that person in every business and organization who makes a big deal about how much work they do and how little they get recognized. The article focused on how the Work Martyr thrives off sympathy and praise, and how their identity is wrapped up in living in a state of perpetual persecution for their unrewarded labor.
But what happens when you really ARE the person doing all the work, and you don’t want to be? Sometimes being the ‘Work Martyr’ is not all in your head. Here are 5 ways to ease your way out of Work Martyr status:
1. Stop Suffering in Silence
Expecting your hard work to be “discovered” one day by accident? Stop it…it never happens that way. We were taught that it’s not polite to toot your own horn, but the less competent horn-tooters will take credit if you do not. Learn to speak up for yourself without being obnoxious, and resist the urge to “take one for the team” every single time.
2. Contribute to a Culture of Inclusion
Many workplaces indirectly reward information hoarding and “buck-passing,” so major issues get ignored until they blow up. Don’t contribute to that mindset. Making information readily available to everyone encourages communication and shared accountability.
3. CYA
If you don’t know what it stands for, you’re not doing it! Document everything you do, and in some cases, what others don’t do.
4. Accept Imperfect Help
It’s true…nobody’s going to do the job the way you would. And that’s OK. Even if they make mistakes, their contribution will win you back a few hours of autonomy. In the long run, if you never teach anyone to replace you, you’ll be trapped by your own essential-ness. Learn to be a patient teacher and students will come!
5. Find Other Outlets for Your OCD
Yes, you are probably somewhat OCD – admit it. That’s why you strive for perfection and are impatient with the imperfections of the world around you. Use your powers for good! Work on detail-oriented projects like arts and crafts, volunteer opportunities and other constructive endeavors. And perhaps, heaven forbid, take a vacation!
No matter how great it is, work should not be your entire life. A strong work ethic is a unique gift that obviously everyone doesn’t have. You just need to find ways to channel it that will not drive you and your co-workers crazy!
Recent Comments