Strategy Girl

Setting Strategy - Whose Job?

There must be something in the water supply in Gotham, but lately everyone seems to be doing strategic planning.  Strategy Girl has had some VERY interesting conversations lately about who drives the strategy - the board, or the staff? Who is ultimately responsible for setting direction?  Is it the governors, who must ensure the mission is advanced? Or the staff, who have more content/technical knowledge?  I know, I know - you idealists out there will say "They should do it together."   But the hard reality is, many times there is dissention among the board and staff on who gets to ultimately decide on strategy.  So, let's say Cat Woman has you in her evil grasp and says you have to choose or it's curtains - what is your answer?

Lounging Activity

As Strategy Girl looks forward to a weekend full of hammock swinging, cape mending, and cocktail sipping (hey, even super heroes need a vacation!), I'm hoping for a little time for reflection.  Here's a little activity for you.

First, try the cocktail of the day on the sidebar on the right - and let us know your thoughts - was it super, or dasterdly?

Second, take 15 minutes while sipping that cocktail and sitting outside to ponder:  "What one project could I give up that would leave more time to do another that has more impact?"  NO COMMITMENTS HERE - just pose the question. See where it takes you.

Radical Ideas

Anyone out there read Stanford Social Innovation Review? I was munching on my Kryptonite Burger (Superman was a wuse) and browsing through the Spring 2008 issue, article entitled "The Networked Nonprofit" by Jane Wei-Skillern & Sonia Marciano.  Good stuff.  Here's a tidbit: "Most social issues dwarf even the most well-resourced, well-managed nonprofit. And so it is wrongheaded for nonprofit leaders simply to build their organizations. Instead, they must build capacity outside of their organizations. This requires them to focus on their mission, not their organization; on trust, not control; and on being a node, not a hub."  AMEN!  Well, OK, that "node" thing is pretty out there - who the hell wants to be a "node"? But the rest can make a strategy super hero get all giddy.  Imagine a world where nonprofits focus primarily on achieving their mission rather than simply building their own organization?  CRAZY.  The closing paragraphs are fantastico - here are some excerpts: "Although the social problems that nonprofits are tackling are growing in both magnitude and complexity,funding is failing to keep pace. Networks do not require more resources, but rather a better use of existing resources. And so networked nonrprofits are uniquely posed to face the perennial challenge of the nonprofit sector: achieving lofty missions with decidedly humbal means."  You'll need a subscription to see the rest, but well worth the investment in my opinon.  Anyone have any good examples of this out there?

Board Disaster Averted!

Whew! Strategy Girl is a bit beat - it's hard covering the globe and trying to avert strategy disasters!  While flying over the West Coast I heard this snippet: "We have to have 45 board members because only a portion really participate."  I was so disoriented by this comment that I nearly got tangled in some nasty power lines.  It's possible that in some Alternate Universe this statement is logical.  But this particular organization appears to be located in this universe.  Strategy Girl has to ask:  why not just have a board of people who ACTUALLY participate?  I'm sure there are all kinds of ways the nonprofit can engage the rest of those folks that would be more interesting to them than getting financial reports they don't read - or can't understand.  Plus, here is a secret few realize - the IRS and Attorney General will come after ALL board members if the place is engaged in monkey business - not just the ones who show up.  Luckily Strategy Girl was able to intervene and now the board of 10 is focused, engaged, educated, and asking the right questions.  Close call!  Hopefully there aren't many more of these misguided boards out there . . .

The evil of board fundraising

So, that may have gotten the attention of the gajillion fundraising and board consultants out there who insist a primary (if not THE primary) duty of boards is to raise money.  Well, Strategy Girl is hip to supporting our causes - after all, if the board won't step up, who will? BUT, hold on there lassies, isn't the board there to, you know, GOVERN?  Seems that this emphasis on fundraising has gotten away from us a bit.  Perhaps we should be thinking more about how to fulfill our mission, just who we are serving, what those folks are actually asking for, and how to get the best ROI for our efforts.  Not that fancy schmancy galas aren't fab - trust me, SG is always up for a new stunner complete with shoes that would make Carrie Bradshaw jealous.  But so many of the groups we see spend 90% of their time focusing on how to raise money, from who, in what format, and grumbling about why their boards aren't doing more of it.  So, here's a suggestion - ask the board to focus on governance, and to give what they can. Then form a fundraising board that actually is SUPPOSED to spend all their time raising money.  Trust me, this will make your board recruiting, and your fundraiser recruiting, much easier - everyone can play to their strengths.  Now, Strategy Girl is an expert on - you guessed it - strategy.  So please, fundraising experts - please tell me why this won't work??