Pangea Foundation Blog

Servant Leadership and High-Impact NonprofitsServant Leadership and High-Impact Nonprofits

“Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough”“Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough”

In the “Second Great Wave of Philanthropy” there continues to be plenty of talk. Plenty of chatter. But a trusted voice does more than tell stories. It points to action, to performance, to results. It brings us to where, perhaps, we are on the periphery of comfort.

As nonprofits, this means pushing ourselves beyond anecdotes and impressions. It’s about more than a witty catchword or a quip. It means re-examining the very essence and methodology of the work we do. It can even mean “living our missions” in ways we have never done before.

It’s less about talk and more about results.

Last weekend I took the time to re-read Mark Friedman’s book, Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough. One of the things I like about the book is that it takes a positive approach to what is an important question: “What would we do differently if outcomes really mattered?” Friedman explains that it’s not good enough to tackle social problems with an attitude that simply says:

“These problems are so big and complicated there’s no way my program is going to make more than a small dent. Why be ambitious? I will work in my little corner of the world and try hard. And if I try hard, at least I can sleep at night knowing I’ve made a small difference.”

Friedman’s book points us to a different way—one that gets us from talk to action more quickly. Friedman explains a straightforward, common sense method of thinking and taking action. And it puts the focus back where it should be:

“It’s about making a difference, not just trying hard and hoping for the best.”

Friedman reminds us to take a step back and think. What is the essence of our mission? What are the results we are really trying to accomplish? And what are the implications of not accomplishing them? If we focus on anecdotes and impressions, how will we really know if things are improving or getting worse? By using common sense performance measures, we can be honest with ourselves about whether what we are doing is working, or needs to change.

Ultimately, the book encourages us to take a disciplined approach to making things better. What you’ll discover is an alternative to the Logic Model accountability framework that is widely used across the United States. The Results Accountability framework is a practical approach to grappling with today’s pressing problems—but within a strategic framework that facilitates your efforts to create lasting impact.

So, which accountability framework do you use? What are the advantages/disadvantages as you see them?

Remembering What Matters MostRemembering What Matters Most

As nonprofits, a lot of what we do is about fighting through the rain. The rain could be everything from losing an important funding stream to concerns about data security to apprehension about disaster planning responsibilities; it could include everything from email overload to the drudgery of more fundraising to keeping up with nonprofit technology trends.  

Tough job, but someone’s gotta’ do it… right?

Yes, it’s true—it’s overwhelming at times. With tight deadlines, increasing demands for Results Accountability, and transformational changes in IT occurring all around us, it can be like running on a hamster wheel—one that just won’t stop.

So why do we put ourselves through all this?

Because deep down we understand how vitally important the rain really is. The small things. Every conversation. Every challenge. Every performance report. Every detail. Every raindrop. They all matter. Even the tiniest rivet needs to be added to an airplane before it can ever be completed; before it can be expected to fly safely.

The secret to fighting through the rain is to realize why the rain matters. It’s not about the frustrations you experience along the way.

It’s about the people you serve. Keeping your values front and center. Making a difference.

Meaningful community impact comes from doing small things right. Serving others. Creating value in unconventional ways.

The little things you do each day may seem insignificant, mind-numbing, even quite annoying—from your own perspective. But together they can make all the difference in the world for someone in need of a difference maker.

The takeaway from all this is simple: The people you serve don’t care about all the raindrops you have to deal with. They care about how you can help them.

If you sincerely want to make a difference in people’s lives and magnify your impact, you cannot focus on your own raindrops. You need to keep your focus on the remarkable changes that occur after the rain.

One by one.

Think about the lives you’re changing. One person at a time.

The communities you’re uniting. One community at a time.

The difference you’re making.

One day at a time.

Keep The Focus On Your MissionKeep The Focus On Your Mission

Everyone knows stories about gas and oil prices dominate the news these days, as do stories about the housing and mortgage crisis. According to a June 19 article by Pew Research Center, over 42% of Americans were tracking economic news “very closely” in mid-June, just below the 15-year high of 45% who did so in mid-March.

With that in mind, it was encouraging to read Ret Boney’s recent article in the Philanthropy Journal titled, “U.S. giving hits record $306 billion”. The article cites a report released on Monday by the Giving USA Foundation™. Researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, the study reveals that in 2007 American’s donated more than ever before to charity: $306.39 billion to be exact. That represents a 3.9 percent increase over 2006 giving.

Yep… a lot of generous people out there.

And despite the concerns about gas prices and the mortgage crisis, Del Martin, chair of the Giving USA Foundation expressed optimism about 2008 giving, saying that, “Giving seems to be somewhat recession-proof.”

So why did I find this study so encouraging? Pretty simple, really.

I’ve been reading so many articles and blogs lately—all talking about the same thing: fear; particularly fear in the nonprofit sector. Fear about donations falling off. Fear about downsizing and layoffs. Fear about closing the doors.

First, let me say this: it’s okay to be concerned. It’s probably even wise. It’s smart to think strategically, plan intelligently, and mitigate risk sensibly. But let’s be careful not to lose perspective, shall we? Control what you can control. And most importantly, keep your focus on your mission.

Enough with all the talk about doom and gloom. Get rid of the paralyzing, fear-filled pessimism.

Instead, why don’t we all move to a resilient optimism? Be alert, yet positive. Be careful, yet hopeful.

Keep the mission, the mission. Keep the main thing, the main thing.

And that brings me to one of my favorite principles: focus.

“Only when you focus a company or brand over an extended period of time do you develop a powerful company whose future success is almost guaranteed.”
                                                             -Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It by Al Ries

It’s easy to allow ourselves to become unfocused when times appear difficult, but I believe the optimal strategy is focus. In fact, focus is always a good strategy; it’s just that challenging times have a unique way of grabbing our attention, wouldn’t you agree?  

So narrow your focus. Specialize. Become an expert at one thing. Deliver results. Be remarkable.

When you become known by a narrow audience for your expertise, and when you deliver outstanding service, and results accountability, you will be noticed.

Even better, when you deliver those services in a way that advances your funder’s vision of impact, you’ll no longer live at the mercy of the things that are beyond your control.

What is a High-Impact Nonprofit?What is a High-Impact Nonprofit?