Ever wonder where the week went? That was last week for this gal. It blurred by so quickly I missed Maximizing Excellence’s 11-year anniversary. Happy Anniversary!
If I am being honest, that pace and blur is what every week feels like these days. There is a rev in the industry. A sense of urgency in the nonprofit sector.
Some of the urgency stemming from ideas and energy, but most of it carries an undertone of panic. A panic that comes from being ill-equipped and unprepared, which is where many organizations found themselves 15 months ago. Their response? Planning. Lots and lots of planning. Maximizing Excellence will facilitate more strategic plans in 2021 than we facilitated the previous four years combined. Not because we typically do so few, but because the demand for strategic planning outpaces anything I have seen in 11 years. Is strategic planning the answer to panic? It doesn’t hurt. But what else can organizations do now to position themselves for triumph in times of uncertainty? Ask questions.
▪ Ask board members where they see opportunity for the organization.
▪ Ask donors what needs they see in the community your organization might be well positioned to solve.
▪ Ask staff what might make it easier to do their job more effectively.
▪ Ask mentors what risks they took that paid off big.
Asking questions opens the mind and heart to opportunities and inspires bold action. That is what we are doing these days at MaxEx. As we embark on another year, we are asking ourselves – and others – more questions than ever before. In November we will share those answers and invite you to be there when we do. More to come on that. In the meantime, planning continues for us and the many excellent organizations prioritizing ideas and energy over panic. Cheers to 11 years!