CTW Opportunity #13: Starting Today, Start Every Day With Why

I gave myself two weeks off from this newsletter to reset for the new year and figure out what I would like to do differently. As I expressed in a recent post, 2024 will be the year I don't let fear get in my way. Therefore, I am showing up here today with my full self, including all my idealism and optimism for a brighter future for our community's nonprofit organizations.

As part of my 'new year, new me,' I am also shifting my tone to be more empowering and less critical. That led me to think of my use of the word 'issue' in the headlines of this newsletter. Sure, I was using it in the context of a publication, which makes sense, but the word also connotes a problem. So to reinforce my transition towards a more positive tone, I will use the word 'opportunity' instead. Nonprofit organizations don't have issues or problems...they have opportunities that, should they choose to seize them, have endless potential. Starting today, I'll present one opportunity and some practical takeaways for anyone reading each week.

I have read Simon Sinek's book, Start With Why, multiple times. The book explains that great leaders and companies attract loyal followers because they have a clear sense of WHY they do what they do ? not just WHAT they do or HOW they do it.

"There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it, or you can inspire it...For transactions that occur an average of once, carrots and sticks are the best way to elicit the desired behavior...In any circumstance in which a person or organization wants more than a single transaction, however, if there is a hope for a loyal, lasting relationship, manipulations do not help."

There is no stronger 'WHY' than the mission of a nonprofit organization. And yet, many nonprofits continuously resort to 'carrots and sticks' to attract support.

For Nonprofits

Starting today, start every day with 'Why.' To borrow from Donald Miller's airplane metaphor for small businesses, fundraising will give you fuel for the airplane that is your nonprofit organization, but the most important thing is the destination. If you ignore the destination to focus on the fuel, you might find that you've landed somewhere you've never intended.

Is your organization's mission a long-winded, corporate-sounding paragraph that no one has read since your website was developed nine years ago? You need a short, compelling mission statement that you can memorize, easily repeat, and share with your stakeholders. Put it on t-shirts, mugs, and signs around your office so you never forget why you do what you do every day.

After a couple of weeks, you might find yourself prioritizing answering these kinds of questions....

• How can we help more people?
• How can we better serve the people we already help?
• How can we communicate the work we are doing with the people who will care the most about it?

Instead of questions like these...

• What creative spin can we put on our upcoming campaign so people notice it?
• What gift can we offer $3,600 donors to incentivize them to give more?
• How much money should we put into blasting our campaign in the media?

Try it, and let me know how it goes!

For Businesses

Start with Why is written for businesses, so I highly suggest you read it. Once you've established your sense of WHY, deciding what community-based causes to connect to becomes much simpler. While it may seem counterintuitive to think about increasing your charitable and philanthropic efforts in an economic downturn, charity can actually end up helping your business. Sounds like a win-win to me!

For Individuals

Do you have a personal 'Why,' or do you just go through the motions of everyday life? It may sound like a fluffy concept, but it's actually a game changer. We've all allowed ourselves to be influenced by an organization's carrots and sticks, and I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that! But what does that contribution mean to you a week or a month later? Do you feel like it led you one step closer to living the life you want? Do you want to be remembered as the kind of person who bought a ticket to every raffle or the kind of person who chose to support causes that mean something to them?

I've written previously about adopting core values to guide you, so today, I'm going to suggest writing a personal mission statement.

“Writing or reviewing a mission statement changes you because it forces you to think through your priorities deeply, carefully, and to align your behaviour with your beliefs.”

~Stephen Covey, ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’

I would imagine we all want to be people who align our behaviors with our beliefs because to live life any other way is living inauthentically.

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts with me.

Thanks for reading,

Tzivia Cohen

A few reminders:

• Never miss a future issue! Subscribe here.
• If I can help you or your nonprofit during this time, please don't hesitate to contact me on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected].
• If you have any suggestions for topics that you'd like me to address in future issues, don't hesitate to DM or send me an email at [email protected].
• You might also be interested in my podcast, where I interview nonprofit leaders, so click here to check that out.
• If you're a mission-driven business leader who is intrigued by the topics introduced in this newsletter, please consider joining my Whatsapp community for businesses, which should be launching in the next couple of months.
• Just a reminder that my primary day job is running 14Minds. We partner with nonprofit organizations, mission-driven businesses, philanthropists, and community leaders who refuse to accept the status quo. Click here to see if you'd be a good candidate to work with us, send an email to [email protected], or give me a call at 516.590.0073x102.