Questions for Nonprofit CEOs

It is wonderful to be part of a social change organization focused on making the world a more equitable, inclusive place.

Part of creating that change is getting attention for your organization—and that is no easy task. The U.S. alone has 1.5 million nonprofits and, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, about 30 percent of nonprofits will cease to exist after 10 years. Honestly, we all know of groups that stay the same size or eventually shrink to a such a point that their impact is less than newsworthy.

For a nonprofit CEO, this competitive and cluttered landscape can be a source of anxiety. As someone who advised leaders and led communications and fundraising operations, I know the feeling of getting a message from a board member or donor inquiring why our organization was not in a big story or invited to a major event. It happens. We survive, of course, but we must also learn from these experiences. Being defensive or going into a tailspin of activity in response to these inquiries is not the right reaction.

As a recovering communications adviser transitioning to organizational change management, I often cite these examples when talking with leaders about this pressure to be visible. As a way to negotiate this anxiety, I ask them for “the list.” It is almost always a scrolling recitation of the things they want to be seen accomplishing. As a way to model focusing and prioritization, I ask them to pick one thing, and then we do a little exercise called the two Rs: Rationale and Risk.

What is the rationale?

This line of questioning gets to the core of the conversation and invites a litany of questions: Why you? Why should anyone be paying attention? What research or development has your group done to add to the existing conversation on this topic? In a world where people skip through 15-second ads on YouTube, these questions are designed to get a one-or two-sentence explanation for the why (the rationale).

What is the risk?

Building on the rationale-related question, the next phase focuses on the risk. As noted, there are multiple organizations working on similar issues and fighting for the same spot on the proverbial panel. My question to a CEO is, “What are you willing to say that is different or disruptive that, in turn, will distinguish your organization?” That is a way to assess the risk. (Sidenote: An effective risk strategy has to come with the substance discussed in the rationale phase; otherwise, the CEO will get a little attention before just vanishing from the conversation.)

I have been fortunate to learn from leaders and colleagues who understood the inter-related nature of rationale and risk. In my days on Capitol Hill, I worked for then-Rep. Sherrod Brown and Sen. Tom Daschle, fantastic leaders who were focused and knew why they were in public service and whose offices reinforced the values of a responsive, relevant government. That is not always the case with some congressional offices. Back in the pre-social media days, we could tell the members who wanted to be everywhere (issuing four to five press releases a day) and ended up being nowhere (no elected official’s voice is so important that every segment on MSNBC gets a response). There are more contemporary models of leaders and organizations that contribute to the clutter. It all seems exhausting.

For nonprofit CEOs, I often use the elected official example, and then hear them say the comparison is not the same. Voters endorse the candidate; donors or supporters of a nonprofit endorse a mission. Yes, that’s a fair point, but the leader of said nonprofit is responsible for creating a relationship with these followers and other stakeholders.

As an outside observer, I go into the curiosity mode. This first phase involves understanding the context of what is driving the nonprofit. Reading through strategic plans, annual reports, and other materials reveals a story about why and how a group did what it did. This process generates a lot of questions that will reinforce the need to focus. It is also critical in helping the leader devise a narrative that mixes the rationale and the risk and reflects what they learned in previous plans of action.

The next phase involves engaging key staff and the board of directors. This is a time to model the coordination and collaboration principles. This kind of internal engagement ensures the CEO’s actions are not a surprise to anyone. For instance, if there is a risk involved, it will likely attract criticism. It is important to give board members and staff time to absorb the potential for blowback, especially if being criticized will be a new experience for your organization.

As this #WritingWednesdays column ends, I realize this concept prompts a lot of questions: How do you measure this approach? When do you launch the thing? What if the board does not agree? Answering these questions and building internal consensus and external engagement is a process that I love. If you are a nonprofit executive who wants to participate in the rationale and risk conversation, just send a message to [email protected]

#leadership #changemangement #boardrelations #coordination #collaboration #risk #rationale #focus #staffengagement #stakeholders #landscapeanalysis #priorities