Author: merlebenny

Encourage everyone to connect. 

You need connections. More money, more volunteers, more clients, and more opportunity are all the result of connections. Whether you are adding names to your database, friends on social media, or influence in your community, it is all about connections.

Connect is smack dab in the middle of the 3 steps to success:

Communicate, Connect, Convene

That’s an appropriate place for it. Last week I talked about the one essential ingredient for great communication: Your Vision. Today let’s look at the importance of being a connector and encouraging others in your organization to follow your example.

Once you have discovered your voice, connection comes easily. Use every opportunity to share your Vision with others. Take it a step further an actively become a connector, whether it is through networking, talking to the person behind you in line, being more active on social media, or asking for a meeting.

I used to worry that I came across as naïve or even dumb, when I met someone who was older, smarter, richer, or more successful than me. But I found out that doesn’t happen. Being open and friendly is appealing to everyone.

Make connections part of your everyday life.

My breakfast with Kanani

I loved having breakfast with Kanani. Once every month or so we would meet at the local diner and catch up. We shared an interest in our community, nonprofit organizations, and entrepeneurship.

I began to notice that every time I left Kanani I had a list of connections. She would give me names, make introductions through Facebook or LinkedIn, and suggest opportunities.

One day, as I walked away from the diner, I made a decision. From that point forward, I would give Kanani as many connections as she gave me. It was a challenge, but it was also fun. I enjoyed the new way of being with her. Instead of just having a conversation, I was actively listening and thinking about how I could help her reach her goals.

In the days and weeks ahead, she was on my mind and I was able to make even more connections.

This small exercise with Kanani showed me the great potential for having connections and being a connector. We championed each other, enriching our relationship, creating opportunity, and building a network.

That’s a breakfast of champions!

Encourage connectors

Set those enthusiastic supporters (and freshly minted communicators) free to make connections. They are ready to share the dream with everyone they meet. They’ll be motivated to post on social media, and use their networks to spread the word.

Successful nonprofits empower everyone to communicate. Making that happen starts with you. Are you delivering an inspiring message? If you want others to spread the word (and you do!), you have to deliver a clear, easily repeatable message.

I call that message your Vision. It is the big dream that you care deeply about. It is easy for others to understand. They get it and they want to help!

Discover your Vision message by asking yourself these questions:

1. What is the problem you’d give your life to solve?
2. What would have to happen for your organization to go out of business?
3. What would the world look like if your work was done?
4. What would you do if money was no object?
5. What was your founder’s dream?

These are big questions. Exploring them gives you (and your organization) a broader perspective. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details and forget the big view. Exploring these questions will inspire you! When you discover your Vision and share it with others, the magic begins.

Vision is a dream for you to share. It’s the secret to building a bigger, better organization.

You want and deserve more. You need people, you need money. You deserve to be rich in resources so you can fulfill your VISION and deliver on your dreams.

It took some digging, but I’ve found a solution. It costs nothing but delivers big results. Here’s the three steps that will get you there:

1. Empower everyone to communicate. Make the most of what you already have – employees, volunteers, donors, and board members who love your organization and want you to thrive. Give them a voice. Help them see the VISION that you see, find their own story, and share it. Just like that you have multiplied your opportunities.
2. Encourage everyone to connect. Set those enthusiastic supporters (and freshly minted communicators) free to make connections. They are ready to share the dream with everyone they meet. They’ll be motivated to post on social media, and use their networks to spread the word.
3. Inspire everyone to convene. Your team is now a force! You are ready to gather with donors, foundations, businesses, and community leaders to share your story, discover theirs, and find out how you can work together. The magic continues…

By empowering employees and volunteers at all levels of your organization to use their voices, they become Champions and your organization wins!

You face big challenges – limited resources, lack of leadership, and the need for vocal advocates to drive change and progress. Add to that the great adjustments required to operate during the pandemic and a heightened call for the sector to lead the way in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Empowering everyone in the organization to know, live, and speak your Vision is a game changer.

This is timely – right now we need fresh thinking, renewed energy, and an optimistic outlook. We need Nonprofit Champions to lead the way. Follow the three steps OR ask me to tell you more OR keep checking your inbox on Tuesday morning.

Your Vision Message

When I gather with a group of nonprofit leaders and ask them to introduce themselves, I hear one person after another talk about the work they do. They use jargon, insider-speak, buzz words, and every other form of describing their day-to-day job.

My reaction? Like everyone else, I’m confused and bored.

Your introduction is the beginning of our relationship. Your words should make me curious; they should pique my interest.

Let’s explore how to do just that.

Start with Vision

Keeping in mind your goal: to get people to be curious and responsive, you’ll do that by starting with vision! Vision is the big dream that inspires others. Your organization’s vision is that bold dream of a better world. It is a simple statement that gives you and everyone in your organization a clear view of the big picture. Not only that, it is the starting point for creating your own Vision Message.

Here are some examples of organizations Visions. You can see how they would inspire employees, volunteers, and donors to care and give:

Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Oxfam: A just world without poverty

Toronto Zoo A world where wildlife and wild spaces thrive.

Vatican Museums Art is evangelization.

The Vision of your organization becomes your Vision too. It connects you to others because it is easy to understand and feel, your Vision:

1. Is your guiding light, continually inspiring your work.
2. Helps you and your organization set priorities and choose programs and services that are aligned with it
3. Acts as a safeguard and measurement, keeping everyone on track towards common goals.

Taking it a step further, your personalization of your organization’s vision:

1. Reflects your feelings and your personal motivation.
2. Is the start of a conversation, it works like a magnet to attract interest and curiosity.
3. Prepares you for the connections you will need for ongoing, continued growth and development.

Your Vision Message is your own personal version of the vision. It is how you express your purpose. It’s a short story about why you do what you do. It is emotional and engaging. It naturally appeals to listeners.

Your Vision Message, is not a branding slogan. You do not have to look for clever wording or an advertising headline. You are looking for a few words to express the dream that makes your organization important to your community and to you personally.

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Everywhere you look – and listen – there are stories being told. Books, movies, tv shows, and good conversations all include stories. Stories have been a natural way to engage throughout the course of history. The bible and Koran tell stories. There is no escaping the value of a good story!

You can become a great storyteller.

You, and your organization, create new stories every day. Once you begin to think about stories and learn the secret to telling them, they will become part of your conversation.

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Stories all have something in common. They share the same structure. Whole books are written about it. Yet, the formula is quite simple.

A story follows a basic pattern, often referred to as the story arc. You go from start to finish along a similar path. This is true in a short story or a 30 minute sitcom. Even many 30 second commercials tell a story. A book or movie may tell several intertwined stories, each with their own arc.

But, you don’t have to worry about that.

I have a simple formula that works like a charm! It’s the fairytale. We are all familiar with fairy stories, in fact, it may be the one type of story that everyone knows. We can all tell the Cinderella story or share what happened to the Three Pigs.

The fairy tale gives you an outline for every story: 

Yes, that’s it. If you think of that simple structure you will be able to tell a great story every time. Here’s a breakdown of each step:

Once upon a time…

This is where you set up the relationship with the listener. Painting a picture lets the listener get to know you and/or the star of your story. Your own story can quickly move you from an unknown to somebody the listener can relate to and want to get to know better.

If you are telling someone else’s story, you add the details that will make the place, time and person memorable.

Unfortunately…

Every story has a crisis. This may be the deciding moment – will his true love come back to him – that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Books and movies are written to make those moments as impactful and engaging as possible. You want to know what happens!

Although your stories don’t need to be dramatic, they will have that same suspense. There is a dilemma and your story shows how it was resolved.

Thankfully…

There is a hero in every story. It is often a person (the knight in shining armor) but might be an organization (yours) or even a dream or a fairy godmother.

The hero is the savior who changes the direction of the action and moves us towards the conclusion.

Happily ever after.

Most stories end happily, with the protagonist back to normal or in a better position that at the start.

Your stories can be as memorable as a fairytale if you use this formula. You can begin to gather stories so you always have great ones to share. You can start with yours.

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I’m so glad you are here. This is a resource for you as you help create a better world.

I am in the never-ending process of writing a book so until I finish, I won’t be posting often.

The book is not yet titled but it takes you through the three critical parts of becoming a Nonprofit Champion…

Communicate

Connect

Convene

I love writing it and look forward to gifting it to you!