Be Swimsuit Ready - Becoming A Fit Nonprofit

by Becky Lunders, teamWorks
 
Summer is here and with that comes the push to get the body in shape.  Some rush to sweat it out at the gym in hopes of being ready for swimsuit season, only to realize they should have planned ahead. There is no fast fix.  Others continue to do what they’ve always done and wonder why they don’t get different results.  It takes work and you have to mix it up to gain results. The same is true with the management of a nonprofit and utilization of volunteers.  When it comes to your organization, are you swimsuit ready? 
 
Just how fit is your organization?  Is your nonprofit on a path of continual improvement so you’re ready when the opportunity arises?  Or have you been trudging along hoping your events and programs will grow and thrive on their own?  It’s easy to do what you’ve always done.  But like working out, chances are you’ll get the same results.  If you are looking to change it up and infuse some energy into your organization, I recommend a pulse check.  Look at where you’re at, and where you want to be.
 
Invest the resources to hold a staff retreat once a year.  Teambuilding is good for morale and brainstorming helps staff to embrace change and think like innovators.  This pulse check allows the team to explore what’s working well, and examine where you’re getting stuck.  It also helps uncover the opportunities that you might want to pursue and identify what might get in the way.  Better yet, invite your leadership volunteers to be a part of the retreat.  By strengthening the volunteer /staff partnership, you generate buy-in and rally support for the grand ideas that you come up with together.  Once the retreat is over, you’ll want to set clear goals and establish benchmarks so your team can get started.  
 
Just like getting to the gym, you’ve got to make time if you want results.  We’re all busy and it’s hard to put event planning and program implementation on hold to be strategic.  But if you want to be a fit organization, a little focused time can reap great results. 

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