Raise Your Voice Read online

  Like coaches and managers, the board and executive staff will work together to ensure the success of the team. They represent the team on the field, off the field, in the media, and at social and business events.

  First and foremost, each member of the board of directors is an advocate for the cause and an ambassador of the organization. They must be fluent in the purpose, mission, and key talking points (the story); and be able to speak with one voice for the cause.

  Engaged sports fans refer to the team as “my team.” They wear face paint; they sport the team colors; fans attend every game (some will travel hundreds of miles to attend games); they give of their time (“volunteering” time for game attendance or viewing); they buy tickets and merchandise (in effect, they donate); and they spend time, even at work (but not you of course), playing fantasy league games.

  These are more than fans – they are believers. Believers don’t just participate in team culture, they contribute sacrificially to the culture. The team is a priority in many aspects of their lives.

  What would it take to inspire your board to become the sacrificial ambassadors of your nonprofit culture? And what would it take to create a legion of fans that support not just the organization, but also the cause – fervently and sacrificially?

  These are more than fans – they are believers. Believers don’t just participate in team culture, they contribute sacrificially to the culture. The team is a priority in many aspects of their lives.

  This can (and does) occur when there is clarity in a nonprofit’s communications, when everyone involved – from the board to staff to volunteers – is clear about the strategic plan, its objectives, and how they are going to be achieved. It’s especially critical for organizations that are run by the board (those without paid staff), who need a guiding plan to keep them on track while they are busy fulfilling the nonprofit’s mission. It’s even more important for the board that is charged with governance and oversight. It is a powerful combination when the members of the board and the executive staff have the same goals, and are in agreement with regard to design and communication strategy.

  Communicating well assures that the board, the staff, and the external stakeholders know what the mission is, how it’s going to be achieved, and what it will be like when it becomes reality.

  But how do you find clarity?

  BEGINNING WITH THE END IN MIND

  I have had the privilege of working with a young couple who were in the process of forming a philanthropic foundation. Over coffee, the husband – who had been a colleague for many years – explained why he and his wife had decided to found a new nonprofit.

  The founders had made good progress: they had a name for their foundation and a board of directors, and were awaiting the approval of their 501(c)3 application. In the meantime, they were holding fundraisers to continue to do the good work they want to accomplish.

  Working with their board, the couple had created a mission statement and captured a few statistics that supported the mission. Now they were looking for direction. They had a great idea and put their plans into motion, but – by their own admission – they were still lacking something. When I asked what it was that they were looking for, the husband’s response was “We need clarity.”

  Even at this early stage in their process, the founders recognized that although the idea and organization were in place, it still needed focus. From their perspective, they had a distinct mission; in their minds, clarity would provide validation.

  What they were doing made perfect sense to them; the next step was to begin to think about how they would communicate their cause and mission to the world. Our first step would be to articulate their purpose, which would make certain that they stayed focused and able to share their mission clearly with their audiences.

  I challenged the couple to consider what made their foundation unique; what qualities made it different from others that may be similar. Beyond that, what difference would it make in the lives of those whom it benefited?

  The focus of the mission in many respects was about doing: “We are this and we will do this and this.” To get them to think beyond what they would do, I asked them “What is the cause that the foundation stands for, and why does this foundation matter?”

  What difference will your cause make in the lives of those you touch?

  The essence of clarity is to be clear – driven by purpose, focused on mission, and articulate in communication.

  The outcome of clarity is focused communication. Clarity can give you the ability to gain perspective. Clarity creates the stage to help articulate that perspective for those who are inside the organization, and to understand how the cause is perceived by those “outside the bottle.”

  Every organization has stories to tell (not just a story). What brings continuity to the stories is the narrative – one voice that weaves the stories together in order to create continuity and cohesiveness.

  Each organization’s voice is unique – as when you answer your phone and recognize the caller without having to ask whom it is. Yet during that call, the caller is not telling you the same story (then again, maybe they are, and you just have to listen to it again). They’re sharing a new story or simply news, or inviting you somewhere, or perhaps just wanted to hear your voice.

  Clarity creates the context for a nonprofit to become the one voice of a cause, so that it is able to share many stories. The nonprofit, through that voice, creates credibility by sharing the cause from the heart (its values and character), and validates it through facts that speak to the mind.

  Clarity speaks to the mind to inform (reason) and appeals to the heart to inspire (emotions). When you (or an organization or cause) are perceived as credible, then you are trusted. When you are trusted, your audience is more likely to believe you, and trust their interactions with you.

  Clarity speaks to the mind to inform (reason) and appeals to the heart to inspire (emotions).

  It seems like a simple approach to communications, and perhaps it is. Not everybody understands the complexities and practices of marketing; not every nonprofit professional has communication experience. But everybody can understand the dynamics of relationships and conversations.

  It’s possible that in your organization, design and communications are an afterthought, or a low priority. Perhaps in your organization, marketing communications are seen as a luxury, and not as a critical component to advancing the cause or achieving the mission.

  You’ll find that the most effective nonprofits are those in which the board and staff have a clear understanding of the mission and believe that communication is critical to advancing the cause and achieving the mission.

  Now, let’s continue the story of this new foundation.

  Part One: Chapter Three

  Inspiration Starts at the Top

  I noted that the couple made some notes at this point in our conversation. Clearly this idea of clarity struck a chord.

  Ultimately, any nonprofit – whether it’s a foundation, a church, a college, or a charity – has two goals: create sustainable impact through their mission; and raise awareness, funds, and resources to advance their mission. The audience (volunteers, advocates, donors, and future board members) wants assurance that the organization is credible, and wants to believe the cause is worth investing in. Supporters want to know the organization is truthful, trustworthy, transparent, and accountable. When an organization demonstrates credibility (and is not just perceived as credible), trust follows.

  Clarity is critical because every nonprofit advocates for something much bigger: a greater purpose than its own existence, or an issue or cause that has the potential to affect change and have an impact on many individuals.

  In the future, the story of why this particular foundation was formed will be a memory – one couple’s unique experience and story – but the cause it represents is much more profound and compelling, and will be inspirational as long as the issue exists.

  Future donors,
volunteers, and advocates may not connect with or be connected with the memory of the founders (the couple who started the foundation), but they may connect with the experience of the founders and the cause. They may be inspired by the story of why the foundation was started, but never know the founders.

  Future donors, volunteers, and followers will want to support the cause in order to bring change to the circumstances and situation that created this issue.

  As with any nonprofit, the founder’s story may be a memory, but the purpose for which the foundation was formed will continue until the issue is solved.

  KEY INSIGHT

  Imagine filling in this sentence on behalf of your organization: “We are an organization that speaks on behalf of (the cause). The reason we exist is to serve this (higher purpose). We will make a difference through (our mission). The outcome will be (our vision).”

  Meaningful causes are led by board members and leaders who share a passion for change, and who unite with common purpose to solve an issue. These leaders make decisions that empower the organization to effectively communicate with clarity to outcomes, manage sustainable support for the cause, and create an identity that becomes the personal and familiar voice of the cause.

  The mission will describe how the organization will work to address the issue of the cause. The cause is the greater issue that the organization advocates for. It is in the combination of cause and mission that the organization will find purpose.

  Where does the conversation begin?

  At this point, I had to ask the founders: “Is the board inspired?”

  I wanted to know who is on the board, and why they wanted to be on the board (not who they wanted on the board, or the reason they wanted them on the board).

  If the board is not informed or inspired, critical motivation for the success of the organization may be missing. The board may not understand the true nature of the cause, or how this particular organization is qualified to be its voice and achieve its mission. If they don’t understand, they won’t be inspired or motivated to act.

  A working board (one in which each individual is completely engaged, advocating for the cause, and speaking as an ambassador) is one that will give proper oversight and governance. This kind of board will properly fund engagement and outreach, and empower the president or executive director to guide effective communications (through funding, resources, and as a partner in the cause).

  The board must be ambassadors for the organization, and fully able to speak as an advocate for the cause. The board also has to commit to funding and empowering the organization to be the voice of the cause. The board has to be committed.

  In this instance, the members of the board were inspired by the experience of the young couple, and informed enough to address the cause and its significance. One individual was a physician; two were attorneys. It was not a large board, but their reasons for participating on the board were compelling.

  This particular foundation was created in honor of the memory of the couple’s eight year-old son, who lost his fight with cancer in the previous year. Their experience as parents, and the challenges they faced in visits to the health care facility where their son was treated – even their choice of health care provider – compelled them to start a foundation that could provide assistance for families in similar situations, and influence change in how health care systems care for children with cancer.

  The young physician serving on their board had been on the team that had cared for their son while he was undergoing cancer treatments. He and the couple’s son had formed a close, personal bond during the treatment process.

  Through tears, the couple explained that the physician still missed their son, and was very moved by their commitment to honoring and celebrating their son’s life in this way. He wanted to see them succeed in helping other parents maintain a sense of family during the difficulties of cancer treatment.

  The attorney who was on the board had approached the parents about helping, and had significant experience in working with donors and family foundations.

  One of the most memorable points in our conversation was when the founders shared how difficult it had become for other families to afford the expense of parking at the urban hospital they had chosen for the care of their son. The hospital’s children’s services coordinator shared with them that the president of the health care institution had decided that there would be no more parking passes, even for families with children. They wondered how other families who may not be as fortunate as they were could afford to park; cancer knew no socio-economic boundaries.

  To this challenge, one of the board members remarked: “We’ll raise enough money to buy a parking garage.”

  It was clear to this small group of individuals the cause was bigger than the memory of the couple’s son. It was about families who have to maintain a sense of normalcy during the difficult times of choosing a cancer treatment path; of choosing a health care facility; and of trips to health care systems geared toward adult treatment and not toward families and the care of children. It was about children, and the hope that every parent has for their child’s future.

  It only takes a small spark to start a fire. It only takes a few passionate individuals to start a movement.

  MEANING THROUGH CLARITY

  At times, clarity is arrived at through tears. The tears wash away the residue of distraction and allow the eyes to focus on the true cause, the purpose for which an organization exists, and the reasons why it matters.

  Arriving at clarity shouldn’t require tears. There are timeless communication principles that enable nonprofit organizations to see the path that is most appropriate for them to follow. While on that path, your organization must communicate how it is best suited to address its cause and achieve its mission.

  Inspiration starts with the board. It doesn’t take much for the inspiration to spread when founders and executive directors are confident that the board is committed to the cause.

  MISSION-DRIVEN DESIGN THINKING

  The purpose of this conversation is to help board members, executive directors, and nonprofit professionals understand what is required to empower the organization to communicate with clarity. It is a perspective that will help your audience clearly understand your purpose and how it will have a meaningful and lasting impact.

  It’s beyond branding and more than storytelling.

  Mission-driven design is a path to informing donors, advocates, and participants, by inspiring them to action and engaging them as ambassadors for your nonprofit. It’s about making conscious decisions about how and what to communicate with your audience, because you understand what motivates them to support your cause, based on research and insight. Mission-driven design is about design choices and media touch points that deliver your message to ears that are eager to hear it. Perhaps your organization will grow as it understands its purpose, character, and culture in a whole new way.

  It’s an opportunity to raise your voice and be heard in a noisy culture.

  Part One: Chapter Four

  Knowing When to Raise Your Voice

  USING MEANINGFUL WORDS

  “Mom! Dad! She said the ‘S’ word!”

  That would be the tattle-tale voice of my son, when he and his sister were disagreeing. When my children were younger, my wife and I had a rule of not using the “S” word in our home. Perhaps you have a similar rule, so your children learn the importance, value, and weight of language. In our home, the “S” word was stupid. (What were you thinking it was?) We did not want our children to use negative words as part of their vocabulary, and constantly taught them how words are meaningful.

  “Please use your inside voice!”

  Likewise, we value tone of voice. There’s a time to shout, a time to raise your voice, and a time to whisper. We taught our children how to have adult conversations, how to communicate respectfully and with conviction. Knowing when and how to speak adds urgency and meaning to the words that are spoken.
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br />   Tone of voice is evident in any touch point your audience has with your organization – anything your audience reads, sees, hears, or experiences. Your organization gives voice to the cause. In an organization’s eagerness to “brand,” its voice is often overlooked.

  A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

  Branding has become less meaningful as the “B” word is used as a catchall for many aspects of visual communications. People talk of their brand, of re-branding, of creating a brand. For the most part, these individuals are speaking of identity and logos, without a clear understanding of the discipline of branding.

  Instead of branding, the focus should be on identity and personality. A nonprofit should be more concerned about its positioning – how it wants to be perceived by its audience and supporters. It must be aware of what truly makes it different – and the difference it is in a position to make.

  Let’s agree at this point to avoid the “B” word, and instead talk about visual language and verbal language; messages and stories; tone of voice and audience perception; and of touch points and design language. Let’s talk about how these elements help build relationships.

  From this point on, our conversation will be guided by mission-driven design, identity, and personality. Design is a visual language. Messages are conveyed through visual and verbal language. Tone of voice imparts meaning. The conversation and interactions with your audience need to be very human-centered (a key principle of design thinking).

  But first, let’s explore a different perspective.