March 21-23 in Milwaukee, WI. They'll get inspiration, training and a binder full of instruction, samples and templates.
Leading up to my seminar, I'll be giving you glimpses of what this amazing experience will be like. Today, I write about the key to getting better results - the need to change how you think and what you do. I'll be talking about this at the seminar FIRST!
Enjoy this post, and to learn more about my seminar:
- Click here to visit my website for details
- Click here to listen to me talk about the seminar or view client testimonials
Why Some Organizations and People Get Better Results
Over the past 10 years, I've worked with more than 50 schools and nonprofits, and I've paid attention to which cliens get the most out of working with me.
My clients tend to fall into two camps:
- Schools and school districts that are already doing innovative things and they are looking for more money, students or community partners.
- Nonprofits that are looking to grow and diversify their sources of revenue, want their board members to be more engaged, need more volunteers and want to build awareness.
Before I agree to work with them, they must tell me they are open to thinking about and doing things in a new way. My experience and intuition is usually right, but when it's not and it's not working with a client, it's always because of a resistance to thinking or doing things differently.
While many organizations say they want change, when the time comes for them to change, they can't make themselves do it and then they're disappointed in the results they get. They say that unless the pain of NOT CHANGING is greater than the pain of changing, people just won't do it.
Before you immediately deny that this happens in your own organization or in your own life, sit back and think about the personal or organizational goals that you haven't been able to achieve yet. I guarantee that the reason you haven't achieved them yet is because you haven't made the change in thinking and doing in order to get different and better results.
The Secret to More Money, Students, Volunteers, Engaged Board Members and Community Partners - CHANGE
I've discovered that there are two things that must always happen in order for my clients to experience great results. There are TWO CHANGES that must happen:
FIRST, they must change the way they think about things.
SECOND, they must change what they do.
Schools, for example, used to be able to count on getting enough resources from a reliable government source and having students simply show up as kindergarteners and stay through high school.
That completely changed over the past decade or so. For years, schools have been asked to do more with less, PLUS transform the way education is delivered so when students graduate they're prepared to enter the 21st Century workforce.
Well schools and communities have responded in different ways to this stress. One way schools have responded is to become taken over by a "scarcity mentality," meaning there is constant stress over a lack of resources. Working in a scarcity environment where there is a constant feeling of lack causes people to turn on each other. I've seen this myself. The teachers and staff members of these schools don't realize that their own beliefs about lack are being passed along to an entire generation of young people. I find that people in this camp exert great effort trying to fight the system instead of adapting to the change. There's a feeling that everyone is competing for a fixed amount of resources. They become frustrated, which does the opposite of producing more resources.On the other hand, some schools and communities have changed the way they think about school funding. Many of my school clients have creatively used charter dollars to pilot and implement new 21st Century learning models. There are school districts in Wisconsin that have started multiple charter programs in their district. Other schools have launched or improved education foundations. Some have focused on getting technology into the hands of every one of their students. Other foundations have focused on scholarships for students to go to two- or four-year colleges. The teachers, parents and community members in these school districts decide that it's up to them to adapt. With my eternal optimism and cheerleading, they begin to believe that there is no limit to the amount of resources and people who want to help them. That belief is contagious, and soon they are pleasantly surprised when people step up to help.
So, changing the way you think MUST HAPPEN before you can get better or different results.
Next, getting organizations to change what they do is not an easy task. Lots of research has been done on whether sending people to workshops and seminars results in any measurable change. IT DOESN'T unless there is followup, encouragement and support back at the organization.
Small nonprofits, for example, are already overwhelmed. When I begin working with them, I tell them that I know our starting point is THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT I WANT THEM TO DO. They breathe a sigh of relief when they hear me say that, but then I tell them we still have to find a way to change what they're doing.
When my client isn't doing what I ask them to do, though, it doesn't mean they don't want to. It usually means they don't know how or they are afraid to do it. I remind them that our minds and our bodies try to protect us from change, and that the feeling of discomfort is normal. HOW WE RESPOND TO THAT FEELING is key though. Instead of losing faith in me, I ask them to say to themselves, "I
Then I go on to do whatever training they need, create whatever tools they need and then provide the gentle nudging required for them to follow through. Celebrating whatever the outcome is is critical in their building the confidence to do it again and again so that it becomes a habit.
People who can resist the temptation to get mad at me when they are uncomfortable, and instead face their fear and try something new ALWAYS ARE HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.
It's Not About Knowledge, Information, Marketing or Strategies - IT'S ABOUT YOU!
For organizations looking for better results, it's often about the need to change how they are thinking and what they are doing. It's not about creating a fancy video or brochure, although that's often what they'll do. It's not about a scheme or a fundraising strategy. It's about what you're walking around saying and whether you're inspiring people with your vision for the future.
These are the things that I focus on when I work with clients. Not my specialized knowledge, because that won't help unless I first get people to change the way they think first.
In Eternal Optimism,
Deb
