Dec
17
I was just reading Peter Brinkerhoff’s new book Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Your Nonprofit, and I came across a section about the impact of individuals on generational change in the nonprofit sector.
Brinkerhoff says, “It would be easy to throw up our hands and say, ‘Well, we can’t change things, so we’ll just have to wait and see…’ Can’t change things? Wait a minute. If you think you can’t change things then why do you work for or with a nonprofit? We exist to change things, to make things better. So let’s leave the disempowerment at the door…Our job is to look out and focus on trends, weigh possible impacts, and then relate them to our resources, our services our mission. While we can’t change these trends, we must be prepared to adapt to them…We know more about our mission, our community, our organization than anyone else. We’re the real experts.”
It is important that as individuals we don’t lose sight of the big picture-our organization’s mission-although it may seem hard, I know it is for me.
Brinkerhoff is an expert on mission-based management and believes it is very important to keep focused on the mission no matter what is going on around us. We should take his advice and not lose focus of the mission in our organization, even though we may be experiencing issues with generational differences. It is up to each individual to make the differences at the organizational level that will affect the results of their program efforts.
It is up to each of us to take the initiative to get to know everyone in our organization, whether they are in the same or a different generation. Opening the lines of communication between you and your coworkers will help guard against future generational conflicts.
It may be helpful to treat generational differences in the workplace like you would when shopping with your mom or dad.
Mom: “How about this shirt?”
Me, thinking That shirt is the most hideous shirt I have ever seen, they may have worn that in the 70s but it does not look good on anyone. I say, “I like it but I think this one would look great on you too!”
When talking to someone of another generation you have to consider their ideas too, but if you have an alternative that may work better you have to suggest it as an option for them to decide on. If we went around only voicing our opinions and not listening to others we would get nothing done, and Mom would go home depressed at the end of the day, thinking she doesn’t know anything about fashion!
In order to achieve the mission of your organization it is important to take the little steps, as an individual, to knock down the walls of generations and open the lines of communication one person at a time.
- Tera Wozniak
Dec
12
The Results are Coming In
Filed Under NP2020 Updates | Leave a Comment
Since the time of the NP2020 Conference we have been working hard on summarizing the results and getting a video together. Well the time has finally come for us to reveal the preliminary summary to you!
Next week Maria Gajewski will post a blog with the preliminary summary and video highlights of the conference.
Be looking out for her post and more to come soon!
