Tools are Just Tools In our first years, The IllumiLab’s work was focused almost exclusively on building tools nonprofits could use to measure their performance (logic models, measures, data collection tools, performance management plans, etc.). This was the pain point organizations experienced, and this was the service they requested. But we soon realized that without[…]
If we are too busy to plan, too busy to think, and too busy to reflect, we should stop and ask ourselves, “What are we so busy doing, and are we really committed to doing it well?” As Megan and I have been researching our Theory of Change, we’ve been digging into the literature on strategic,[…]
I love surveys. I love designing them and completing them. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve filled out satisfaction and feedback surveys every time I’ve been asked. My love of surveys has won/earned me free meals and theater tickets, and discounts or refunds on all kinds of products and services. I love surveys! I’ve[…]
If I had a nickel for every time I heard a nonprofit professional say they were building the plane while flying it, I could buy my own fully-built jet! In the context of program design, what does this even mean? Is “building the plane while flying it” just code for “making it up as we[…]
According to our clients, one of The IllumiLab’s greatest skills is meeting management. However, there’s nothing particularly innovative or creative about how we facilitate meetings. I think it’s safe to say that our meetings: Set and accomplish objectives, Have and adhere to agendas, Start and end on time, End with a recap of what was[…]
Culture Eats . . . Everything If you want to hear the most generic, meaningless string of buzzwords ever, ask a leader to describe their organization’s culture to a funder, potential partner, or employment candidate. Ok, maybe that’s a cynical over-generalization. Or maybe it’s not. It is legitimately difficult to identify and describe an organization’s[…]
Nonprofit professionals are do-ers. We are fixers. Heck, we build planes while we fly them, right? Believe it or not, these penchants for action and for fixing can actually interfere with sound problem solving, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement. In our rush to make changes and improvements, we skip important steps that shortchange our understanding[…]
In my last two posts, I have been exploring how to articulate and align what I see as the four elements of a nonprofit organization’s strategy: Why: Vision statements often express an organization’s “why.” It describes why you exist and do the work you do. This is the change or result you seek. What: A[…]
In my last post, I compared four elements of your organization’s identity and strategy to four tires on a car. The tires must be equally and properly inflated, pointing in the same direction, and with enough tread to grip the road if you expect them to get you to your destination. In this post, I’ll[…]
Alignment Issues Someone once told me that one way to know if your car is out of alignment is to take your hands off the wheel on a flat, straight (and empty) stretch of road and see if the car slowly glides straight ahead or if it pulls to one side. If your car is[…]