By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.” ~Helen Keller When you think of a “leader,” who comes to mind? We typically list examples of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and other famous people, but we overlook the value that each of us possess as leaders. Does your organization have strong leadership? How enthusiastic and impassioned are the leaders that sit on your board of directors?...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We have always known that, out of necessity, nonprofit organizations are incredibly nimble and resilient. Over the last 12 months, organizations have made quick pivots and showed great commitment and creativity to the missions they serve. Now that it has been a full year of life with COVID-19, we asked our clients if they had any unexpected positive results from the pandemic. Here is what they had to say: Rogers Park Business Alliance “We added video interviews to our Small Business Saturday event in 2020. The pivot to video for...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Congrats on carefully selecting and approving new board members for your nonprofit organization! You have every reason to be excited about this ideal blend of leaders who are all passionate about your cause and ready to do great things. Cohesive leadership teams don’t just happen; they are the result of serious intention, and much of this work is the result of proper onboarding. Generally, your annual retreat brings new board members “up to speed” on the organization while providing a way for all members of the team to get to know...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Have you ever lost sleep at night with the feeling that you aren’t meeting the needs of your nonprofit? Do you devote all your time and effort successfully leading the organization only to receive that one negative comment from a board member that leaves you beating yourself up for days? Are you struggling with keeping your association – as well as your staff, board and volunteers – navigating current events to find yourself completely depleted at the end of the day? There is no “one way” to run a nonprofit organization....
Topping the List of Things to Be Grateful For: 2020 Is Almost Over By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group In looking back over the course of the year, it’s clear we can find plenty of negativity as reasons to be disappointed and discouraged. Yes, 2020 taught us many lessons about ourselves, our goals, our economy, our leaders, and the fact that life as we know it can change in an instant. But it’s from these same lessons that we can learn, adapt and progress. And be grateful. It is vital to our mindset and our wellbeing that...
Sarah Pollock Nonprofit Account Manager Big Buzz Idea Group Team culture is more than a cake shared in the breakroom for each birthday. While a beloved tradition, the purpose of the birthday cake is to foster positive, company-oriented events that bring the group together beyond the work itself. Team culture, on the other hand, is individually defined within a company; it represents the identity of the team, the dynamics between members, and establishes the interactions and social engagements that define the company. It usually doesn’t even have a designated leader, but organically develops as your team’s dynamics evince the...
By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group COVID-19 entered the news in early January, but it entered our American lives hard in mid-March. For the last three weeks we have gone from “normal” living to modified living to shelter in place. And now we all wait and wonder when these restrictions will lift and when we will be safe to return to “normal” again. Unfortunately, normal will never be the same for any of us. So, what now? Immediate Needs As we all adjust to this new “normal,” it is important to identify your most immediate needs....
By: Rena Henderson Founder and CEO, Bold Agenda After hanging up the phone, I realized that this was the third time in one week that an Executive Director or Board Chair described to me the same problem. My client left another uninspired and unfocused board meeting and complained of the malaise on his board: poor attendance at meetings, missed fundraising goals, board meetings that were not focused or goal-oriented, and a certain few board members dominating the discussion. He was frustrated because he knew they could not bring new board members in, nor close their increasing deficit with half of...
