By Melissa Lagowski CEO / Queen Bee / Founder Big Buzz Idea Group In thinking back to my first day as an Executive Director (E.D.), I realize now that the tone was set right there on day one. I met the Board President at my new office. He unlocked the door, handed me the key and said, “Have a nice day” as he left. There was no training, nobody to answer my questions. I don’t even know if I saw any of the board members between meetings (except, on occasion, for the Board member who owned the building where my...
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 We regularly hear from nonprofits that their Board of Directors or certain members are not carrying their fair share of the weight. The biggest concern is leadership not delivering on their Board commitments and sometimes they aren’t even showing up to the organization’s events. But imagine the flipside: What if each Board member actively engaged with your organization? What if every Board member met their give-or-get requirements and took their fiduciary responsibilities more seriously? What if every Board member actively served and supported your nonprofit with shared vision and commitment toward...
By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group If boosting membership is a key goal for your organization, we’ve got three questions to kick off your strategic planning. To add some context, we spoke with Lynsey Sorrell, the Vice President of Membership for the Ely Chapter of Lambda Alpha International, the Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics. As one of our valued association management clients, she was able to share some of the impactful ways we’ve worked together to improve her organization’s membership. Read on for our thought-starters to move your own membership forward. 1. How can...
By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Nonprofit leadership and high-level salaried staff need time and space to focus on their organization’s mission, growth, strategy and fundraising. But all too often, we see these leaders become bogged down and burned out by administrative tasks trying to wear a million different hats. Does this sound familiar? With a few changes, it’s possible to streamline your nonprofit’s admin tasks and create effective systems. These efficiencies will improve day-to-day operations to benefit your leadership, staff and those you serve. #1 Segment Calls, Emails and Other Communications Managing incoming and...
By: Denise Dahl, MPA Founder & Principal, Epiphany Planning & Development Nonprofit Leadership & Strategy One of the most common questions I receive is “How do I get my board to do more?” The answer is easy, but the implementation can be a bit more challenging as board members each come with their own motivation regarding serving. Maybe they are serving as the cause is dear to them. Maybe they are serving because they feel a type of ownership (founder’s syndrome). Maybe they are serving to build their resume. Reasons to serve on a board are as varied as...
Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel: Seven Tips To Keeping a Positive Mindset By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group The nonprofit space is filled with good people doing good work, but in being a servant leader, you encounter many different personalities along the way. Most of the people who devote themselves to the nonprofit world are optimistic people hoping to make a meaningful contribution. But, unfortunately, along the way, there are also a lot of curmudgeons and naysayers, and it is incredible how much negativity enters the arena. How can...
By: Sherry Quam Taylor QuamTaylor LLC The energy and passion needed to successfully fund and launch a nonprofit is not the same energy and passion that will keep it moving forward. Growing your organization takes even more, and most leaders feel this playing out daily. I’ve found that most nonprofits are full of passionate, thoughtful, and sacrificial leaders who have the ideas to make a great impact in the world. But I also know gaining traction and momentum to move forward isn’t easy. Often it takes an outsider’s perspective to bring clarity to problem areas. Whether your organization generates $300K or...
Save time, money and effort By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group When your plate is full—perhaps too full—it’s hard to do anything well as you’re pulled in different directions and constantly hurtling from one task to the next. Meanwhile, your team is also working hard, but they likely don’t have the time or all the necessary skills to propel your nonprofit’s growth. The result? Burnout, stagnation and missed opportunities. Rather than focus internally, the solution may lie outside of your organization. Partnering with an external business to delegate key tasks or areas of expertise...
