It's Always a Good Day When My Technology Works

If I can just successfully log in to my email, catch a cell signal, and launch that web meeting connection, I feel pretty powerful. A true technology master ... and I've barely begun my day.

How did we ever become so dependent on technology? Well, I'm certainly a few steps behind many people, perhaps a little ahead of some. I'm forced through my work at NorthSky to use tools I'd probably never try and to actually lead (good grief) some aspects of our technology development. I've struggled to learn many things that I've felt hopeless to master only to have that energetic rush that occurs from a successful download or set up.

Everyday, I find something new to help me in my work-- some little technology tool or trick. An invaluable resource in my education has been technology expert Andy Wolber who will be launching his 2011 NorthSky technology webinars this month. These are great sessions starting with an "Introduction to Google Aps for Nonprofits" on Feb 10. Check out the schedule at our website: www.northskynonprofitnetwork.org.

Here's hoping you have a good technology day with lightning speed connections and no computer crashes!

Recovering from a Service Failure

Service recovery- ever heard that term? It's common in the for-profit sector and emerging in the nonprofit sector, particularly in the health and human services arena. The term refers to addressing a failure in customer service (and rapid recovery from the problem in the eyes of the customer.) The goal is quick response and problem resolution as to maintain customer confidence and goodwill.

I had a service recovery moment this week when a NorthSky webinar went very wrong. The technology failed during our first session of the Fall series including the phones, the computer, and the Internet connection. And it occurred during a session that was well attended with an excellent speaker. Bad, bad timing...

So what do you do? Well, hopefully you do, what I did: everything to make it right including a re-broadcast of the session and a tuition credit. Your service recovery solution will be different than mine but the basic success factors remain the same: sincere regret, quick response, strong communication, and ultimately, a solution to the problem.

The tricky part of service recovery rests in the reality that it's your front line staff and volunteers that need to be prepared to respond. Time delays can be deadly, resulting in a disgruntled constituent communicating their dissatisfaction throughout your service area. Successful service recovering relies on the empowerment of your staff and volunteers. Are you ready to give up some control?

Service failures are inevitable as hard as you work to avoid them. Your nonprofit's success relies on being poised to respond. Have you prepared yourself and your team? Have you developed guidelines and conducted contingency training? Literature abounds on service recovery. You'll find an excellent article at www.greatbrook.com/service_recovery.htm

Any thoughts to share?

Results-oriented Nonprofits Lead in Performance!

The pressure is on nonprofits to capture data and report outcomes. Well, let’s be honest. The pressure has been on for quite awhile. Increasingly, our funders, accrediting agencies, and legislative bodies have required nonprofits to capture and report results. Now, it’s becoming more and more mandatory to actually use our data to improve performance! A series of studies report that nonprofit organizations that collect and use performance data to improve service delivery, business systems, and leadership practice, actually do perform better! Amazing! It works! But where to begin?

I think it's important to start with our clients. How well are we doing with them? Are they satisfied? Can we improve? What else do they need? Are we getting results? Collecting this information relies on communicating with users of our services. It can be as simple as capturing point of service surveys or as complex as tracking users via longitudinal studies. Regardless of the research tool, it's critical that clients are comfortable providing honest feedback and that we solicit it in an objective, unbiased manner. It's also important that we are open to acting upon our findings and making changes as needed.

In the NorthSky Online Resource Center, you'll find a number of tools to assist in collecting client satisfaction data. Check it out at http://www.northskynonprofitnetwork.org/resource.php
and share your own tools and ideas by posting them here.

Enjoy the spring!
Pam Evans, NorthSky Principal Consultant

Clear as Mud: Defining Organizational Capacity Building

We’ve been spending time this week discussing organizational capacity building. It’s the world NorthSky lives in and we are frankly, immersed in it; considering such topics as how to build board effectiveness, infrastructure development, executive director talent, systems, measures…. well, the list goes on and on. But just try and come up with a clear definition of organizational capacity building. Barbara Blumenthal defines it as “the actions that improve nonprofit effectiveness including organizational and financial stability, program quality, and growth.” That doesn’t really go far enough, does it? Because we know that elements (beyond actions) such as behaviors, skill sets, attitudes, and culture all play a role in the capacity of an organization to thrive and sustain to fulfill its mission.

Paul Light, author of Sustaining Nonprofit Performance, describes capacity as “an output of basic organizational activities such as raising money, forging partnerships, organizing work, etc.” I like this definition better and it seems more in line with the real life experience of nonprofits.

While the definition may not be clear, it is clear that capacity building is worthwhile for every nonprofit. Completion of an organizational capacity assessment http://www.northskynonprofitnetwork.org/resource_drillDown1.php?recordID=185 is a good first step in that it not only provides data identifying where you are stronger and weaker but a forum for board and staff to learn and grow together.

Capacity building efforts can include a broad range of activities such as training, leadership coaching, systems development, performance measurement, and capabilities enhancement (such as marketing, financial management, and fundraising). The right formula varies for each nonprofit and is dependent on its history, leadership, and stage of organizational life cycle. The needs of a start-up organization are far different than that of a mature nonprofit… although, for some, they can be frighteningly similar. Well, that’s another story…

Paul Light says it well. “These are times that try the nonprofit soul.” Well, amen to that. But nonprofit leaders are a persistent group and we keep working at it.

Please share your thoughts on defining organizational capacity and strategies for strengthening it.