In honor of National Volunteer Week and in preparation to participate in BlogPaws Conference, it’s fitting that I share this poignant description from a volunteer involved with animal rescue. Rescue explained The neglect changes you. The abuse hardens you. The suffering breaks you. The ignorance angers you. The indifference disturbs you. The injustice destroys you. On a
“Our current practices and approaches to employee engagement are failing. They are failing to achieve organizational results and most employees fail to experience the benefits of their own engagement.” Excerpt from David Zinger’s 21-Point Employee Engagement Manifesto. A disheartening statement, but not surprising as employee engagement gets more intention than action. In my workshops, I
The value of having a favorable brand is that it inspires public trust and confidence – the stronger the brand, the more likely people will associate with it. A most important contributor to brand strength, and one that is difficult to duplicate, is the organization’s culture. “Over time … we ultimately came to the realization
If your organization relies on paid employees to get its work done, would you treat them any differently if they were volunteers? Other thought leaders have shared their views on this topic, including: Treat Employees Like Volunteers for Better Performance by Paul Hebert, Symbolist Drucker: Treat Employees Like Volunteers by Dan Rockwell, Leadership Freak Employees
One of the reasons I love my work is that I get to meet dedicated nonprofit professionals and volunteers eager to share their stories. They’re also eager to learn how to further their respective organization’s mission in the marketing workshops I teach. The volunteers and employees from a variety animal rescues and shelters who attended my
While engaging and caring for volunteers is an ongoing activity, National Volunteer Week (April 6-12, 2014) is an important reminder to celebrate volunteers and their impact. This week provides an opportunity to honor “the enduring importance of recognizing our country’s volunteers for their vital contributions” and “their collective power to make a difference.” It’s also an opportunity for me to
In honor of National Volunteer Week, this post is dedicated to all volunteers who dedicate themselves to the nonprofit causes they care about. How do nonprofits demonstrate care for the people who voluntarily serve them? Smart leaders know that effectively managing volunteers takes more than a “recruit ‘em & recognize ‘em” approach. Their organizations are
I’m excited about the opportunity to speak at this year’s annual BlogPaws Conference, the largest pet-blogging and social media conference, on “Strengthening Your Brand: Relationship Marketing for Rescues & Shelters.” (More on this session topic later.) Since this is a new nonprofit audience for me, I’ve spent the past several weeks learning about animal rescue
Need a helpful gift idea for your favorite nonprofit professional or volunteer leader? Consider a book that provides valuable insight and advice on how to maximize a nonprofit’s effectiveness. Note: I’m a fan of books-as-gifts, especially when paired with chocolate or other sweet treat, specialty coffee or tea. Feed the senses as well as the
I’m thrilled with the positive response to my new book, Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits. I’m honored to share these more detailed book reviews by Ivana Taylor, Small Business Trends, and Wayne Hurlbert, Blog Business World. Here are several recent reviews that I’m also honored to share. “With a great passion for