Comments on: Are there barriers to effective non-profit management? http://techcafeteria.com/blog/2007/05/04/are-their-barriers-to-effective-non-profit-management/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:37:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Peter Campbell http://techcafeteria.com/blog/2007/05/04/are-their-barriers-to-effective-non-profit-management/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Peter Campbell Tue, 08 May 2007 17:39:46 +0000 http://techcafeteria.com/blog/2007/05/04/are-their-barriers-to-effective-non-profit-management/#comment-649 I didn't buy the book, but I did check out <a href="http://www.jimcollins.com" rel="nofollow">Jim's web site</a> and found that he published there an additional chapter to the book addressing the exact "should non-profits run more like a business" issue. He makes my point in reverse - I've been arguing (most succinctly, I think, <a href="http://1centnpt.blogspot.com/2007/05/mission-gets-in-way-of-running-like.html" rel="nofollow">in a comment at 1cent's blog</a>), that non-profits are businesses, and the object is to stop limiting our business effectiveness by subscribing to artificial rules about how non-profits should be run. Collins says pretty much the same thing, arguing that it isn't about running "like a business" - most businesses are poorly run. It's about operating well. He offers an evaluation tool on his site for free download called <a href="http://www.jimcollins.com/pdf/Diagnostic%20Tool.pdf" rel="nofollow">the Good to Great Diagnostic Tool"</a> that individuals and organizations can use to measure their effectiveness. I haven't tried this yet, but I will, and then I'll write about it. Thanks for the pointer! I didn’t buy the book, but I did check out Jim’s web site and found that he published there an additional chapter to the book addressing the exact “should non-profits run more like a business” issue. He makes my point in reverse – I’ve been arguing (most succinctly, I think, in a comment at 1cent’s blog), that non-profits are businesses, and the object is to stop limiting our business effectiveness by subscribing to artificial rules about how non-profits should be run. Collins says pretty much the same thing, arguing that it isn’t about running “like a business” – most businesses are poorly run. It’s about operating well. He offers an evaluation tool on his site for free download called the Good to Great Diagnostic Tool” that individuals and organizations can use to measure their effectiveness. I haven’t tried this yet, but I will, and then I’ll write about it.

Thanks for the pointer!

]]> By: tutormentor http://techcafeteria.com/blog/2007/05/04/are-their-barriers-to-effective-non-profit-management/comment-page-1/#comment-648 tutormentor Fri, 04 May 2007 21:04:19 +0000 http://techcafeteria.com/blog/2007/05/04/are-their-barriers-to-effective-non-profit-management/#comment-648 I worked in a corporation for 17 years. At the same time I became the leader of a volunteer program hosted by the corporation. While they were two separate roles, I found that I learned ideas from my business activities that helped me lead my volunteer-based organization, and I learned things from what I did in my volunteer work that I could apply in my paying job. In 1990 I left my corpoate job and turned the volunteer-organization into a non profit. I've continue to borrow ideas I learned from business, and that I keep learning from businesses, and apply them to what I do to help my organization grow from year to year. I understand the challenges non profits have due to inconsistent funding and I apply ideas I learned from advertising to try to overcome these obsticales. One of the most important habits is one of learning and innovation. I encourage networking of programs so we can learn ideas and improve process rather than reinventing everything. I host a library of resources on the http://www.tutormentorconnection.org web site, including a section on process improvement, innovation, knowledge management, etc. I feel these are ideas that any leader can learn from. I read business management books and attend business seminars when I can, to network, recruit volunteers, and learn new ways to think and act. I read a book recently, titled Good to Great and the Social Sector, by Jim Collins, and I think it offers a lot of good advise to this debate that's been taking place on the list serv. I worked in a corporation for 17 years. At the same time I became the leader of a volunteer program hosted by the corporation.

While they were two separate roles, I found that I learned ideas from my business activities that helped me lead my volunteer-based organization, and I learned things from what I did in my volunteer work that I could apply in my paying job.

In 1990 I left my corpoate job and turned the volunteer-organization into a non profit. I’ve continue to borrow ideas I learned from business, and that I keep learning from businesses, and apply them to what I do to help my organization grow from year to year.

I understand the challenges non profits have due to inconsistent funding and I apply ideas I learned from advertising to try to overcome these obsticales.

One of the most important habits is one of learning and innovation. I encourage networking of programs so we can learn ideas and improve process rather than reinventing everything. I host a library of resources on the http://www.tutormentorconnection.org web site, including a section on process improvement, innovation, knowledge management, etc. I feel these are ideas that any leader can learn from.

I read business management books and attend business seminars when I can, to network, recruit volunteers, and learn new ways to think and act. I read a book recently, titled Good to Great and the Social Sector, by Jim Collins, and I think it offers a lot of good advise to this debate that’s been taking place on the list serv.

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