What Will 2012 Bring For NFPs?

We recently spotted an article from The Guardian newspaper which discussed the trends likely to happen in 2012 which will affect NFPs.

The journalist spoke with experts from different UK charities and fundraisers and reported on their opinions.

1.  Social investment.  The opinion is that we are likely to see more social investment this year but questions whether organisations are set up well enough to manage the debt repayment.

2.  New technology.  The use of technology to encourage online donations will increase as will the use for supporting communication with the marketplace.

3.  Collaboration.  The economic climate (especially in Europe) will see organisations working together instead of competing for funds.

4.  Going Mobile.  The use of apps and mobile platforms to encourage giving.

5.  Ambassadors.  “In 2012 we will see more ambassador and blogger engagement programmes but also more involvement from local communities.”

These are interesting predictions and you should think about them in the context of your own organisation.

What do you think?  Are the predictions likely to be accurate?

Boosting Careers in the New Year

The New Year always brings with it thoughts of self-improvement and resolutions to be a better version of ourselves.  That is great, but have you ever stopped to think about improving your career prospects?  Do you just slog on in the hope that someone somewhere will notice how great you are, or do you help yourself along a little by observing some clever strategies?

Why leave it to chance?  Now is the perfect time to start making some changes to enhance your career.

For those who like to strategise, here are some great tips.

1.  Be a self-marketer.  If you don’t blow your own trumpet – who will?  If you are good at something, let people know.  Don’t be afraid to speak up.  It isn’t big noting yourself:  it’s a practical step in building a career.

2.  Got a new job?  Ninety days is all it takes for you to make your mark in the new role.  It’s the same amount of time that the boss will take to decide whether or not you are on the ladder to success.  Make a good impression from the beginning.

3.  Love what you do!  Those who love their work put more into it.  Figure out what you would like to do for the rest of your life then get some training!

4.  Get up to date with technology.  You will work better and faster, especially if you are able to be mobile as you work.

5.  Update your skills.  Everything changes whether it’s technology or legislation.  If you want to be at the cutting edge you need to have up to date information, experience and training.  Go out and get it.

Make 2012 the year you built your career from climbing to flying.

Looking Back…Moving Forward

Ready or not…the new year has come!!  We covered a lot of ground in 2011 and much of it is worthwhile to revisit in order to move forward with a positive approach.

But before we do, take time to reread 10 Reasons You Need A Day Off and start the year as you mean to go on.  Being overworked does you, your family or your business no good at all.

2012 is your year. Your year to do what?  Shine?  Be noticed?  Develop your skills?  Whatever it is, our earlier article on How To Change Bad Work Habits may come in handy.

If you have a great idea and you are the only one who thinks it is great, regardless of how many times you mention it, then it might possibly be time to disregard it.  As we discussed in our article entitled Knowing When To Quit, if you don’t have support from your colleagues then your idea will not be given much chance to succeed.  If you recall, you will ultimately gain more respect by giving up on your unfavourable idea rather than tirelessly trying to pursue your cause.

If personal development is high on your list, check out Business Link’s questionnaire which will give you an assessment of your personal requirements.  If you save your final plan, you will be able to come back to the site, answer a few more questions and see how much your skills have improved.

Don’t wait another year to do the things you want to do – as another year may pass and you may still be in the same position while your colleagues are moving onwards and upwards.  Network, get referrals - do whatever you can to make a good year GREAT!

Merry Christmas

I would like to take the opportunity to wish all of my friends, colleagues and associates a very happy festive season and all the best for the New Year and beyond.

Thank you for following me throughout the year and I look forward to us learning and growing together.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Party Etiquette

It’s coming up to the end of the year, everyone is starting to feel a little exhausted and the Christmas party seems like the perfect way to let your hair down with your fellow colleagues.  Before you go crazy on the punch (and the dance floor) just take a moment to think about your Christmas party etiquette.

Wardrobe Check

We know you don’t need to be told how to dress appropriately for a work do, but if in doubt, here’s a good rule of thumb; if there is any chance at all of a wardrobe malfunction occurring while you’re sober, then you can be fairly confident it will happen after a few chardonnays or shots at the after party.  Very awkward for everyone involved, more so if there are any cameras floating around.

Be Yourself

Free food and free alcohol – we get the attraction.  But really, we’re all adults.  Just eat and drink as you would do any other time.  It’s your body that feels the consequences, after all – speaking of which, consider some H2O between alcoholic drinks – especially if you’ve spent the best part of the day in dehydrating office air-conditioning.

Snog Not!

Your office heart throb is making eyes at you over the duck terrine canapés.  You are convinced that tonight is the night that something will happen.  But hold on a second – if it hasn’t happened yet, what makes you think now is the right time?  If you’re genuinely keen on a colleague, the Christmas party is a big no-no for declarations of love.  If it’s just a pash and dash you’re after, put your professional reputation first, and hold out for another night or until you’re well clear of lift-sharing co-workers.

Remember Monday

If all else fails, just remember one thing – Monday will arrive as it has a habit of doing and you’ll be back sharing the same office, with the same people, doing the same job.  That should be enough to get your etiquette in check.

Why It’s Important To Take A Break

How long is it since you had a holiday?  If you are a business owner, it could be quite a long time ago.  You probably think that if you stop work the business will fall apart.  Or perhaps you can’t afford to be without income for a week or so.

The problem is that if you don’t take a break now and then, one day you will go crashing down and a holiday (sick leave) will be forced upon you.  But you know that.

What you might not have thought of is how your judgement and decision making abilities are being affected by tiredness and exhaustion.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety reports on research into the impact of tiredness on our ability to work.  The findings were that it gives us:

• reduced decision making ability,
• reduced ability to do complex planning,
• reduced communication skills,
• reduced productivity/performance,
• reduced attention and vigilance,
• reduced ability to handle stress on the job,
• reduced reaction time – both in speed and thought (a few studies have shown this to be similar to being legally drunk),
• loss of memory or the ability to recall details,
• failure to respond to changes in surroundings or information provided,
• unable to stay awake (eg falling asleep while operating machinery or driving a vehicle),
• increased tendency for risk-taking,
• increased forgetfulness,
• increased errors in judgement,
• increased sick time, absenteeism, rate of turnover,
• increased medical costs, and
• increased accident rates.

Read that list again.  What could that do to your business?  What could it do to your team and to your family?

If you haven’t taken a break for a while, now is the time to do it.  Don’t worry about what is not being done.  By the time you come back refreshed and renewed, you will be far more productive than you realise.

Why It’s Good To Be The Quiet Person

The power of group work lies in the bringing together of different attributes of each individual involved – their skills, experience and also their personality traits.  There are the extrovert types which will raise discussions and have strong opinions to voice, and then there are the elusive introverts who will shy away from expressing their thoughts and instead keep things to themselves.

While it’s beneficial to have explorative discussions airing concerns and opinions, there also needs to be someone who can listen to and observe what is happening in the room.  The benefit of being the quiet person is that you become the silent observer; a powerful position to hold if you use it correctly.  Instead of trying to get your point across you can see and hear what is unfolding and listen to every argument raised before forming a more educated conclusion based on each perspective.

For this reason you can be valuable to the group as the gatekeeper of the discussion by providing a clearer and more objective point of view.  You might often see that it is the quiet person of the group who will be asked by management for their opinion because of this reason.

When it comes to the workplace, it’s fairly standard to get a mixed bag of personalities all needing to work together for an effective outcome for the company.  Introverts of the group can use their personality to their advantage by observing and absorbing what is taking place – providing an objective and holistic point of view which will be highly regarded by colleagues and management alike and give you the chance to finally get your point across.

What Does Business Excellence Really Mean?

Business excellence cannot be summed up by any one thing.  It is not just the successful application of a new system or an increase in profits for the current financial year.  It is more the overall use, consistency and improvement of a business in relation to quality management, business management and process management through various tools and principles.

Business excellence awards are given to organisations each and every year as they are assessed on certain achievements and milestones.  Best practices are generally established by these organisations to show proven results and those practices are used as benchmarks as they move forward.  The continual improvement to systems and processes is of extreme importance even once an award is given to maintain business growth and keep up with the competition.

So what does this really mean?  An organisation should continually brainstorm, looking for ideas that mesh with current products and/or services already offered.  Employees should understand that they will be acknowledged and rewarded for their creative input and suggestions that will benefit the organisation.  An organisation striving for business excellence in any area should NEVER let an issue or problem go unsolved for any length of time as this can lead to further problems within other areas or departments.

Excellence in business will benefit a company on a number of levels.  Employees will be happy to work for an organisation that strives to be the best and secondly, customers will be attracted to an organisation that is providing a service over and above that of their competitors.

Excellence they say is a state of mind…so start as you mean to go forward.

How To Promote Yourself Without Being Pushy

When it comes to appearing good at your job, your performance and delivery typically speaks for itself.  If you’re in a situation where you have a particularly busy manager, or work remotely or independently, getting your hard work noticed can sometimes be hard work in itself.

Recognition helps with motivation and the chances of a promotion or pay rise.  There is a fine balance though, between subtly promoting yourself and being seen as blowing your own horn.  Here are a few ways that might help attain acknowledgement for your work.

Status Updates

If you haven’t been in touch with your manager for a while, clearly and simply list in an email what progress you’re making and any tasks you’ve completed.

This not only helps keep them up to speed, but illustrates what you’ve achieved – it simply lets your work speak for itself.

Exceed Expectations

Using your initiative and ‘going above and beyond’ can demonstrate your willingness and dedication to getting a good result.  Offer assistance which is still within the scope of your role (providing you have the capacity to do so) and send useful updates to the relevant stakeholders involved.

Recognise The Work Of Others

If you’ve been witness to the great work of someone else, mention it to their manager or team members.  It shows that you are interested in the
efforts of the team as a whole to get results, and it’s good office karma – what goes around usually comes around.

Everyone deserves to be acknowledged for excellent performance but in certain situations it can be difficult to promote yourself without being pushy.  The key is to communicate to others what you are doing but in an objective manner which still adds value to them too.

7 Steps to a Successful Community Business Partnership

After winning a Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships I was asked to speak the following year at the awards presentation. Here is a modified version of what I shared.

My company Admin Bandit is in its tenth year of a successful partnership with the Canberra Preschool Society (CPS) and we have won two Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships (ACT). During this time, our partnership has far exceeded our initial plan to develop an accounting software package to make the task of being a volunteer treasurer in a community organisation fast and easy. I’m delighted to say the partnership has been an honour and privilege, not to mention an award-winning experience. So I’d like to share with you my top seven tips for establishing and maintaining a rewarding and long-lasting partnership.  

1.  Focus on solutions

Is a problem a headache or an opportunity? Dwelling on the problem itself is empty — you get nothing but stress. Whereas focusing on a solution is productive and can lead to exciting opportunities to change, grow or find new ways of doing things. Thinking “outside the square” is the key to discovering successful solutions. This is about being creative, investigating a problem with an open mind, being willing to change and seeking a “big picture” perspective. For instance, I was daunted when I first took on the task of volunteer treasurer on my local preschool committee in Canberra in 1999. After a little research, however, I realised I wasn’t alone — like me, 43% of others in the position had little or no accounting experience. I approached CPS and we both saw an opportunity to use my skills in software development to create a product to solve a widespread problem. It meant taking a risk and trying something new, but the result speaks for itself — our partnership has saved local preschools over $500,000.  

2. Find your balance 

I like to think of a partnership in terms of a see-saw. Two people of any size, shape or colour can successfully play on a see-saw if they make the effort to adjust or shift to find the perfect balance to move in harmony. If just one person stops working for the partnership, the whole enterprise literally comes crashing to the ground. What I’m saying is that a partnership must be a mutually beneficial arrangement in which both parties need to genuinely work for the good of each other in order to gain their own benefits. This requires flexibility, selflessness and maturity, but the result is a happy balance that is to everyone’s advantage.

3.  It’s not about you

Focusing on solutions goes hand-in-hand with focusing on your customers. It goes without saying that this is easier said than done, especially in a world that encourages us to think about ourselves and the bottom line. Making it easy for volunteer treasurers to deal with GST was a key aim when we began developing the Admin Bandit software. Preschool association budgets are usually stretched to the limit and we knew being able to claim back input credits would provide much-needed funds for more equipment and resources. It’s a wonderful feeling to know our partnership is enriching the lives of parents and children going through our preschool system and will do so for generations to come. In our experience, what goes around comes around, often with surprising benefits. For example, we’ve won the ACT Small Business Award in the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships for the last two years. — what a fantastic boost for our marketing and morale! We encourage you to ask how a business partnership can enrich the lives of people in your community. Answer this question and you’ll be able to meet real needs and provide a service that truly makes a difference. 

4.  Do your research

Research is the only way to really make sure what your partnership does meets your customer’s needs. This can be as simple as casual chats and web searches or as complex as a focus groups and surveys. The important thing is make sure your research methods help you accurately identify and understand your target market. Of course, this takes time. In our case, what started out as a product for volunteer treasurers in preschool associations evolved into a long-term pilot to test our customer’s needs right across the community sector. We used the information we gathered plus further research to make sure our software hit the mark. In the process, we discovered our customers wanted an online version of our product and have used this opportunity to develop a new partnership that will help us realise this need in the near future.  

5.  Look for chemistry

You choose friends you like, so why would you settle for less in a business partnership? One secret to the success our partnership is that myself and CPS Executive Officer Diane Thornton genuinely enjoy each other’s company. This is especially important in a partnership between small organisations — you need to look forward to meeting together and enjoy a good laugh. Of course, compatibility is about more than being “best friends”. It’s also about sharing the same values and beliefs about doing business, so you can work effectively and in agreement towards a common goal.  

6.  Know what you want

When establishing your partnership, be clear about your desired outcomes and create a plan of how you will achieve this together. Some of your individual goals may be different, so make sure your plan realistically meets the needs of both parties. In our partnership, for example, our key aim was to support the volunteers. The way Admin Bandit could contribute to this aim was by developing an accounting software package designed specifically for the treasurers. So we worked together to create a single solution to meet the desired outcome. While our partnership has grown beyond these initial expectations, they remain the foundation on which we continue to build our partnership.  

 7.  Maintain the relationship

I have a huge outdoor table made from a slab of River Red Gum, around which I’ve enjoyed many meals with family and friends. It’s a beautiful table, but requires regular maintenance to keep it in tip-top condition. If we don’t sand and oil it every six months, the table’s rich grain and wonderful red colour starts to fade and the wood gets a bow in it. Keeping your partnership productive and healthy requires similar maintenance. Instead of sanding and oil, use open and honest communication and, where necessary, constructive criticism to refresh your vitality and smooth out any bumps. Each caring application will contribute to creating an attractive and long-lasting joint venture.