Читать книгу Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership - Garry Joan, Joan Garry - Страница 36

I hope your organization has a vision. Sadly, many don't. But let's just say you do. If you start with vision, you can either emotionally paralyze the listener or cause them to shut down.

Try this wording: We are working to end human slavery worldwide.

Of course, I am impressed. In fact, I'm so impressed that I'm nearly speechless. What question can I ask as a follow‐up? I don't know how to jump in to make this a conversation. Remember that you're inviting folks to converse about the organization. Try to avoid shutting them down.

Let me be clear: I am all for a story that helps me imagine something new and exciting. That's a good thing, indeed.

Emily Klehm, who leads South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights, Illinois, began her tenure in 2007 when a staff of 15 ran a shelter with a budget of less than $1 million. Her budget is now twice that amount, and she is on the verge of securing a grant of more than $6 million to transform what was once known as “The Little Shelter That Could.” This transformation is visionary in all the very best ways.

Emily had me at hello. She talked about the power of pets. I think I made her look at a few photos of my beloved cat Louie and my live stuffed animal dog Charlie. She talked about an animal campus where people and pets can be together, turning shelters into happy places where kids can go to learn about animals on a campus with walking trails. Then she took me to a brand‐new place.

“Do you know one of the main reasons that women do not leave abusive relationships?” I'm thinking Emily has gone astray (sorry for the bad pun). “Women don't want to leave their pets.” My eyes got really wide. “I want a pet‐friendly domestic violence shelter here on our campus,” she said. And that was it. I am actually getting goosebumps as I type. Now that is a vision I want to support. And I told her so. When the grant comes through, I want to help.

One last thing: The tagline for South Suburban Humane Society is “the little shelter that could.” We laughed about needing a new tagline. The organization has outgrown the word little, but the word could says it all. It speaks to the heart of this organization's growth in scope and impact — it's about imagining what is possible.