Читать книгу Joan Garry's Guide to Nonprofit Leadership - Garry Joan, Joan Garry - Страница 41

Because storytelling does not come naturally to organizational ambassadors, as I mentioned earlier in this chapter, a nonprofit organization must work with intention to build a culture of storytelling in its organization.

Each board and staff member should understand the elements of a good story and be asked to shape their own. Here are some ideas:

 Set aside time at a board meeting to ask people to share their organization stories. Have them offer each other constructive feedback and ask questions, such as, “Which story stayed with you? Does it bring the work to life? Is the impact clear?”

 Hold quarterly brown bag lunches with staff to practice. Ask the simple question “What do you do, and why is it important?” and have them offer an illustration of tangible impact. Give each staffer two or three minutes, tops. Staff members not only fine‐tune their storytelling skills but also hear a variety of stories they themselves could tell.

 Feed your board and staff regularly with new (current) stories about the organization that they can use when at a weekend BBQ or a fundraiser for another organization. Your best ambassadors need good, fresh material!

Ever sat at a tactical, in‐the‐weeds staff meeting for 90 minutes, then head back to your desk and realize no one told a single great story about the impact of the work of the organization?

When I suggest this to nonprofit EDs, they often seem as if it never crossed their minds. “Oh, that's a good idea!” they tell me.

So just do it. Build a culture of storytelling in your organization and it can make all the difference in the world.

In Chapter 3, I'll focus on the role of the board chair and that person's relationship to the ED, but I'll give you an appetizer here.

It is the shared job of the board chair and the executive director to ensure that the key ambassadors of the organizations are also your best storytellers.

Here's a simple equation. If you keep it on a sticky note on your desk and incorporate it into working with your board, your volunteers, and your staff at all levels, I guarantee you will bring more motivated folks to your organization's table:

Credible Messenger + Compelling Story = A New Stakeholder