The second phase for developing your strategy

First step for developing a strategy for your nonprofit and subsequent projects.

Own the process you're going through and allow it to shape your leadership.

Growth and transformation through the vine 7-17-16 by Dr. William Clark

The big picture matters. Do not allow yourself to get hung up on the little things that do not add value to your work. How?

1. Learn how to delegate the little things. The little things are tasks that are not important to your specific work but important to work of someone else.

2. Shape tomorrow. One tomorrow leads to another tomorrow that leads to another tomorrow. Eventually, a bunch of tomorrows will take you toward the future. Get out in front of this and design the future you want for your organization.

3. Have the right support system. You can learn so much from smart people who are experts in their fields. How they process information and make decisions can show you how to bring innovation and creativity to your work.

Thinking big is necessary for your nonprofit to sustain. Thinking big means to think beyond the moment and to focus your attention on what’s truly important. As the leader, you may focus your attention on core mission of the organization and in other cases, it may be on the future of the organization. Regardless of where you focus your attention, its vital to think big. Your team, stakeholders, and customers need you to be a big thinker. If you’re struggling with being or becoming a big thinker, below are three simple steps you can take to become the big thinker your organization needs.

1. Delegate with ease. By delegating tasks to members on your team, you a proving that you trust the people you hired or brought on the team as volunteers. If you struggle with delegating, you may be struggling with attachment issues or hired the wrong person.

2. Focus on tomorrow. As the leader, your job is to shape the “tomorrow” of the organization. As a result, the operations of today are placed in the hands of capable staff and volunteers that can support the organization to achieve its current goals.

3. Challenge the status quo. Stand practices are great. They provide a template for how to accomplish short and long-term tasks. However, the status quo does not always account for the nuances of leading an organization. As the leader, you have to make decisions that fit the context of the moment and, in some cases, tomorrow. The status quo may be the right fit during these moments.

There are a number of nonprofit organizations with one staff person. This applies to organizations that have recently launched and organizations that have been around for a while. The reasons some organizations have a lone employee vary from the lack of resources, to a strategic decision to have a single staff person, to attrition, and much more. Regardless of the reason your organization has a single employee, you still want to be successful. There are five key factors you need to keep in mind as you pursue success during your tenure as the “solo” leader.

1. Manage your time

As the saying goes; time is money. It is important to remember that the operations of your organization depend on your dedication and availability. With that in mind, you must accept the fact that your time will be limited. As the leader of a startup, you must live in reality so you don’t waste your time doing things that will not benefit your organization.

2. Be patient with yourself

Patience is the key to success in everything in life. You must have self-patience in order be tolerant with others. Good things come to those who wait and it is not any different in running a nonprofit. You cannot expect to plant a tree today and reap the fruits tomorrow. It takes time to grow your nonprofit.

3. Focus on what you’re doing and the why

As you launch your nonprofit, expect to get a lot of opinions from a lot of people. Sometimes their opinions can kill your dreams prematurely if you are not focused. You have to believe in your abilities to turn things round even when they seem impossible. Don't be swayed by negative minded people. Never forget that your organization thrives on your decision making. Never allow yourself to be easily distracted by unimportant things.

4. Be optimistic about the goals of the organization

Your organization, it's mission, and whom it serves is unique and you should never compare it with others. Be flexible and willing to make adjustments as you learn more information instead of comparing your organization with similarly nonprofits. But more importantly, remain optimistic about your plan and the goals you want to achieve. You will face challenges, but do not allow yourself to give up without a fight.

5. Diversify your funding resources

This is a very important factor in influencing the success or failure of your nonprofit. Remain vigilant in indenturing multiple ways of generating revenues to support the organization. This will allow your business to grow without draining it.

Jesus Our Shepherd - 5-19-16 by Dr. William Clark

It's all about Jesus. He died to give you freedom.

Go after what's most important...sense and understanding! 4-21-16 by Dr. William Clark