CHAPTER 11
Stop Doing These Four Things
Shane Johnson © 2011.
We’ve got how many? Better call in a celebrity.
Principles
1. Tools today are used to conduct campaigns, send notices, raise awareness of issues, solicit funds, and do so more efficiently and cost effectively than ever before. But the fact that we can do more doesn’t mean we should.
2. Too many nonprofits are focusing more of their energy on growing and sustaining their organizations and not as much on improving the way they do business or deliver services.
3. Technology gives each of us direct control over the information we consume and the choices about how we spend our time and focus our energy.
4. Case studies perpetuate our focus on activity and give us an excuse to not hold ourselves, or anyone else, accountable for a lack of impact. We need to talk about our experience and expertise differently.
An overwhelming volume of content is created online every day. A small fraction of that is worth consuming (and an even smaller fraction than that is probably worth paying for). While there are millions of organizations requesting donations and demanding action, we see precious little meaningful and measurable impact as a result of whatever activity is generated. Organizations send millions of e-mails, but many of the most important conversations or serious issues are overlooked or ignored. People sign petitions ...
