Learning and Service

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I’m delighted to share I have an exciting opportunity for learning and service ahead. I’ve been selected to the Colorado Governor’s Fellowship Program. I’m beyond excited for this chance to learn and grow alongside others from across Colorado who seek to demonstrate values based leadership and contribute to making the community better through public, private and nonprofit organizations. It’s also back to school time here… and a reminder that as we settle into the work of being a grown up we must seek out opportunities to learn and serve. Here’s to seeking regularly.

How to Invite with Intention

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Happy Fall!! As the leaves turn and sweaters come out, many nonprofits get ready for board elections and new terms. Has your organization considered how to invite with intention? If not I encourage you to set aside time at your next meeting to consider the key priorities facing your organization, how your board can support these priorities, and what are the just right candidates to support that work. Do you need great communicators, strategic thinkers, or negotiators? Is it time for content experts to take the stage or connectors to cultivate new relationships?

I find there are Ten Key Steps for Strategic Board Recruitment. Take a peek at the list, identify how to invite with intention as you look toward recruiting new candidates, and please reach out if I can help along the way.

Priority Resources for Impact

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As we turn the calendar and settle into a new year, most organizations should revisit how to identify priority resources for impact. Economic realities are complicated. In person meetings and family gatherings bring risk analysis. Loss and challenge have become too common.

(I must admit 2021 challenged me too. I accepted that I didn’t post and share as much as I hoped, and I’m refocused to offer more in 2022.)

Practical tools are a priority for me to offer. Right now when most organizations need more resources I’ve designed a practical tool to guide you toward identifying priority resources for impact.

Let’s Get Started

First, ground in the mission of your organization. Next be sure to identify the top three strategic priorities for your organization. (Ideally your current strategic plan contains these priorities. If you don’t have one, make sure to identify your strategic priorities with your staff and board.)

With the mission and strategic priorities in mind, consider your broad network of stakeholders. This group will be able to gather the priority resources you identify. The network should include staff, board, committee members, volunteers, key supporters, partners and your social media community.

Finally time to identify resources!! Again think big! Skills, expertise, services, connections, partnerships and more all bring the mission to life. Time comes in many forms: skilled experts, trained volunteers and tasks open to the community. What kind of time do you need? Support also comes in many forms: financial contributions, goods, real estate space, and good will.

Fill in the Blank – for IMPACT!

Once you have the mission, priorities, key stakeholders and resources all in mind outline, time to fill in the blank. If we had more ____, we would have greater impact.

If we more (or just the right) FILL IN THE BLANK WITH A PRIORITY RESOURCE, we would have greater impact relative to our strategic priorities.

Perhaps, it might help to write a job description for what you need or consider how you would describe the priority resource for impact in an advertisement. Here’s a reference tool to share at your next board or staff meeting to get started. Please just drop a note to learn more, ask questions or schedule a free 15 minute phone chat here. Let’s explore finding more focus on progress!

 

Support for Early Childhood Well-being

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Back to School, change of seasons and continued COVID disruption oh my! They all present quite an opportunity to prioritize what matters most. Most importantly, I am grateful for the last two years and proud of my small role in this amazing project, LAUNCH Together Southwest Denver. It has been an amazing opportunity to provide capacity building to support early childhood wellbeing in Southwest Denver. Specifically, we work to enhance social emotional supports to young children, families, caregivers and other professionals within the community. Early childhood mental health and community centered solutions are the cornerstones of our work. Amazing community partners have led this collaborative to build on their existing programs. For example, capacity building to support early childhood wellbeing includes great parent resources and tools for providers. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks as the project comes to a close at the end of 2020. Click here to see a great recent profile of our work. After that, please get in touch if you would like to find out more!!

New Insights on Capacity Building

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Glasses graphic > Focus on ProgressAs a leader you likely see more opportunities than you can explore on a daily basis. Here are five practical ways to find extra hours in your day to add capacity to be more efficient and more effective:

  1. Strategic Board Recruiting
  2. Meaningful Meetings
  3. Calendar Mapping
  4. Programs, Communications, Events and More Reflect Embedded Strategy
  5. Culture of Inquiry and Accountability

Click here to learn more! CCCE Kalstein Handout

Want to dive deeper? Please reach out to Kate and let’s explore together.