InView November 2010 Issue
BOOK BEAT
Nonprofit mergers are often thought of as a form of rescue or a last-minute decision made out of despair, but those are myths, according to Thomas McLaughlin, author of Nonprofit Mergers And Alliances (©2010, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). The single most compelling reason to merge nonprofits or develop an alliance is to tap complementary strengths and better fulfill a common mission. The book uses real-world examples and case studies to offer guidance for all stages of the merger and alliance development processes and provides a comprehensive framework for designing and implementing effective collaborations. It also demonstrates that nonprofit mergers are fundamentally different from for-profit mergers and addresses the stigmas and preconceptions that can prevent nonprofits from embracing collaborations as tools for strategic advancement.
One benefit of engagement is that if leaders stick with the principles, they will be equipped to deal with changes they don't even know are coming. What you're really doing is building the capacity for real change in the organization. The lasting benefit is that people at all levels are prepared to deal with change, according to Richard Axelrod, author of Terms of Engagement: New Ways of Leading and Changing Organizations (©2010, Berrett-Koehler Publishers). In an engaged organization:
- People grasp the big picture, fully understanding the dangers and opportunities;
- There is urgency and energy as people align around common purpose and create new directions;
- Accountability distributes through the organization as people come to understand the whole system;
- Collaboration across organizational boundaries increases as people connect to the issues and to each other;
- Broad participation quickly identifies performance gaps and their solutions, improving productivity and customer satisfaction;
- Creativity is sparked when people from all levels and functions, along with customers, suppliers, and important others, contribute their best ideas; and
- Capacity for future changes increases as people develop the skills and processes to meet not just the current challenges but future challenges as well.
Consumerism is so ingrained in society that most people rarely question its effects on our lives: Does the system provide the best foundation for society? Can our obsession with the latest products and trends really provide a lasting sense of satisfaction, or even the basis for a solid social foundation on which to build a healthy community. In The Abundant Community (©2010, Berrett-Koehler Publishers), authors John McKnight and Peter Block reveal the invisible but immeasurable impact consumerism has had on our families and communities. The book suggests that each neighborhood has people with the gifts and talents needed and offers ways to identify and nurture these individuals.
The Power of Co-Creation: Build It with Them To Boost Growth, Productivity and Profits (©2010, Free Press), by Venkat Ramaswamy and Francis Gouillart, shows ho the co-creation movement has spread beyond the customer (think member) relationship, to the relationships organizations have with staff, suppliers, partners, and all other stakeholders. These stakeholders demand new modes and experiences of engagement, forcing organizations to co-create everything of value, from simple processes to new products and services, to the organization's guiding principles. Unleashing the power of co-creation requires setting up what they authors call engagement platforms (technology-enabled platforms that allow multi-stakeholder communication offline and online).
In The Orange Revolution: How Great Teams Can Transform an Organization (©2010, Free Press), authors Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick reveal what separates ordinary teams from extraordinary breakthrough teams. Among the extensive data from their research, they found six core traits that top teams share. They:
- dream truly ambitious goals;
- believe in each other and what they can accomplish together;
- take calculated risks
- closely measure their results;
- persevere despite problems or conflicts; and
- have a charming habit of telling stories that capture what they are trying to accomplish.
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