October 23, 2017 Making Decisions, Managing People Well, Organisational Strategy

How “design thinking” can change the way your NFP works

Are teams in your organisation open to new ways of working?

While “innovation” may be something everyone says they love, when push comes to shove, convention and tradition – ‘the way things have always been done’ – often rules supreme.

That’s because innovation can be risky, unproven – and scary. But given that not-for-profit organisations deal with some of our society’s most important problems, the need to apply creative solutions in order to make an impact is even more important – particularly with a rapidly changing external environment and increasingly strained budgets.

Enter “Design Thinking”.

September 20, 2017 Making Decisions, Recruitment

Why your gut instinct is wrong when you’re recruiting – and how to know when it isn’t

Let’s say you’re interviewing a new applicant for a job and you feel something is off. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you’re a bit uncomfortable with this person. She says all the right things, her resume is great, she’d be a perfect hire for this job – except your gut tells you otherwise.

Should you go with your gut?

May 24, 2017 Leadership, Making Decisions

How to make tough decisions

Making a tough decision about your team or your organisation’s workforce can be, well…tough.

NFP leaders and managers are called upon to make tough decisions as a matter of course. But what do you do when the decision is really important, and it’s really not clear what course of action you should take?

Harvard Business School professor Joseph L. Badaracco is an expert in making what he calls “grey area” problems – ones that can sometimes be difficult to clearly assess. He suggests five practical questions you should ask yourself that can help you and your team illuminate the “greyest of grey areas”.

February 10, 2017 Interviewing, Making Decisions, Recruitment

Five unconscious biases that could be ruining your NFP’s recruitment process

Hiring the right people for the right job is arguably one of the most important responsibilities in any not-for-profit.

But what if there was something interfering with your ability to do just that – and you didn’t even know it?

September 14, 2016 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Legal Issues, Making Decisions, Recruitment

Six things you just can’t discuss when assessing candidates for your next job

Up until 1975, employers could take almost anything into consideration when recruiting staff. But the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act – passed by the Whitlam Government – started a legislative trend towards protecting a variety of people from employment discrimination. And that means there are now some things you just can’t discuss when you’re making a decision about who to hire.

August 24, 2016 Leadership, Making Decisions, Organisational Strategy

Who holds power in your NFP? Your answer might help explain how effective and engaged your staff and volunteers are

Who holds power in your NFP organisation?

It’s difficult to talk about power. Mentioning power can conjure up memories of encounters with parents, teachers, bosses, the law, family or partners who have exercised power over over us in negative ways.

But power relationships are woven throughout our lives, and throughout our workplaces. And being clear about who holds power – particularly the power to make decisions – in your organisation, as well as ensuring that structure reflects your organisation’s shared values – will mean that staff and volunteers understand how and why power works as it does. And that can mean the difference between an empowered staff member, and a disempowered, disengaged one.