Category Archives: Business Reports

That is the mantra by which we find ourselves involved with the nonprofit community. Whether you are working at one or on the board for one, it was a heart tug that got you there. Nonprofits get special IRS treatment because they perform a public good. They need a clear purpose focused on why the community is better because of their work.
Yet, they are still businesses. And they have to behave as one. That means having a sense of purpose. It means knowing that the model needs revenue to allow for the expenses of delivering the service. And, most important, they need more revenue than they spend. As simple and obvious as that sounds, passion will often overrule common sense. It’s where Boards come in.
As part of the legal structure they are the governing body. Boards act as stewards of the public trust. They ensure that these organizations are operating legally and ethically. They also provide the direction to make sure the nonprofit is answering community need. And that they are changing to meet new needs as they change. In addition to providing that direction, the Board is charged with providing the resources to help meet the mission.

By michael cruz
Sam Walton (Walmart founder) famously said “If you don’t listen to your customers, someone else will.” Too often we speak with customers without the intent to hear. We want to ‘tell’. The best sales people ask questions and then shut up. It is not by accident that listen and silent have the same letters.
Often business owners ask me what I think of an idea for a new product. My advice is always the same. ASK your customers. They can validate your idea. Or not. We don’t often ask questions that we do not want to hear the answer to. Or more accurately, hear what we consider to be the wrong answer. Listening is the core or learning. We never learn when we are talking.

All leaders wonder how they can get more from their people. The basics are not hard. The execution is.

First, leaders need to have a vision for their business. They need to have a plan for where they are going. How they will serve their customers. They need to help everyone know first thing first. In short, they need to help set priorities. People who work in companies need to know what to do – when you are not watching!

In order to achieve your priorities, you need the right people. You need strong players. Which means you need to hire well. That means that you have to hire for the right traits. Traits include soft skills like the ability to make good decisions and perform that extra service. Sell the customer the right products. And, help your customers be happy. Break down what you think success is and train and coach people to get there. You need to remove bad employees. Toxic ones. The ones who bring the rest of your team down. You probably believe you cannot afford to lose anyone. But getting rid of toxic people saves everyone else!