Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Executive Director
Communication let me down
And I’m left here
Communication let me down
And I’m left here, I’m left here again!
“Communication,” Spandau Ballet
Last week’s Risk eNews, “Super Size It: Don’t Skimp on Supporting Your New Hire,” seemed to strike a chord with readers, based on the chorus of ‘Amens’ in my inbox. Although the piece was inspired by my daughter’s dismal first experience working in retail, the tips in the article were fashioned by a former NRMC team member, Erin Gloeckner.
In their song “Communication,” the 80s band Spandau Ballet describes how not hearing from someone can make us feel: ‘let down,’ and ‘left-a-here-oh!’ Hearing that song reminds me about one of the most common complaints from otherwise motivated nonprofit team members: poor communication. At many nonprofits, the annual performance review is the culmination of communication between you and your supervisor. In “The Performance Management Revolution,” featured in the October 2016 issue of the Harvard Business Review, authors Peter Cappelli and Anna Tavis write that despite several persistent flaws with the traditional annual performance review, many organizations continue to be reluctant to abandon or completely revamp their dated, time-consuming and unproductive process. Some of the communications-related flaws with annual reviews include:
Songs can’t make you swing your hips without rhythm, just as performance reviews can’t help your employees without effective communication. Keep your team smiling, dancing, and working smart by boosting your communication prowess with these tips.
The work of your team is vital to the mission of your organization, and effective communication and feedback loops are key to the success of a high-performing team. Resolve to never let your team members feel abandoned by reflecting on how you communicate and coach. Please share your own communication tips by replying to me at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org. And remember that no matter the format or content of your feedback, your employees look to you for positive encouragement and affirmation. Resolve to always shine a light on the good things your employees bring to your team. “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa
Melanie Lockwood Herman is Executive Director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. She welcomes your feedback about this article at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org or 703.777.3504.
“First let me congratulate you on a conference well done. I had a great time at the Nonprofit Employee Benefits Conference and walked away with some valuable tools and questions that we’ll need to be addressing in both the short and long term. Thanks to you and your staff for all you do to provide us with quality resources in support of our missions.”
“BBYO’s engagement of NRMC to conduct a risk assessment was one of the most valuable processes undertaken over the past five years. Numerous programmatic and procedural changes were recommended and have since been implemented. Additionally, dozens (literally) of insurance coverage gaps were identified that would never have been without the work of NRMC. This assessment led to a broker bidding process that resulted in BBYO’s selection of a new broker that we have been extremely satisfied with. I unconditionally recommend the Center for their consultative services.
“Melanie Herman has provided expert, insightful, timely and well resourced information to our Executive Team and Board of Directors. Our corporation recently experienced massive growth through merger and the Board has been working to better integrate their expanded set of roles and responsibilities. Melanie presented at our Annual Board of Director’s Retreat and captured the interest of our Board members. As a result of her excellent presentation the Board has engaged in focused review which is having immediate effects on governance.”
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“The board and staff of the Prince George’s Child Resource Center are extremely pleased with the results of the risk assessment conducted by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. A thorough scan revealed that while we are a well run organization, we had risks that we never imagined. We are grateful to know that we have now minimized our organizational risks and we recommend the Center to other nonprofits.”
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The NRMC team has committed to delivering dynamic risk management solutions tailored to nonprofit organizations. These organizations have many and varied risk issues, hence the need for specialized coverage and expert knowledge for their protection. We’ve had Melanie speak on several occasions to employees and our agents. She is always on point and delivers such great value. Thank you for the terrific partnership and allowing our nonprofits to focus on their mission!