Thank you!
Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes
Executive Director
By Melanie Lockwood Herman
The principal purpose of this week’s RISK eNews is to say “thank you” to the generous sponsors of the 2015 Risk Summit. Without financial support from these corporate risk champions, the conference simply wouldn’t be possible. As past attendees know, our Risk Summits deliver practical workshops, inspiring keynotes, wonderful music and myriad networking opportunities. We pride ourselves on delivering value and fun worth several times the price of admission. The enthusiasm and generosity of our sponsors make the fun and learning possible.
I invite readers of the RISK eNews and supporters of our mission to join me in thanking the following sponsors:
- Riverport Insurance Services
- Philadelphia Insurance Companies
- Munich Reinsurance America
- HUB International
- Harleysville Insurance
- Great American Insurance Group
- First Nonprofit Group
- Chubb
- Berkley Public Entity Managers
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- 501 (c) Agencies Trust
Mean What You Say, Say What You Mean
Although saying “thank you” is arguably easier than saying “I’m sorry,” (the topic of last week’s RISK eNews), many nonprofit leaders don’t flex their thank you muscle often enough. A sincere “thank you” for support, a job well done, or simply for caring, affects the speaker and the recipient in interesting ways. Did you know, for example, that saying “thank you” can boost your “personal sense of well-being?”
In his article, “The Two Most Important Words,” retired Mattel CEO Robert Eckert offers five simple tips for expressing thanks in a work setting:
- Make time – Set aside time every week to acknowledge people’s good work.
- Get personal – Handwrite thank-you notes whenever you can. The personal touch matters in the digital age.
- Be timely and specific – Punish in private; praise in public. Make the public praise timely and specific.
- Let the boss know – Remember to cc people’s supervisors. “Don’t tell me. Tell my boss.”
- Build a grateful culture – Foster a culture of gratitude. It’s a game changer for sustainable better performance.
To learn the art of saying “thank you” after a job interview, check out this helpful article from Fast Company.
Read this article, also from Fast Company, to learn why saying “thank you” can increase you personal sense of well-being.
Read this article from Harvard Business Review to learn why “thank you” are the two most important words a leader can say in the workplace.
“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.”
— Scott Brown, Mohonk Preserve
“BBYO’s engagement of the Center 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 the Center. 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.
— Sidney Abrams, BBYO
“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.”
— Pamela Mattel, Basics Promesa Systems Inc
“The Nonprofit Risk Management Center has been an outstanding partner for us. They are attentive to our needs, and work hard to successfully meet our requests for information. Being an Affiliate member gave us access to so many time- and money-saving resources that it easily paid for itself! Nonprofit Risk Management Center is truly a valued partner of The Community Foundation of Elkhart County and we are continuously able to optimize staff time with the support given by their team.”
— Jodi Spataro, Community Foundation of Elkhart County
“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.”
— Marti Worshtil, Prince George’s Child Resource Center
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The Center 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!