by Jan Breiner Frazier, owner/managing member, PlanningPlus
The HISTORY Channel has created a series of excellent documentaries around the topic “The … that Built America,” including “The Men Who Built America” and “The Food That Built America.” The topics primarily center on the 1920’s and beyond with the genius of Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie and Ford, as well as Hershey, Mars and the Kellogg brothers. And, in case you think only men made the list, Marjorie Post took over the business run by her father, C.W. Post, and further developed it to become General Foods.
While many of these industry leaders used any means possible (especially since most regulations were lax in those days), including implementing actions that would be considered highly unethical by today’s standards, their visions are still awe-inspiring. They were able to grasp and look beyond the current challenges facing them as well as those well into the future.
What can we learn from the stories about these leaders? And what do they tell us about leadership today?
Search “leadership” on Google or whatever search engine you use, and you will find a plethora of articles about what makes a good leader. But looking back at the 20’s, these are common characteristics.
Vision. They saw beyond their immediate environment and envisioned how they could change the world on a large scale.
High degree of risk taking. They were willing to bet all they had on their envisioned success, even if they stumbled and fell as they built their companies.
Perseverance. Many of them saw doors slammed in their faces, endured the criticisms of families and friends, and constantly faced challenges with money. Yet they pursued their dreams even in the face of opposition and naysayers.
Passion. While their heads took the logical pathways, their hearts stayed true to their course.
Goal to improve lives. This may sound a little touchy feely, but Henry Ford wanted the middle class to afford cars, Madame C. J. Walker wanted hair products for a market no one else was addressing, and Kellogg’s corn flakes began as a health food to cure many ailments.
Trust building. They were able to create a small army who believed in the vision and trusted their leader to make it come true, even through many stumbles and falls.
How can we channel that today? Is there still a need for vision? In the nonprofit world, leaders today need all these attributes. When we engage clients in strategic planning, we encourage them to look beyond the future of just their organization and toward a vision for our city, state, region and even beyond. What do you want the world to be like for your population of stakeholders? How can you broaden that vision to include the lives of those outside your domain?Imagine. Then determine your piece of making that vision happen (what we call “mission”).
As for those other qualities, they really can’t be taught as they are innate at best. But once there is a dream — a vision, if you can build a team that can handle the risk, persevere, and have a worthy goal, you can usually encourage others to go along with you for the ride.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful outlines a strategic plan focused on vulnerable neighborhoods
by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-Profit News
When developing its current strategic plan, team members of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., (KIB) had no intention of overhauling the mission that had served the organization for more than 40 years — making it Indiana’s largest environmental community engagement organization.
Yet, they understood the critical need to advance racial and social equity in the wake of increased awareness about those challenges in recent years, according to KIBI President & CEO Jeremy Kranowitz.
Jeremy Kranowitz, KIB President & CEO
That type of work wasn’t necessarily new to KIB. “We have always looked at parts of the city that needed to improve tree canopy and focused our energy there,” Kranowitz said. “There’s more to do in some parts of the city than in areas like Eagle Creek or Geist.”
After devoting months to shaping its strategic plan, the KIB mapped out a four-page document that clearly outlines a path for further investing in vulnerable neighborhoods. The plan, which includes a commitment to in-depth research and agency-wide awareness about its mission, has given KIB a deeper appreciation for how its environmental mission can positively impact vulnerable neighborhoods in more ways than its founders had originally imagined, according to Kranowitz.
Through new partnerships, research, and projects, KIB is increasingly realizing that the practice of planting trees and creating green spaces has more than aesthetic value, Kranowitz said. These types of environmental projects can enhance well-being and health outcomes as well as contribute to a decrease in criminal activity, he added.
Collaborating on a shared vision
For example, through a partnership with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), KIB is helping to analyze levels of lead in the soil of underserved communities. As part of the transformation of an abandoned lot into a green space in a Far Eastside neighborhood, KIB and IUPUI will measure the lead content in the soil before and after the development to determine if levels diminished. The project is being funded by a $10,000 grant from CareSource.
“Exposure to environmental contaminants severely impacts brain development of children in many neighborhoods, and this impact is seen disproportionately in lower income communities of color,” said Dr. Gabriel Filippelli, executive director of Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute. “By engaging with community members in the process of collecting and interpreting environmental data, we can help to activate communities for positive change — including supporting the expansion of urban green spaces, which improve community health and counteract negative effects from climate change.”
If the development of the green space results in lead abatement in the previously abandoned lot, the team will identify other sites that meet similar criteria for intervention, Kranowitz said.
The partnership came naturally, Kranowitz recalled. “There’s an interesting overlay between health and environment,” he said. “The project grew out of some conversations about shared concerns. It was interesting to us because we were creating a great space there. We didn’t we didn’t write the strategic planning with the intent of getting the grant.”
The identified neighborhood also was of interest to CareSource because the insurance company has numerous clients who live in the area.
Kranowitz said that KIB will continue to explore how its focus on environmental projects can have positive outcomes beyond those it already has identified. In addition to health benefits, KIB is seeking to better understand the impact of environment projects on levels of crime.
He noted that a team at the University of Michigan, which has been researching various ways to reduce violent crime, found that incidents declined in urban neighborhoods where vacant lots were regularly mowed, compared to vacant lots that remained neglected.
Kranowitz believes that type of research can have a far-reaching impact if further explored. “What if we’re planting pollinator friendly plants and fruit-bearing trees, installing play areas, and creating a space where the community can intentionally engage in a previously abandoned lot? Is that going to create an even bigger drop in violent crime?” Kranowitz asked. “My hypothesis is that it will.”
A user-friendly strategic plan
In developing its strategic plan, KIB also recognized the advantages of keeping it concise and user-friendly, Kranowitz said. The condensed four-page document outlines KIB’s mission and vision as follows:
Mission: KIB’s mission is to engage diverse communities to create vibrant public places, helping people and nature thrive.
Vision: KIB sees a beautiful Indianapolis that is loved, cared for, and ecologically rich. A city defined by strong neighborhoods, inspired places, and a clean, flourishing environment. KIB will engage and empower people to improve environmental equity throughout the city.
One of the key components of KIB’s strategic plan is the Key Neighborhood Identification Tool (KNIT), an approach that ensures impact in vulnerable neighborhoods in intentional, rather than incidental, helping the organization identify neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis where KIB resources can have the greatest positive impact.
As a result of using the tool, KIB was able to identify 10 focus areas “where social vulnerability is highest, tree canopy coverage is lowest, litter is highest, and KIB’s past involvement and use of resources has been lowest.” The strategic plan also emphasizes the importance of building relationships among the residents of each area, ensuring that any projects are collaborative.
Kranowitz said that the concise strategic plan ensures that every employee understands where they fit within the organization.
“There are a few key objectives that we’re trying to reach within each of those goals,” he said. “They are made evident to everyone on staff. An entry-level employee will understand where they fit in, how their job helps us accomplish this objective, which is helping us achieve this overarching goal, which is making a difference in Indianapolis. Everyone understands the role they’re playing and how that helps us achieve and accomplish our mission.”
Employee engagement and retention are top of mind these days as “The Great Resignation” rages on. Workers are becoming less willing to accept policies they don’t agree with, treatment they don’t deserve, and negative impacts on their mental health. They’re leaving organizations that don’t meet their needs and searching for ones that do – and with so many positions opening up, they’ve got plenty of options to choose from!
If you’re looking to avoid the fallout from “The Great Resignation” (or recover from it!), we’re here to help. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but these are some areas you should consider.
Rethink Compensation Engagement is not all about money, but it is important. It’s hard to stay positive and productive if you’re having trouble paying your bills. A compensation analysis can help you find out whether you’re offering competitive pay.
Change your policies Are your policies and practices working for your team? Take a look at things like flexible work schedules, PTO, benefits, parental resources, etc. Accommodating your team’s needs may be the support they need to stay onboard. Don’t make assumptions, though! Not everyone wants the same things. Ask your team what they want and offer options that will meet different workers’ needs where possible.
Invest in your people People stay longer at companies that give them opportunities for growth. Offering more development to your team may help you build loyalty. The good news is there are lots of different ways to do this. You can sign them up for a training series, send them to workshops and webinars, host training sessions in-house, set them up with a coach…the list goes on!
Hire the right fit One often-overlooked way to improve retention is to hire the right person off the bat. If you can identify someone who’s going to be a great fit, not only for the role, but also for your organization, you’ve got a better chance of them sticking around for a while.
Treat exiting employees right Unfortunately, sometimes you have to make the difficult decision to let employees go. When you do, offering them outplacement is a great choice, not only for your organization and the exiting employees, but also for the remaining employees’ morale. They’ll see you treating their departing coworkers respectfully and with compassion, leading to increased job satisfaction, productivity, and engagement.
Think about workload If your team’s getting burned out from overwork, it might be a good idea to outsource some of that workload to someone else. An outsourced consultant can take on a project for you or take care of some day-to-day tasks to free up time for your team.
If your team is not engaged and turnover is high, it’s time to think about making some changes. Not everyone wants the same things, so the important thing is talking to your team and finding out what they’re looking for in the workplace.
And if all this seems daunting, don’t worry – Purple Ink can help with any of the items listed above and more. Reach out to us to talk about what HR solutions might be right for your team.
by Dave Voris, vice president, regional treasury management officer, Horizon Bank
No matter your income as a nonprofit employee, tax time is a great time to meet with a financial services expert.
As all necessary tax information is gathered for income taxes, it is also valuable information for your trusted financial services specialist, who can guide you on the best financial products to meet your goals or your current needs.
When it comes to wealth creation, it can be difficult to keep track of all your sources of revenue and manage your money effectively to hit the short- and long-term financial goals you have identified.
To make wealth creation a smoother process for you and your family, developing a custom financial plan tailored to your situation and needs is vital. Below are some of the reasons to create a financial plan, if you haven’t done so already:
Develop a values-based, multi-generational financial plan
Analyze your entire financial picture for missed resources and opportunities
Benefit from sensible advice from financial advisors, legal counsel, and tax accountants of your choosing
Ensure that your goals and dreams for you and your children will be reached
Reassure you and your family that your financial future is in good hands
Determine your personal and financial retirement goals
Learn how to protect your assets for future financial stability
Discover retirement planning opportunities such as 401(k) plans, IRAs, or potential future inheritances
Think of your financial plan as a road map, of sorts, to help guide you towards your goals. A good plan should be centered on your specific needs, adaptable, trackable, and able to be modified. It should be reviewed and updated during your formal reviews.
More often than not, when Indianapolis neighborhoods like Riverside, United Northwest and Clifton Place are mentioned, the conversation is likely to veer toward what needs to be fixed. Or what’s wrong with them, according to De’Amon Harges, the co-founder of The Learning Tree, a nonprofit focused on using asset based community development (ABCD) to change that narrative about many low-income neighborhoods.
This approach to sustainable community development avoids a focus on handouts — or outside solutions — for challenges like food insecurity, food deserts, high unemployment, vandalism and crime. Instead it explores the strengths, skills, resources and experience among the members of the community and finds ways to mobilize them into action to address those challenges. For The Learning Tree team, this work begins with one-on-one conversations with people in the communities they support.
Harges, who also consults with organizations globally about ABCD, offered an example on how it can differ from prevailing approaches used by many well-meaning organizations and government agencies.
When a beautification project was launched to enhance Indianapolis urban communities, including the ones served by The Learning Tree, artists were called upon to apply for a grant for the project. “There was probably $150,000 on the table to pay someone else from outside to do the work,” Harges recalled.
Because of their previous interactions with residents throughout the communities of Riverside, United Northwest and Clifton Place, The Learning Tree team already had identified 45 artists who were capable of producing the artistic pieces.
“We ended up getting that grant, putting that money into the hands of people with talent right here in the neighborhood,” Harges said.
Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Jeff Bennett, who became aware of Harges’ impact in local neighborhoods more than 15 years ago, said the relationship-driven approach to community building has numerous advantages. “There is more to community development than just dollars in, dollars out,” Bennett said. “As much, if not more, impact can be made at the human level through relationship building. So, often at the government level, we can be so top down. We devise and fund programs that we think communities want or need without listening to what a neighborhood says it could use in order to direct their own future.
“That’s where an organization like the Learning Tree excels so well,” Bennett added. “They can get to the heart of a neighborhood’s concern much more quickly and comprehensively than other organizations that do community development.”
Transforming neighborhoods, one individual at a time
ABCD is not new as a methodology for the sustainable development of communities. During the 1990s, John L. McKnight and John P. Kretzmann of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University, coined the term. They explored the benefits of this approach in the book, Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing A Community’s Assets.
Broadway United Methodist Church, located on the city’s Near Northside, followed the guidance of ABCD about 20 years ago when a pastor tapped Harges to become a “roving listener.” In that role, Harges engaged in one-on-one conversations with his neighbors throughout the surrounding urban neighborhood.
Instead of focusing on what was wrong with those neighborhoods, Harges sought out meaningful connections as a way to discover talents and gifts among his neighbors, which in most cases, were previously hidden from view.
He continues those types of conversations in his role at The Learning Tree.
Tysha Ahmad, owner of Mother Love’s Garden, is among the neighbors he connected with while walking through the area.
Ahmad had already unknowingly put ABCD into practice by teaming up with a group of neighbors to develop a food co-op after Marsh grocery stores in the area simultaneously closed, creating a food desert. Ahmad retired from her work in the insurance industry to become an urban farmer, producing produce to support the co-op.
“Those who have the means pay more for a bag, which helps cover the costs for those who don’t necessarily have the means, including seniors and those who have SNAP or EBT,” Ahmad explained.
And after that chance encounter with Harges, she now regularly hosts a summer camp to teach youth about growing produce, agricultural careers and the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, a project supported by The Learning Tree.
Other projects that have developed under The Learning Tree include a bike shop run by local youth as part of a summer program, workshops hosted by entrepreneurs who have been tapped to coach youth in business skills; living documentaries captured by poets, storytellers and photographers; and regular community gatherings catered by neighbors.
“There are people in neighborhoods, especially Black and brown neighborhoods, whose talents are untapped,” Harges said. “We need to find those gifts so they can be utilized in ways that build community, economy and mutual delight.”
