Sometimes we are not even aware of the value that our perspective on issues might have for someone else. At those times we might tend to say no to a requested meeting because we think we just do not have the time. Yet often these meetings can be stimulating and invigorating. The questions and challenges that are posed can cause us to think about issues in a new or different way. Another person's search can often provide us with opportunities to rethink our own ideas and to question assumptions we have made in the past about ideas, concepts, and organizations. Continue reading here.

Networking Benefits Everyone, January 16, 2013, eJP, by Stephen G. Donshik

Often nonprofit leaders see the COO as the Superman/woman who will bring order to operational chaos, institute some decent management practices, address the whole range of people issues, and generally make life easier for the executive director (ED). But that's not always the case. Getting things back on track often requires more than a COO. Continue reading here.

I Need a COO: The Translation, January 10, 2013, The Bridgespan Group, by Nicki Roth

Our brains are hard wired to relate to other people's experiences. When we witness or imagine someone acting, our own neurons fire in the same way they would if we were undertaking the same action. When we translate empathy into helping another person, we have another reaction in our brains:  We're rewarded with happy feelings, thanks to a chemical dose to our brain's pleasure center. The next time you send a message out to the world, make sure:

1. It tells a vivid story of someone doing good
2. It shows the reaction of the person helped
3. It inspires the rest of us to do the same

This is the incredibly simple, science-driven way to connect and compel. Continue reading here.

The Incredibly Simple, Science-Driven Way to Connect and Compel, January 15, 2013, Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog, by Katya Andersen