By Thom Peters

I must admit that one of my favorite shows on TV continues to be the same one I grew up with:  The Andy Griffith Show.  I sometimes wonder if this is a reflection of how good this show is or how bad today’s shows are (offenses meant for Snooki, The Donald and those not very real housewives).

Many have written nostalgically about how the show portrays a slower time (just how long did Barney and Thelma Lou date anyway?), sense of community (anytime someone left, the whole town – band included – came out to send them off) and relationship of a father and son (Pa learning as much from his son as Opie from Andy).

But my favorite lesson is from the actor Andy Griffith himself.  If you watch the very early episodes, you will notice that Andy plays the role as the funny one.  Andy Taylor has that goofy drawl and starts out as a bit of a simpleton.

But Andy Griffith soon realized that the magic of the show was in the other characters.  He became the straight man to Barney, Otis, Gomer and Goober.  Who knows how long the show would have lasted or if the lessons would still resonate today if Andy hadn’t realize what role he needed to take.

I think there is a lesson here on leadership.  We all bring certain skill sets and qualities to our work.  But I think our success can be measured in what role we choose to take with those around us.  Good teams need members who play certain roles.  As a leader and a team member, I think it is important that we look at those around us and play the role that best supports success for the group.

Have you ever had to change your style in order for your team to be successful?  Was it easy or a challenge?  How do you know when it’s time to alter your role to let your team shine?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

By Bruce Berglund

Community campaigns have come a long way.

You can blame it on technology or the changing lifestyles of American families, or simply the speed at which information travels these days, but one thing is for sure: “face to face” doesn’t look the same anymore.

Some organizations are intimidated by this new reality and are stubbornly sticking to the same practices that campaigns have used over the past 50+ years.  Others are taking advantage of these new ways to ask with humor, sincerity and a great personality. Whether they be in person or streaming on the web, there’s no doubt that face to face asks are still a critical tool in any community campaign.

The Monroe County YMCA in Bloomington, Indiana is in the final stages of their campaign to remodel their current facility and to build a new one on the northwest side of town.  Thanks to the generous support of major donors, they are well on their way, but they know that a Y needs the support of the whole community to really succeed.

To that end, Roberta Kelzer, their CEO, has created a series of videos that are posted on the Y’s website, Facebook page, etc, to explain the different parts of the project, why they’re needed and what the results will be.  She’s taken a complex case for support and boiled it down to simple messages that anyone in the community – be they a Y member or not – can appreciate.

Here’s how they’ve been sharing the videos with their supporters on their email lists:

We have some exciting news to share!

As many of you know, the pools have always been the top priority as part of our current facility renovation.  You might see a story in The Herald Times this week about plans for the pool renovation.  As we continue to face more and more repairs to keep the teaching pool operating effectively, the board of directors is looking at a long term solution that will help us serve more members and families. Learn more by watching my latest video!

Watch Roberta’s Weekly Update: Pool Renovation

If you haven’t seen my first two video updates about a Gymnastics Center on Short Street and Family Outreach Center in Fountain Square Mall, check them out!

I look forward to keeping you as up to date as possible on the future plans of the YMCA!

Roberta

In this age of video-capable smart phones and inexpensive video editing software, there’s no reason that you can’t rethink the “face to face” part of your next campaign too!

We’ll lift up more great examples as we come across them.  Have one you’d like to share?  Let us know!

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By Michele Goodrich

Last week I received a form letter from a not-for-profit organization asking me to make a contribution to their annual appeal.  This is certainly not an unusual occurrence; I receive fundraising letters often.  However, this one got my attention because I hadn’t heard from this particular organization since I retired from their board over a decade ago.

When I was a board member, I contributed fairly generously.  However, I haven’t continued to make contributions to them because no one has asked me in years.  As a result, I have found other organizations and causes to support in its place.

I don’t think my experience as a past board member is unusual.  Unless an organization has a system in place to keep past board members involved, they can lose track of them pretty quickly. There are just too many other not-for-profits out there ready, willing and able to scoop up experienced board members.  For many organizations, that could mean a fairly significant volunteer leadership “churn rate.”

There are ways to keep retired board members involved.  Organizations can slow down that churn.  Some form an honorary board or create board emeritus positions to keep people involved, informed and engaged.  Others hold annual events just for past board members to keep them close.  Retired board members can be just as valuable to your organization as those who are currently active. They are already knowledgeable and supportive and can provide a wealth of experience to your organization in many ways outside of the traditional board model.

If you want to re-engage past board members and make sure current ones aren’t forgotten over the years, a system needs to be put in place so there is continuity and consistency.  Your organization will be richer for the effort.

What are you doing to keep past board members engaged in your organization?  Please share your ideas with us.