Some of the most important work we do is very low profile, but has very high impact. This isn't the kind of work that gets your organization an award or gets your founder a book contract (Three Cups of Low Profile Work?). But think about changing the accounting rules for nonprofits, or changing your own organization's accounting system. Developing a simpler client intake form. Bringing together the opponents on an issue and working out a compromise. None of these will make headlines, but each can make a substantial, crucial change in nonprofit effectiveness.
This issue we look at four such low profile/high impact activities:
- Some practices that are usually kept beneath the radar: nonprofit activity related to elections.
- How to prevent going to jail for mis-classification of employees. (If you're willing to go to jail, go for something important, not this.)
- Three teeny tips for improving board agendas that are so teeny people may not even notice them consciously . . . but they'll have a big impact.
- And finally, an updated review and rating 31 nonprofit job sites (send to people you know who are hiring or looking for jobs)
Let's try to change the culture away from equating profile and impact. Think of other work you do that combines low profile with high impact. Make sure other people know about it, and learn to recognize these "low-high" undertakings.
* Be on the lookout for a special issue of Blue Avocado coming soon with amazingly deep discount offers, each available for four days only, including fundraising software Exceed! marked down to only $99, "Understand and Change Your Business Model" webinar with Jan Masaoka and St
eve Zimmerman for nearly free, and a free webinar on Employee Policies for Social Networking. And more.
As always, we welcome your comments on the site as well as by writing to us. We have the best 62,000 subscribers in the world! — Jan Masaoka & the Blue Avocado Steering Committee
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