 Welcome to another episode of the nonprofit show. Today's a special day. We don't do these very often, but we're having a master class and our guest today is none other than Jared ransom, the nonprofit nerd, I like to say she's my nonprofit nerd, but in truth, she's your nonprofit nerd. You do say that. I what you do say that you're like she's mine all mine. Oh yeah, no, no, no, it's true. And you know, when I've got a question, I go to Jared ransom the nonprofit nerd CEO of the Raven group. If we haven't met yet I'm Julia Patrick CEO of the American nonprofit Academy, and I am delighted to say that we have all of these sponsors that are here with us, supporting this discussion. You know we're the nation's only daily broadcast for the nonprofit sector. That's a pretty big concept. Well and we thought it was going to last two weeks and here we are two years 425 episodes strong and we really do have to give so much credit to our presenting sponsors and our viewers. It's true. It's true. By the way, last week of our viewer survey so if you haven't taken it. Get on to that because we really want to know what you're thinking about. Okay so ending the year with strength, Jared ransom, the nonprofit nerd, like I always say my nonprofit nerd. I want to share its information, but more importantly, you've got five steps or tips or concepts, whatever you want to call them for us to be looking at, so that we can end our year strong. And I really like that you came up with this because, as opposed to just, oh we got to survive the year you're like no. We're, we're moving forward we're going strong yet this might be a challenge but guess what, that's what we do best. Absolutely, and yesterday was giving Tuesday so today is exhaustion Wednesday. And you know I woke up yesterday with probably 20 emails, a handful of text all around giving Tuesday. I've shared before we've talked about this Julia. There are 1.8 million nonprofits registered in our nation and the final several you are the final months of the year is really the last couple of miles of the marathon that we've been running so I say that because it is not time to let off the gas. It is time to stay consistent right. And so yesterday was giving Tuesday we just had Thanksgiving, but we have other winter holidays right right upon us and so there this is the season of giving. So in December statistically about 13% of the nation's operating budgets are raised in December alone and we are in that month now, believe it or not. And so what I like to do in this final stretch again I'm going to refer to it as a marathon, which actually I've, well I've only done half marathons in real life. And I do this method it's the Jeff Galloway method and I really want to write a blog post about this, but Jeff Galloway has this running method where you actually keep your pace. Or even if that's proper grammar by running and then walking. So instead of running the entire distance. If you take a break and you kind of reset and you walk for, you know, a couple of minutes and then you pick up that same pace. That way your pace doesn't taper off throughout the marathon or the half marathon so I always look at you know the year as a marathon using this Jeff Galloway method. So I hope I don't get trademark infringement or, or, you know, any of that. But let's start by looking back at the previous 11 months and I want you to look back in a way of celebration because I really do want you to celebrate all of the things that you have accomplished all of the new navigation that we've all had to done before, often by default. So look back at the last 11 months, and look back with the lens and the perspective of accomplishment. I really do want you to do that. I encourage you to do this with your board with your committees with yourself with your team, and really list these out list the things that went well. And that is the first I, you know, project is to look back. Now then I want you to look forward. This whole looking back looking forward forward for 2022 and I want you to identify. What is that thing, or things that you will be so upset by if you don't tackle in the new year. So these workshops and as you had said earlier Julia, this masterclass is something that I typically would provide by way of a conference or workshop. And I use the same looking back and looking forward. So looking forward again, what are the things or things project or projects that you really want to tackle in the new year and if you don't, you'll be really upset. So that is a hint to help you identify what your goals should be set for in the new year or those projects that you would be so upset if you didn't tackle them. And I think what I love what you just said, and that is this helps support those structures that we put in place whether it be strategic planning, or communications and should be a little bit of everything. But so we know where we're going forward and how we, how we get everybody, as I always like to say rowing in the same direction. So this Jarrett number two is really interesting. You, you say we need to reconnect with our why. I love Ted talks, I really do love Ted talks. And maybe many of you are also familiar of the why Simon cynic it's a beautiful Ted talk, and I often use this Ted talk of the brief version for my strategic planning compliance and this is a great exercise to really grounds yourself at the end of the year as you prepare for next year, reconnect with your personal why reconnect with your organizations why maybe we did some mission creep over the last year. Maybe we did some dollar chasing over the last year. Now's the time to really settle in and identify and reconnect with that why so I encourage you to pull up the Ted talk and listen to that, listen to it again and really resonate with the words that he shares, because knowing your why, I believe, keeps those blinders on and laser focused for our mission driven goals. So when we have our 2022 goals, we no longer are pulled in that mission creep or dollar chasing opportunity, we can really stay focused I know is a no and a yes is a heck yes. So really knowing our why is a great way to, again, just recenter ground yourself as we come up on the final miles of this marathon and move into the next year. You know, I like that dear, because I think for so many of us, we are, especially during this time of Kobe and the other pandemics that we've often talked about social injustice, you know, economics, education, environmental, civil unrest, or discontent, you know, this has put us in a ping pong match. Oh yes, in a nonprofit I mean we're that little white ball that's going everywhere. And so I like that you bring this up as point two because I think sometimes we you know we wake up and we're like okay what's the crisis today. How do we navigate it. Well and we are known for this as nonprofits that we often unfortunately are reactive right so we're reacting to something that's happening as opposed to being proactive. And I really do believe that reconnecting with your why being very clear in your yeses and your are your heck yeses I'm going to call them love that. Right then then you're really able to to focus on what exactly really matters so that you, you know, you're, you're putting out the energy specific to your mission, and it is very clear. So, okay well that was pretty ding dang good. So number three, revise and renew your contracts and commitments. I serve Julia and you know this is interim succession leadership and so I serve in the roles of chief development officer. I serve in the role of chief operating officer, and even chief executive officer for organizations. And when I come in, I, I immediately do an organizational assessment within that assessment it includes the capturing and in review of all contracts and I'm talking, you know, organizational contracts building contracts employee contracts, all contracts. Database contracts technology right like literally a plethora of these. And I really think this is a great practice for leadership and department heads to do annually right what are the contracts that we are currently in. Are they still needed. Are we maximizing our contract with this company individual product or service, and do we want to renew it. Right and so I really do think going down to the foundational level of what are the contracts that we have entered in, regardless of timing, and identify their return on investment right so really do look at, okay we're using this marketing person, we're in a contract with them. Are we truly seeing that return on investment that we intended when we signed this contract. Maybe it's a grant writer looking at the contract with your grant writer, or grant writing team to see if it is still a contract that you want to continue. And let's say you don't now's a time to perhaps off board this this contract, or maybe you do want to continue but you'd really like to level set those expectations of working together. So I put this in here as a best practice, finish the year strong to really identify what's working and let's take some time some pause and really, you know, evaluate if this is something we want to continue. Yeah, I think when I first saw this, and because for 30 years being in the media everything was very contract driven and I'm like, Oh my God, did she need breaking contracts. And I get what you're saying you're not saying breaking contracts, but instead of just like oh my God the contracts over we got to just, you know sign and move forward. So you're more proactive on where you move forward and where you might have to put more dollars in or pull back or open up an RFP, so that you can look at at the marketplace more holistically. I would say that so many of us because of these pandemics. We've had to shift how we're using our businesses and our contracting methods and the contracted products and people in services. Absolutely. So I mean, I mean just from I think of like the real estate issue. I mean how many of us don't need all that real estate that we have. You don't just do that, you know the oh the contracts up on Tuesday so let's start working on it on Monday. Printing machines copy machines, they are sitting dormant and offices unplugged literally collecting dust there's a lot of changes happening right now. You know parking passes right like if you work in an organization, and you have a parking garage or a parking pass, you might want to, you know, cut out some of that that may not be necessary moving forward so I'm saying all contracts, and then also really looking at it as you as you were you know saying Julia, I'm not saying let's cancel these and let's get out of these early, but let's really be, you know, a tune to what is it that we are in contract with what is the deliverable and the expectation is it still needed, and is it still needed at the same level. You know, I can, because I mean so oftentimes I do this I, I hear what our guests say, and then I'm like trying to apply it to my own business and world at the same point in time. Always. Absolutely. I mean, so I'm like sitting you're going ding ding ding ding ding ding my little head thinking, oh my gosh that's true, and we need to look at this because I think also in the world of contracting. You know it used to be that you actually had a start in a stop date, but now we are seeing that these things are somewhat perpetual and it's like, Oh well if you don't want to, you know continue just let us know it's like a quick little email, and automatically we sign you up. And I think there's so many of these subscription types of services that are non-profits are engaged in. Very much so. I myself have a 30 day out clause with all of my contracts. And so that is something that, you know, I have done because if it's not working for the client or it's not working for me, I never want anybody to feel that they are held hostage in a situation or working relationship that is not proving to be beneficial. But I also think that, you know, it really does when we look at the great resignation, Julia, and we look at our gig economy, we have so many professionals that have moved out of an employee capacity into a contract employee role. And many times, you know, and it's called giggers, right? These these economy employees really looking at creating a payroll for themselves by themselves through gig work. And that is is a great opportunity, I think, that is that perpetual renewal, just like our Netflix and our Hulu and all of our, you know, it's just new memberships. Yeah, all of those memberships. And I really do think, you know, a lot of that comes from that subscription based model that we've become so familiar with. And some contracts may have less than 30 days, they might have a 14 day window. So again, revise, renew, see what's working, and if it's something that you do want to continue, and it is proving beneficial for your ROI. I love it. I'm so appreciative that you shared that concept with us. Yeah, that's good. That's really, really good. Okay, wow. 123 have been blockbusters. I mean, I'm hoping number four is good. I mean, the pressure's on the pressure's on. Well, and this seems very, you know, basic is to understand your goals and fill in any year, right? Last year, it's understanding your 21 goals coming up at your 22. And this can be an evergreen, you know, master class, insert 2023 for, you know, the following year. But really, now that we know our why we've looked and we've renewed our contracts that are serving us well, understand our goals clearly, right? Understand exactly what we're looking to achieve. And have that laid out so clear. And I'm going to go back to what I said previously, your nose or a solid no, and your yes is a heck yes. And that way, you understand without a doubt what you want to achieve this year. Now, my number one, looking back, looking forward. Again, you've already created some of these goals in that step in and of itself. So looking forward, if you remember, it really is identifying, what are those projects? Are those things that you would be so upset about if you did not accomplish them? Those are some of your goals. You know, it's really interesting, because I feel like I'm super conflicted about this, because I'm like super I start my goals setting for the next year, every October, I let I digest it, I have somebody that I share it with who's not in my organization that I just go over with. And then she tells me yay, nay, what she knows me personally, and she knows my business, but it's kind of a voice that is above me, so to speak. She's not directly engaged with me every day. And then things come in and they go out. I mean, these past two years with the pandemics, all these changes, I think it's been very easy to say, yeah, that goal is out the window. But I've tried really hard to say, no, these were good goals, I'm going to stick with them. And I'm wondering, you know, how we do that? Is that is that the right thing to do? Or do we stop? And we say no, all new goals? I mean, can you help me with that a little bit? We don't have a lot of time. But this is a big concept for me. I think it depends, right? And again, I've shared in a previous episode, when I create goals, I coach my clients and work with my clients to create three levels, a good, a better and a best goal. So I would approach this a couple of ways. One, have you achieved your good, better or best goal? Your best is typically your stretch, right? It's like, wow, we would have to really do everything perfectly to achieve this best stretch goal. But your good and your better, right? So maybe you've achieved your your good goal, Julia, and you could continue to your better or maybe you're just like, you know what, I am perfectly content and pleased with reaching and achieving my good goal. So I think you see it that way. Yeah, that helps me a lot. That helps me a lot. Good. The other thing is, if your goal is no longer relevant, as this has been the case over the last two years with many organizations, it might be time to course correct. And it doesn't mean that you did something wrong. It means that that goal is simply unattainable at this time for unforeseen circumstances, that you simply need to course correct, pivot the word of 21, and really identify what would be a better goal. And again, good, better and best. I really like to have these three levels. Because again, going back to my number one, I want you to celebrate. So I really want all of us to have something to celebrate. And if we have these three levels, hopefully, we are celebrating at least the good, right? Yeah, looking for the better, and then that stretch goal at the best. So I'm going to witness to you, I'm going to go back. I do my review with my person on the 13. I'm going to go back and do that, Jarrett, because I haven't done that. I lump them all together. I can't wait. Absolutely. I mean, and for those of you watching, Jarrett is not my person that I know. I mean, so yeah, okay, that's really interesting. I'll report back. Yeah. Thank you, Jarrett. Absolutely. He is a masterclass. It's fun. I really enjoy this. I use a lot of these same tactics when I do my executive coaching one on one with my clients, as well as it of course is peppered into my strategic planning. So these are all just woven into one another as you look at achieving goals and being proactive in what you want to accomplish. Yeah, they really do live within each other. And I think they, they strengthen all five of these points, strengthen every piece. And so that leads us to our last piece. And that's number five, show gratitude. Right. So going back to last year's goals, show gratitude to your team, to your committee, to your board, to those volunteers, to yourself, to your family, to all of those individuals that allowed you to be of service to your community. And I really do hope that you take this way, or this path rather, in a very sincere and gratuitous manner, because this is such an opportunity to extend gratitude. We do it every day, Julia, to our presenting sponsors, but we do it at a different level, you know, at certain times of the year, and always at the end of the year, because this is a great opportunity to extend that gratuitous action. And then also really looking at your donors, right. So your, your volunteers, your in kind donors, your financial donors, all of these individuals that have allowed you to achieve those goals that you either set or reset, since we just had that question for me, Julia, through the last year and come from this place of accomplishment and come from this place of gratitude. We talked a lot over the last two years about not only ROI, but ROR, that return on relationship. And this is when that ROR or return on relationship is practiced at a depth and breadth, unlike any other. So having an attitude of gratitude as you create your 2022 goals, and you celebrate your accomplishments from last year, and all of the individuals that helped you and your organization achieve what you have over the last 11 months. You know, I'm thinking about this, is that do you think that this is the appropriate place to, when you're sharing your gratitude, as opposed to, you know, here's a ham for the holidays to say, look, you know, these were our goals. And because of you, that BOI, because of you, we were able to make those goals. And that's where that's a gratitude point for us. I mean, can you, can you take it in that direction? Absolutely. If you do an impact report, an annual report, an executive director or CEO letter, a department letter, anything that you send to your constituency base, they are absolutely the reason that have helped you get to where you are. For whatever, you know, the small, the big donations, the time that's been volunteered. So absolutely. I think it really is that BOI because of you, that we have so much gratitude, and we are able to accomplish fill in the blank for whatever your mission is, right? We were able to accomplish, you know, bigger, bigger goals this year. Or I know a lot of clients, they might have served less people, but in a more in depth manner. And that is also a very great opportunity to extend and show gratitude to the individuals that make that happen. Yeah, I think that's an amazing thing to really tie this up with a bow, so to speak. I mean, because it's so important and something that we oftentimes lose sight of because we're working so hard on the next crisis or whatever. And we just, you know, we don't do it enough. And I think that's, that's not just in the nonprofit sector. I mean, that's in the for-profit sector too. I mean, Oh, everything. I think it's all around us. Check off the box. What's next? Check off the box. What's next? But again, today's Wednesday. Yesterday was giving Tuesday. It's a great day to show gratitude to all of the individuals that supported the campaign and allowed for whatever success you achieved a good, better, or a best goal. Hopefully you set three levels, but really looking at a way to extend that sincere gratitude to all of these individuals. And I always like to come from a place that setting goals is not scary, right? It really is looking to achieve a level of greatness. And we are able to identify what these goals are. We are able to look back. We're able to look forward. We're able to, you know, again, just use this opportunity, as I've referred to it earlier in the episode, we are in the final mile of the marathon. Well, Jared Ransom, as we tackle number five, I have the utmost gratitude for you. I mean, you have done amazing things in my world. Shaking it up. You're lots of fun. You're crazy smart. I mean, it's all super good. And every day is a joy to be with this amazing thought leader that she lives in my community and that we, somehow the planets aligned and we met. I have, it's crazy to me. I have no idea how that all happened, but it was meant to be. And here we are. So here's Jared Ransom, the non-profit nerds, my non-profit nerd, your non-profit nerd. Here's her information. Check her out. She does have some great blog posts that she has on her website. And I find that those are great inspirational pieces that go back. She's a terrific writer. I'm talking about you like you're not even here. Well, there's downloads, there's free bees, there's some low investment downloads as well on my website. So however I can help and be of service, you know, reach out. Absolutely. So thank you. It is such a joy to be here. I've shared this before, but starting my day each and every day here on the non-profit show, thanks to our presenting sponsors and thanks to you, Julia, for having this banana's idea that it would last two weeks. And here we are, of course, you know, 400, almost 50, so strong. Yeah, almost 450. I have gained so much knowledge from our conversations. I have gained so much wisdom and sage advice from many, many, many of our national guests that we've had on and so grateful to have this opportunity because it grows me as a professional and it grows me as a person. And it's really been great to see that development. Hey, it's been amazing. And again, we want to thank all of our sponsors for being here. Heads up. We are, you know, booking into next year. If you have an interest of something you'd like to share with us, reach out. I'll give you a little hint. Ms. Jared Ransom is kind of the one who does the booking. I mean, I do some of it, but the heavy work is done by this woman. So get on her good side. Thank you already. We have already started booking into 22. So there and there are a lot. I was on it this morning. There are a lot of dates that are gone. Yeah, that are gone. I was just like, whoa. But yeah, again, our sponsors help us with this conversation moving forward. And we would love to chat with you if you're interested in joining this amazing thing. As we end every, every day, every episode of the nonprofit show, we want to remind everyone to stay well. So you can do well. We'll see you back here tomorrow for a special edition with a nonprofit thought leader. Thanks so much, everyone. Thank you, Jared.