Leadership and Administrative DynamicsEckerd Fall 2011

Agenda

The ethics of leadership.

When doing good turns bad.

Change and the people who hate it.Strategic Planning

Effective Writing

Ethics

Developing a culture, mission and values for an organization.

Nonprofit Scandals

The Organization

Moving the Agency Forward

Memo Writing

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE WILLIAM STRUNK, JR.

Subject Verb Object Good Sentence

John Writes BooksGood

Sentence

• This paper serves to illustrate the great divide between what would be considered to be elegant writing and what would be considered poor, repetitive, verbose writing, in which the reader quickly loses the original point of the sentence as we cascade through a variety of ideas that are all largely the same.

• This paper serves to illustrates the great divide difference between what would be considered to be elegant writing and what would be considered poor, repetitive, verbose writing, in which the reader quickly loses the original point of the sentence is lost. as we cascade through a variety of ideas that are all largely the same.

• I shall always remember my first visit to Boston. • This is much better than: • My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.

• What happens if you remove “by me?”

Active Voice is better

Don’t be passive

• Example A: The parent hit the child.• Example B:The child was hit by the parent.

• Example A: It is clear the parent is doing the hitting.• Example B: The child is the subject. What is the child doing?

Nothing (except being hit).

• Beware of needing to add a prepositional phrase in order to clarify what you are saying.

• There were a great number of dead leaves lying on the ground.

• Dead leaves covered the ground.• The sound of the falls could still be heard.• The sound of the falls still reached our ears.• The reason that he left college was that his health became impaired.

• Failing health compelled him to leave college.• It was not long before he was very sorry that he had said what he had.• He soon repented his words.

• Many expressions in common use violate this principle:

• the question as to whether whether• there is no doubt but that no doubt (doubtless)• used for fuel purposes used for fuel• he is a man who he• in a hasty manner hastily• this is a subject which this subject• His story is a strange one. His story is strange.

•Delete “the fact” from every sentence in which it occurs.

• owing to the fact that since (because)• in spite of the fact that though (although)• call your attention to the fact that remind you (notify you)• I was unaware of the fact that I was unaware that (did not know)• the fact that he had not succeeded his failure• the fact that I had arrived my arrival

You don’t need these words•Very•Really•Quite•Basically•Generally •Really, you don’t.

Effective Writing• “The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its

cleanest components.”• Remove every:

• Word that serves no function• Long word that could be a short word• Adverb that carries the same meaning that’s already in the verb• Passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what

“These are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence.”

• -- William Zinsser in On Writing Well, 1976

Examples:

“In conclusion, I would like to offer that in fact, the executive director of this agency, is only out for himself and does not care about clients or the general betterment of mankind.”

“The executive director is a self-serving hypocrite.”

• Do not write a single complex idea in a series of sentences:

• Macbeth was very ambitious. This led him to wish to become king of Scotland. The witches told him that this wish of his would come true. The king of Scotland at this time was Duncan. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth murdered Duncan. He was thus enabled to succeed Duncan as king. (55 words.)

Versus:Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth achieved his ambition and realized the prediction of the witches by murdering Duncan and becoming king of Scotland in his place. (26 words.)

"He noticed a large stain in the rug that was right in the center.""He noticed a large stain right in the center of the rug."

Shrunk

Watch out for these phrases:

•for the most part•for the purpose of•in a manner of speaking•in a very real sense•in my opinion•in the case of •in the final analysis

More…•in the event that•in the nature of•it has been estimated that•it seems that•the point I am trying to make•what I mean to say is•it may be argued that

• All three of the the three• Fewer in number fewer• Give rise to cause• In all cases always• In a position to can• In close proximity to near• In order to to

Wrong Right

Wordy Clearin spite of the fact that althoughin the event that ifnew innovations innovationsone and the same the sameperiod of four days four dayspersonal opinion opinionshorter/longer in length shorter/longer

JUST DOING GOOD IS NOT ENOUGH

Measurement and other management tools• Results based accountability –

• Using results to make decisions• Knowing what outcomes we want• How are “customers” (clients) better off as a result

of our services?• Convincing stakeholders that data is important

Using common language tools

• Results – the condition of well-being we want for clients• Indicators – how we measure these conditions• Baselines – where are we and where we are headed• Turning the curve – improvement is up from the baseline• Performance measurement – how we Know programs are working

Leading through data

• Convincing program staff that data is important• Doing good is not enough• Presenting data clearly• Eliminating unnecessary words

words matter

• Urgent measurable strategic indicators• Targeted priority incremental goals• Core qualitative systemic results

Taking responsibility

• Mark Friedman:• “We have created a service system for

children and families where it is entirely possible for public health, mental health, juvenile justice, social services and the schools to all be working with the same family and not even know it.”

Who is responsible for teen pregnancy?

It takes a community

• Schools• Churches• The county health department• YMCA• Community College• Commission on Children and Families• Hospitals• Women’s Crisis Center

Tillamook County Oregon

Goals• Definition

• A statement that describes in broad terms what the client will do.

• Example• Client will reduce alcohol use.

Objectives• Definition

• A statement in specific and measurable terms that describes what the client will know or do.

• Example• 80% of clients will be alcohol free upon completion of the

program and six-months after.

Inputs Activities OutputsShort Term Goal

Long Term Goal

Inputs

Staff

Funding

Supplies

Activities

Program Development

TrainingCounseling

Meals Made

Outputs

Number of staff who can explain their role in the

program methodology

Number of trainings

Number of counseling

sessions

Number of meals served

Short Term

Outcomes

Motivation

LearningSkills

Attitudes

Long Term

Social

Behavior

Environmental Economic

Policies

Political

StrengthsQualified StaffStrong Board leadershipGood community relationships

WeaknessFunding sources unstableHigh turnoverPoor measurement of outcomes

OpportunitiesNew federal funding availableNew interest in homeless families

ThreatsRecession will worsen to depressionCompetition from for profit entitiesNeed exceeds ability to respond

SWOT Analysis

P E S T • Political• Economic• Social• Technological

• Break out session. Perform this test for the agency you work for and present it to the class.