Begging for Social "Change"

There are 3 things about me you must know to really understand who I am.

Actually, there are a lot of things you should know, but I am going to highlight the three that stand out like a sore thumb in the business world.  First, I am an extremely shy person whose natural inclination is to avoid overtly social events.  A lot of you would be surprised to read this, but it’s true.  I am often very matter-of-fact in my opinions and have been known to be brutally honest (sometimes to a fault).  And lastly, one of my more difficult challenges is that I don’t drink alcohol – at all.  These are very difficult behaviors to manage in the world of business that thrives on social interactions, small talk, and a generous amount of liquor.  It is particularly challenging in the non-profit world when you are charged as an Executive Director to talk your way into the generosity of a potential donor at fundraisers and other events armed with heartfelt stories and stunning statistical facts, all while nursing a drink that has been blended, shaken, or stirred.

So, you might be asking yourself if these things really matter, should they matter, and to whom do they matter?  Well, in the world of schmoozing, they matter, and they matter a lot!

The Curse of the Introvert…

Let’s start with the easiest issue to tackle, shyness.  It doesn’t pay to be shy in business.  Most business transactions are conducted as a result of various social exchanges and personality is key to financial success.  This concept holds especially true in the non-profit world where the product you are “selling” is not a tangible good, but the intangible “good.”  That is, you are selling a set of ideals and banking on a belief system that charity, especially your charity, is good for the world.

Honesty is the best policy, right?

Well, of course it is.  But not every potential donor is genuinely interested in your opinion on politics, religion, and the world.  Important people want to be liked, they want to be heard, and they want you to keep your negative, or otherwise critical, opinions to yourself.  They also want to be seen as people and professionals in their field, so any small talk that occurs must be meaningful to them and focused on their interests.  Let them drive the direction of the conversation and don’t forget to be respectful of their time.

When in Rome, do as Romans do.  Or at least pretend.

I was once told by a Social Psychology college professor that when networking, if everyone else is having a drink, you should order one too.  But what happens if you don’t drink at all?  His suggestion: whether or not you intend to actually drink it, still buy the drink; maybe just swirl it around a little bit and play the part.  They key is to not bring attention to yourself for not drinking and to avoid passing judgment on those who do.  There is actually quite a bit of literature out there about the do’s and don’ts of drinking in business settings.   In some cases, refusing a drink at a business meeting is akin to refusing to be part of the team, especially if the team is meeting at a bar.  And if you do drink, you should follow the lead of the other guests and limit yourself accordingly.

But what about your Cause?

To address these issues, I have challenged myself to visualize networking as the opportunity to Schmooze for a Cause.  I’ve realized that my attempts to let go of my inhibitions have utterly failed over the years and that it is time to take a fresh and new approach.  Yes, I want to get to know you. Yes, I want to tell you about my great program and the good work we do.  Yes, I could really use your money to help even more people.  Yes, I am willing to do what it takes to make it happen.  Now, this doesn’t mean that I have completely embraced the concept of schmoozing.  But, I have no choice but to accept its necessity and to find ways in which I can tell CO-OP‘s story without feeling like I am peddling for change.

I now have a mission-driven approach to networking.

My #1 goal, to tell as many people as possible about CO-OP and how we help people change their lives everyday.  I am taking advantage of opportunities to socialize with other professionals in business environments within my comfort level.  I’m  even taking a chance every now and then to challenge myself even further and attend activities you couldn’t pay me to do a year ago.  I try to avoid polarizing topics and keep the focus on mutual interests and, of course, my cause.   As for the drinking part, I have learned that most bartenders welcome the opportunity to get a little creative.  So, in addition to ordering a Shirley Temple or Ginger Ale, I sometimes ask the bartender to mix me up something pretty and they’ve come up with some tasty creations.  If all else fails, I’ll have a simple glass of water with a lime in it.

So, please allow me to introduce myself: I’m Dr. Sharma and I am schmoozing for a cause!

(Side note: For those of you who watch said reality show, you know who I am referring to.  I know that he also had some other issues, but I am focusing just on the degree part for the purposes of this discussion.  And, yes, I am highly entertained by reality TV).

It may help us if we take a step back and look at the history of both traditional education and non-traditional offerings.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with a bunch of historical events and dates.  But, I do want to point out that the ways in which learning is facilitated and how we receive information has always evolved over time, particularly in response to advances in technology.  Advances in transportation enabled us to have a much more global teaching faculty at major universities and has even enhanced the transport of textbooks and other tools from various parts of the world.  In addition, non-traditional learning environments have progressed from correspondence courses, radio and televised classes, and satellite campuses, to live streaming and webinars.

Ultimately, the quality of any degree earned is based on the level of scholarly work produced by the student and the academic standards imposed by the institution to which the student is held.  This is true for any degree.  “Diploma mills” did not arrive with the invention of the internet, and there are tons of schools that are not accredited and take advantage of students who are unaware that their “degree” will not be considered valid by other institutions or even potential employers.    In my experience as an advisor to several doctoral students, many of the online schools have a much more rigorous dissertation process than the traditional schools.  I suspect this is in direct response to the level of scrutiny they receive.  So, they must be better and do better to get a portion of the respect that traditional schools receive by default.

This debate is no different than many of the other debates that exist in academia.  Is a Ph.D. better than an Ed.D.?  Is the quality of teaching better by full-time faculty as opposed to adjunct faculty?  Is quantitative research more valid than qualitative research?  Is a state school better than a private school (or in California is a UC education better than a CSU education)?  All of this leads to a mine is better than yours mentality and distracts from the real issue of providing quality educational experiences across the board.  So that wherever you get your degree from, in whatever format, and with whatever letters next to your name it means that you worked hard, learned something significant in your field, and are now better prepared to go out into the world and make it better than it is.

So, I have made a decision to challenge the status quo and promote the online degree.  Why?  Because I think it is an excellent opportunity to revolutionize the ways in which we learn and to enable exponentially more people to participate in the academic process.  I think online degrees stand strong next to traditional ones and I applaud the major academic institutions that have embraced the idea and integrated online options into their degree programs.  The truth is that many of these reputable institutions are pioneers in non-traditional and online degree programs.

Although I will most likely teach in traditional setting initially – because those seem to be most common, my ultimate goal is to teach online classes at an institution where I can also enroll in classes and pursue some additional interests I have.   I am looking forward to the convenience of time balanced by high academic standards.  And should I ever pursue another degree, it is almost guaranteed that I will complete it online.  I will do so with the same dedication and pride as the other degrees I have.

It is a great time to be a learner and an even better time to learn online!

I guess I’ve always shied away from labeling the behaviors we were teaching as “character education” because it was difficult for me to reconcile the overlap between moral behavior and religious teaching.  Not that I don’t understand the distinction.  Just that the term always carried a certain connotation for me.  Now I know differently.  My eyes have been opened and I see the figurative light!

I am especially drawn to the concept of performance character.  It certainly adds a different light to my tendency to chronically procrastinate.  Calling it a character flaw, so to speak, has guilted me into action, ergo writing this blog.  Most people who know me would be stunned to read that I am so critical of my own level of productivity – and now of my performance character.  But it’s true and I remind myself of it daily.  Perhaps it is the over achiever in me.  Perhaps I’m too hard on myself.  Perhaps I’m more productive that most.  Perhaps it’s the plain and simple truth and I should be happy that most people don’t see it.

Whatever the case may be, I’m now a newly recruited advocate of Character Education!  Especially the performance kind because the moral kind is pretty self-evident.  I am hoping this new revelation will propel me to a level of unparalleled productivity and that all of my unfinished tasks will be completed by the end of the month.  For now, I’ll relish in the completion of this blog.  Let’s see how long it will take me to write the next one.  Until then…

Far too often these vital first steps are neglected, leaving the non-profit organization without funding, in a mission void, and unable to generate vital community support.

Need – It is imperative that a community analysis is conducted prior to establishing a new non-profit organization to determine whether there is a real need for the services you would like to provide. Map out your target area and use all resources available to identify existing programs and services to make sure your are not duplicating what is already there. Don’t forget to examine local data sources to ensure that the data you will need to write future grants supports a need for your proposed services.

Mission – More often than not, non-profit missions are written from the heart. This is great, except, what happens if the organization grows beyond its original mission? As you develop your mission, you should always consider the long-term role your organization will play in the community. Your mission should be specific enough to clearly articulate your purpose, but flexible enough to be applied to future programs and services that may arise out of your original goal. This is especially important when preparing your founding documents, tax-exemption applications, and Articles of Incorporation.

Sustainability – Many funders are looking for non-profits to include sustainability plans in their grant applications. Gone are the days of perpetual grant support. Ideas for sustainability could include developing a large individual donor base, charging fees to clients, and the use of social enterprise.

Ultimately, deciding whether or not to start a non-profit organization is not easy.  Doing your homework before making this important decision will help ensure that you avoid many of the bumps along the road.  Consider using a fiscal sponsor to pilot your project or even house your project indefinitely.  I will discuss fiscal sponsors in my next blog.