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Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture

Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture

“An entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.”                                                                                                                                                                  — Peter Drucker

When one thinks of entrepreneurship, one thinks usually of a “fast” company—one that is steeped in product resources and that holds profit as the top and bottom line. But entrepreneurship is not relegated to fast-paced for-profit organizations. For a nonprofit organization to thrive, entrepreneurship must be woven into the day-to-day fabric of our work.

It isn’t enough to invite our staff to “be” entrepreneurial. Instead, we must work together to build an entrepreneurial culture so that it is embedded in the conversations about the what, the why, and the how of our mission and vision.

What does it look like to promulgate an entrepreneurial spirit and culture in a nonprofit?

To be entrepreneurial, we must talk as entrepreneurs do. This means actively and intentionally looking at a variety of factors:

First, are we questioning the status quo? Are we asking questions that assure us that we are working to solve the right problems? Is the way we’ve always done things the right way to address the problem we are working to fix? And importantly, how do we know? Have we analyzed and examined the politics, policies, and practices that affect the populations we serve? Have we talked with our consumers, outside stakeholders, and colleagues in the field?

Second, are we cultivating a spirit that invites innovation? Are we ensuring that our staff—at every level—feels safe in introducing a new idea? Are we encouraging our staff to share their learnings? Is there a regular forum for sharing what we’re learning? How do we incorporate our learning into our work so that we’re not just talking about new ideas, but we are implementing them?

Third, are we inspiring an internal culture that embraces—and seeks—risk?  Are we openly talking about risk on a regular basis? Are we experimenting with rapid-paced pilots or projects that we can assess and potentially spread throughout the organization as a way to balance the tension between trying something new and managing outcomes?

Fourth, are we using data and metrics—both quantitative and qualitative—to measure our success? Is process improvement a regular part of our lives? Do we know what measure of data we would need to determine that we need to do a rapid course correction?

These are four of the essential elements of entrepreneurship. Asking ourselves these questions on a regular basis will help cultivate a spirit of entrepreneurship as well as establish a culture that embraces change on a daily basis so that we continue to learn and to grow.

What are some  other questions you might consider as you cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit?

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Leadership

Leadership

Last week, we held a Leadership Forum for staff from across our growing family of agencies. In it, we started planning for 2025, explored trends in the nonprofit marketplace, in human resources, in technology, in government funding and we identified strategic directions.  We then identified the DNA of leaders required to effectively advance us toward our goals.

Included in that DNA are vision and the ability to operationalize that vision, integrity, influence, analytical skills, compassion, resilience, and the skills required to drive change.  AND in addition, we discussed two traits absolutely critical to leadership: the willingness to stand for something and the ability to take bold, yet calculated, risks.

I’ve heard many leaders pay lip service to the idea that they want their “followers” to disagree with them. However, what I’ve discovered in my career is that while many say that this is what they want, in actuality, they want to have the people they lead follow them by operationalizing their vision.   There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but frankly, I prefer people who really will disagree with me.  I want to be shown a better way, invited to a wider vision.  I want to engage in discussions where staff share perspectives different from my own. I want to work with people who have different backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. I want the people I work with to be here because they stand for something and because they will be fierce in standing for what they believe.

It is in this diversity of perspectives that we are truly better together.

Besides leaders who stand for what they believe, we also need leaders who are able to see the ways the environment is rapidly changing and are able to call forward the next “thing.”  We need people who can understand the environment enough to take smart, planned risks— understanding that without some degree of risk there is no future.  We need leaders who are students of their profession, who never stop learning and as such, the risks they take are based on knowledge, wisdom and instinct.

What do you stand for? What risks do you take in your organization? What is the DNA of your leadership?

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Busting the Myths around Employment of Those with Disabilities

Busting the Myths around Employment of Those with Disabilities

I am so looking forward to our Solution Series discussion next week on the Employment of People with Disabilities. (See info below.) This exciting panel discussion is an opportunity for the business community to hear the compelling arguments about why it is not only a socially responsible practice to hire those with disabilities, but also why and how it is a proven boost to the bottom line.

There are some perceived myths about hiring those with disabilities. Those perceptions only add to the stigma that we spend every day here at Fedcap trying to dispel. Next week, we will be hearing more from business leaders about their own experience with increasing the bottom line based on their hiring of people with disabilities. Here are some of those perceptions and some realities that disprove those misconceptions:

Myth: “We need fast workers! The person with a disability will slow us down.”

The Reality: Those with disabilities are generally better able to solve problems—and quickly. They have had to navigate barriers that many of us don’t see. They have had to find short cuts, workarounds, and process improvements—many times just to perform daily tasks with ease.

Myth: “It will cost me too much to install expensive accommodations—way beyond ‘reasonable.’”

Reality: According to the President’s Job Accommodation Network Committee (courtesy of AMSVan), beyond employer-required ADA accommodation, most individuals with disabilities do not require special accommodation. Of those who do, 50% cost $500 or less, 12% cost between $501 and $1000, and 22% exceed $1000. These are small investments given the overall contribution to the bottom line.

Myth: “My workers’ comp payments will go way up.”

Reality: Actually, there is no difference in workers’ comp claims between those with disabilities and those without.

Myth: “Those with disabilities will call out sick more often.”

Reality: Statistically, there is no difference in absenteeism between those with or without disabilities.

Myth: “I can’t count on the job performance of those with disabilities.”

Reality: A Dupont survey of 2,745 employees with disabilities found that 92% of employees with disabilities rated average or better in job performance compared to 90% of employees without disabilities. Surveys by Walgreens, 3M, AT&T, Pepsico had similar findings.

Another reality about hiring those with disabilities is that employers, once leery about hiring, discover that as they get to know their employees and get to see the type of commitment and work that they do, they become champions of hiring those with disabilities. Part of the problem is lack of exposure to this segment of the workforce. My own experience bears out the statistics and realities I’ve outlined. Hiring those with disabilities isn’t just a socially responsible thing to do—but it contributes mightily to the culture and to the bottom line of any organization.

There’s still time to register for our Solution Series on the morning of October 3rd at the Mutual of America building on Park Avenue. Our roster of speakers represents business, government, and foundations all united in common commitment to educating employers about the benefits of hiring those with disabilities. This forum promises to be fascinating. I urge you to join us!

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The Next Chapter in Business Innovation: Hiring Those with Disabilities

The Next Chapter in Business Innovation: Hiring Those with Disabilities

Hiring and engaging people with disabilities isn’t about being nice, or being charitable. It’s smart business that can positively impact your bottom line and your talent needs from the mailroom to the boardroom.

Kris Foss, Managing Director, Disability Solutions @Ability Beyond

On October 3rd, we will be hosting our 14th Solution Series—an initiative of our Community Impact Institute, which is the research and innovation arm of our work here at Fedcap. The Solution Series convenes business, thought leaders, academia, and policy makers to engage in a conversation about  issues affecting business in the 21stcentury .   From the conversations we have in this forum come ideas, systems, programs, and solutions. The Solution Series events are among the high points of our year.

This fall’s series is entitled Employment of People with Disabilities: Moving Beyond Social Responsibility to a Business Solution. I am particularly excited about this forum as it reflects the heart of our work here at Fedcap.   There are close to 40 million people in the U.S., about 12.6 percent of the population, living with a disability. These individuals – your sisters, brothers, neighbors, parents, friends and colleagues – can perform the same work as people without a disability. Yet as of May, 2016, the US Bureau of Labor cites that only 28.3 percent of working-age (16-64) persons with a disability were employed, compared to an employment rate of 72.3 percent for those without a disability in the same demographic. By not integrating people with disabilities more fully into the workforce, we are neglecting a source of energy, productivity and talent that could address the needs of business in the 21st century. The social and economic vitality of our nation is also impacted. The poverty rate for people with disabilities ages 21 to 64 is 28.8 percent – higher than any other demographic group – compared to 12.5 percent for individuals without a disability. Their average annual income is $38,300, $5000 less than their peers without disabilities.

But there is reason for optimism.  On our panel are national experts and business representatives who will highlight efforts being made across the country to significantly expand the number of people with disabilities who are employed.   The business case  for doing is strong.  Hiring people with disabilities reflects a clear commitment to creating a more diverse workforce which in turn delivers a better return for shareholders.  To not hire people with disabilities means missing out on an untapped pool of creative, educated, and experienced individuals who bring a critical perspective to the workplace. For example, generally speaking, people who are living with disabilities tend to bring with them an innovative mindset. Because they have had to navigate a world that is often not easily accessible, they have had an opportunity to build resilience. They have often worked hard to find solutions to a variety of challenges those without disabilities may have never considered. Kevin Cox, the Chief HR Officer at American Express, suggests that hiring people with disabilities is the “next frontier” in business. He believes—and has proof—that hiring those with disabilities has improved the overall culture of the organization and has clearly impacted the company’s bottom line.  This has been my experience as well.

There’s still time to join us for this informative, engaging, and important discussion.  Please click here to register for this timely event on October 3rd in Manhattan. I look forward to a great discussion and I hope to see you there.

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Organizational Alignment: Flexible Talent is Key

Organizational Alignment: Flexible Talent is Key

My colleagues often hear me say that our growth is about looking forward—not looking in the rearview mirror.   What I mean is that we have to be continually looking down the road at what environmental, political, cultural, and evidence-based practical changes are taking place in our nonprofit landscape.  If we are not looking ahead, we are missing out on opportunities to meet the needs of our constituents.  We are also missing out on excavating the skill sets, the capabilities, the processes, and strategies that ought to be in place in order to keep up—and lead—the relevant solutions to community and societal problems. And, as we evolve and grow, we need to ensure that all of these systems and processes are growing along with us. Otherwise, we are doomed to play catch up, which will result in stunted growth.

Creating and capitalizing on opportunities requires that our organization works to be a nimble, agile institution.

As leaders of an organization, it is our charge to inspire a mindset and a culture that is steeped in flexibility, one where leaders are able to take in new information rapidly, assess its relevance and importance, and then make smart data driven decisions.

This type of flexibility requires a specific type of talent and the ability to build the “muscle” in the form of skills that will meet the future.  Hiring talent who are experts in their respective fields, and who have the ability to stretch themselves, to hone the skills to see around the corner, take calculated and well-thought out risks is critical to organizational long-term success.

This type of talent is not easy to find and not readily discernible in the traditional interview process.  Knowing what to look for, too, requires stretching of leadership muscles. Over and above content expertise is the need to work with staff who think critically, who are brave, and who are willing to challenge the status quo. We look for individuals who are unafraid to ask the hard questions, who will inspire innovation and risk-taking, and who are capable of managing that risk from a multifaceted lens—including financial, reputational, and existential forecasts. This approach to our talent is the foundation of Fedcap’s organizational DNA.

I attribute the success of Fedcap over these past 80 plus years and our recent growth surge to an overarching culture of courage, calculated risk management, and to a flexible mindset and capacity of our staff.

What is it like in your organization? Your department? Your lens? Do you cultivate a flexible mindset and culture? If so, how does that translate into your day-to-day operations?

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

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The Cornerstone of Success: Inspiring Confidence in Others

The Cornerstone of Success: Inspiring Confidence in Others

Everybody wants to be somebody. The thing you have to do is help them build  confidence in their ability to succeed.  – George Foreman

As a nonprofit agency, we are in the business of helping others recognize their strengths and find the most effective tools for every individual to overcome barriers to economic well-being.

Our family of agencies all have in common the commitment to help those we serve through hands-on, one-on-one connection and through advocacy and influence of policy and leadership. Our goal is to provide leadership—as a model nonprofit agency, as leaders of our organization, as service providers, and as mentors to help guide others to their greatest potential.

Common among our work—as providers, advocates, influencers, and mentors is the call to inspire confidence. So many people come to us with the belief that they are not capable of accomplishing their goals or dreams. We offer them the skills, tools, opportunities, resources, and connections to help propel them forward. But we can’t give them what they must find in themselves. We can’t give them confidence. But we can do the next best thing. We can inspire confidence.

There isn’t one among us who hasn’t feel unsure at some point in our lives. Throughout my life, I’ve discovered common elements that have given me confidence or that have helped me help others feel more sure of themselves and willing to take the next step.

The first element is quite simply: care.  And while most of us in the nonprofit world enter this field because we care deeply about the mission and the work and each individual we serve, sometimes it doesn’t always show. We can get bogged down with our day-to-day work and the sheer numbers of people we are seeing and the paperwork and the follow up that we can forget to show our care. But this is a critical piece of inspiring confidence. We show those with whom we interact that they are worthy of our care, that they are equals, and that we are partners in solving whatever issues are present for them.

Closely linked and clearly essential is connection. This means finding something in common, relating, and acknowledging that connection. Pursuing connection makes the work more meaningful for us and it inspires confidence in others. When one feels connected to another, when she or he feels that someone else will remember us and is rooting for us, we want to do our best and we are propelled to action. And, of course, action is a building block of confidence.

Caring and connection are both foundational elements to inspiring confidence. But of course, the tangibles, like skill-building and competence are also key. Clearly, when one has learned—and tested—a skill—whether it be a work-related or a social skill—there is more confidence. Competence is closely related to confidence.

In addition, calling out individuals’ strengths is another building block to confidence. When we ask people whom we serve about their greatest strengths, often it is the first time they are considering the question. And, often people don’t consider the things that come easily to them as strengths. It is our job to help bring those strengths to light.

While caring and connection and competence and calling out strengths seem like very basic blocks, they need to be intentional actions that we take every day—with our teams, with those we serve, and even with our families. These intangible pieces, while immeasurable, are the “secret sauce” to helping propel others in reaching their potential.

As always, I welcome your thoughts

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Shining Light on Women in Prison

Shining Light on Women in Prison

The U.S. leads the world in numbers of incarcerated individuals—both in numbers and in percentages. China is second to the U.S. (China’s population, as of August, 2017, is 1.389 billion compared to the U.S. at 326 million.)

Since 1980, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. has risen over 700%. In 1980, there were 26,378 women in custody. By 2014, that number reached 215,332. In the same time frame between 1980 and 2014, incarceration of women grew 50% higher than the growth of incarceration of men. Since 2014, the numbers for both men and women have remained fairly consistent.

Why have the statistics risen so dramatically—and more important, what is the impact to our society?

Many of women in the U.S. prison system are there because of drug-related crimes. Twenty-four percent of women in prison are there due to drug-related offenses compared to their male counterparts at 15%. Next in line for reasons women are incarcerated is for “property offenses,” such as shoplifting or theft.

Research suggests—and proves—that the rise of numbers of women in prison is directly related to the use of incarceration as a way to solve drug-related crimes. Research also suggests that once the majority of women with drug-related issues are released, they revert to substance abuse.

Statistics also bear out that 60% of women in our prisons have a child under 18—many ending up in the foster care system due to their mother’s incarceration.

Unfortunately, the issues that affect women are largely overlooked in the prison system. Their issues are eclipsed by the dominant issues related to incarcerated men. Risk factors that contribute to what is considered criminal behavior for women, besides substance abuse, include mental illness, and spousal (or partner) abuse. Often, women’s criminal issues are related to their connection with criminal men.

In this country, we spend more money on corrections than on higher education.

We can do better.

If we were to focus attention on providing services to the women who are currently incarcerated, we could reduce the money flowing through the prison system dramatically. If we were to treat rather than punish the majority of the women in the system, we could intervene not only in their lives, but in the lives of their children and, potentially, subsequent generations.

At Fedcap, we are working on ways to address prevention or quick and precise intervention to help avert prison stays for women. By establishing programs  that start at the point of arrest, work behind the walls and provide smart and structured support upon release we expect to see a steady decline in incarceration among women.

What are your ideas for a solution to help women stay out of prison and get the healing that they need? What interventions would you recommend? I believe that we can contribute significantly to solving this problem for women behind bars. I believe that there are systemic solutions that we can work on together to solve this problem for women and their families. The Power of Possible is not just an idea, but a force that can change lives and that make a permanent and powerful impact on society as a whole. Working for and with women in prison is an essential step in manifesting that Power.

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The Event: Not Simply a Good Time

The Event: Not Simply a Good Time

Events are a staple for most non-profits, and they are invariably a time to celebrate the people who have contributed time, energy, resources, and funding to an organization over the course of the year as well as to raise awareness of the organization’s good work. Fedcap is no exception: we host a number of events and we are always glad to bring people together and to have them learn more about our family of agencies, our programs and services, and the impact we make in our communities.

Here at Fedcap, behind every nametag, every packet, every menu decision, every poster, and every hour of preparation, there is a story of individuals whose lives have been changed. Our hope is that when people attend our events, their understanding of a societal issue is deepened, they learn something new, they connect with people who care about the same things that they care about, they are moved, or they simply have fun. But on top of that, we hope that they know that by coming together in the spirit of learning or fun, behind the scenes, they are contributing a lot more than a good time.

For example, when you attend one of several Easterseals golf tournaments, you are bound to have a good time. You are out in the fresh air, presumably with old (or new) friends. You are doing something that you like to do. In the meantime, you are also changing the life of a family like Alex’s, whose parents were unable to manage his aggressive, combative physical behavior. They had not been able to step out for a visit with extended family or to go out for a meal for the nine years since Alex had been born. That is, until they found Easterseals, whose program not only helped Alex to socialize and verbalize, but also gave Alex’s parents the tools they needed to better manage their life at home. Now all three family members are able to attend ball games, shop at the grocery store, and even go out for dinner. This shift is due to the professional work of the Easterseals staff, and it is due to your support and attendance at a fun golfing event.

Behind every event, there are hundreds of children like Alex, veterans who need retraining and social support post-deployment, those recovering from mental illness or substance use disorder who will thrive because they are fully employed and counted on for a good job. Workers over 55 are doing the work they love while contributing to their communities. Foster children are entering—and staying—in college. Those who have left the justice system are staying out of the system.

These days, it’s easy to stay home and select something great on a big (or little) screen. But the next time you see an announcement for an event, think about this: just by showing up, just by spending a few hours away from home, you will be connecting with others who think and feel as you do, you will undoubtedly have a good time, and you may well learn something new. Most importantly, though, your attendance will be changing the life of a family, a neighbor, a friend, or even a family member.

I look forward to seeing you on the links, at a party, or at one of our Solution Series or our Gala.  Together, we can have fun and we can change lives while we’re doing it.

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Social Entrepreneurship: The Marriage of Creativity and Innovation

Social Entrepreneurship: The Marriage of Creativity and Innovation

“Creativity has two parts: thinking, then producing. Innovation is embedded in the creative process. It is the implementation of creative inspiration.” —Linda Naiman

The term “social entrepreneurship” was first coined in 1953 and then popularized in the 1980s and 1990s as a way to describe the work of organizations whose aim is to improve the well-being of society. Social entrepreneurship differs from entrepreneurship in that its successes are not measured necessarily by profits or revenue, but instead by the ways that society improves as a result of the work.

We know that there over 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. with 10,000 nonprofits in NYC alone. Each aims at addressing a societal problem and righting it. Yet there are still thousands of people living in poverty, homeless, suffering from substance abuse, recidivism, or stigma. We are not all pulling together to keep the environment healthy. There are still many hungry people in this country. What will it take to make a substantial improvement in society’s most pressing issues?

Social entrepreneurship is really about changing a system—a social system. The work of social entrepreneurship is to change the way society views—and mitigates—a problem. But changing a system means changing attitudes, prejudices, and fear.

Last week I wrote about stigma and offered a challenge to consider the ways we allow our fears to overtake reason and statistics. But change cannot subsist on emotional appeal alone. Behind the scenes, there must be strategy and structure that facilitates space for creating and innovating non-traditional solutions to address societal issues that touch us all—directly or indirectly.

The work of social entrepreneurship is to marry a creative solution or idea with very precise infrastructure and strategy to support that work. It means having a plan and being nimble enough to pivot and adjust as new information, technology, policy, or practice offers increased clarity. The key is being able to see what’s coming and not to hold too tightly to the how we’ve always done it—even if a solution worked in the past.

These solutions mean having people working in social enterprises who are brave, who know themselves and who enjoy a good challenge—even conflict—because they know it will make their own thinking better. It means gathering people who not only have brilliant ideas but also those who can innovate and implement those brilliant ideas and precise solutions. We can all be inspired by our work in social entrepreneurship—even in the day-to-day implementation of a great idea.

Every day I think about ways I can improve my own thinking and my own creative approach to solving problems. Gathering people around me who challenge me and who make me better is what inspires me as a leader. What inspires you?

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Challenging Our Beliefs

Challenging Our Beliefs

My working life has been devoted to creating opportunities for people with barriers to move toward economic well-being.  Every day, we are inventing precise solutions to the issues of economic inequity. The strategy and infrastructure of our agency was created to facilitate ways for our staff, board, our funders, and our consumers to have easy access to a variety of solutions to economic insecurity.

Our work is complex. It means staying ahead of ever-evolving research, policies, and laws. It means analyzing the data and the trends and reaching ahead of ourselves to shape the future.

In my 25-plus years in this business, I am always brought back to one major factor that can contribute greatly to reducing barriers to economic well-being.  That one factor is stigma.

Where does stigma come from?

Stigma comes from fear. It comes from unfounded beliefs that are formed from one encounter, one media portrayal, one story heard once. The fear that creates stigma is the same type of fear that tells you that you shouldn’t fly because there was a plane crash two years ago, even though 100,000 planes fly safely worldwide every day, and at any given moment, there are between one and two million people in the air. The fear of a plane crash is not based on statistics. Nor is the fear that drives stigma about people with barriers.

If many of us were to honestly search own beliefs about certain population groups, I suspect we would uncover a stereotype that may have been created based in fear, not fact.

What are your beliefs about:

…people who suffer from substance abuse?

…individuals who were previously incarcerated?

…workers over 60 years old?

…children in foster care?

…people with developmental or physical disabilities?

…people with mental illness?

We can choose not to define people by their disability or their struggle, but remember that their “problem” is just one aspect of who they are. Each of us, no matter what our “category” deserves to be seen as more than our disability or our “problem.”

I believe that we can change the way the world sees those who face barriers. What will you do differently to help eliminate the thinking that perpetuates the fears that create stigma? What can you do to further the understanding that people are much more than their issue, and that eliminating stigma means creating new possibilities for individuals and for all of society.

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