99.9% of the time, the reason I am brought in to an organization to help solve a communications challenge is related to change of some fashion. In about half of these cases, it seems that a problem originated after a poor decision was made  and the other times, because a supremely proactive organization wants to ensure it is done as well as possible.

Here’s the first few points from my September enewsletter on this topic which offers a checklist for the critical success factors of change. If you want to read the full article click here or better yet, sign up, so you get future issues delivered straight to your in box.

How does your organization measure up:

Business case - there has to be a strong business reason to make the change. Without this rationale, and senior management and board support, it will simply not happen. Trying to push through a change alone is like rolling a granite boulder up a very steep hill.

Guiding principles or rules to live by - taking the business case a step further, begin with a critical dialogue. Formal or not, the process should include a frank discussion about how the work will get done, how difficult decisions will be made, and where the inevitable lines will be drawn in the sand. This could be three simple statements, or ten, but it is the process that counts the most.

Schedule and time commitment - change doesn’t miraculously happen, at least, not well! A commitment to a realistic timeline is critical and tells everyone involved that this is a serious project that is happening, with or without them!

Big picture thinking - while it can feel to the people involved that the change is all important and the only critical thing happening in the organization, this is almost never true. It’s important to recognize where this change fits into the larger context. To not do so is to risk errors and to miss opportunities.

Want to read the rest? Click here.

It has taken me a week to simmer down my thoughts about an editorial column that appeared in a Canadian newspaper recently. The column was written by a well known human resources consultant who it appears based her article on books by others. In it, she explains that when faced with a crisis or controversy, it is deliberate public relations strategy to do one of the following - outright denial, justification, explanation, rationalization or providing an excuse or apology.

With words like "deliberate evasion of responsibility" and "even going so far as…" (using employees in commercials) it paints an unsavoury picture of the communications profession. Personally, I have never been expected to lie or witnessed the "deliberate evasion" tactics described in the article. I would not agree that this is standard practice. The second half gets to the heart of the matter - the best reputation repair strategy is to build a good one! Effective leadership, open communication, and ethical cultures are the key. Now that’s what communications is all about!

Great leadership is the topic of the upcoming Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants - and I am the guest host of the October 1 edition. Click here to find out how to submit a post.

Earlier this year I’ve commented on the HR Council of Canada’s project to develop a labour market strategy for the voluntary sector in Canada. To date, two reports have been released, which will contribute to the eventual strategy. Over the summer the second report was released and included survey results of employers and employees. You can read the short summary version here.

What strikes me most is that almost all nonprofits report difficulty recruiting, and rank this as one of their top challenges. Yet they admit they have done nothing to make their workplace more attractive to employees. About one quarter of employees of nonprofit organizations are currently seeking other employment. In many cases they cite better compensation as the root cause (want to know where you rank - check out the council’s salary review). Most are personally committed to the cause of the organization. They also say they would like greater feedback and development on the job.

I call this "low hanging fruit" - if you are in a position of leadership, talk to your staff, connect them to your organization, and provide them with support they need. It will go a long way.