#4 Be Authentic
There is a lingering consequence of terrible day 9-11-01 that I was not aware of until I read it in The New York Times recently. According to a national survey, public confidence in charities has fallen off dramatically from pre-September 11 numbers.
Only about 15% of those surveyed expressed a “great deal” of confidence in charities, compared to the 25% that consistently expressed that level of confidence before the 9-11 terror and response by charitable groups.
The Times reported that “bad publicity from reports that some charities planned to spend some of the money on other efforts and complaints that the money was not being distributed fast enough” started the downward trend, and a variety of bad reports on excesses by charity leaders have kept the number low. I find this report alarming, as I’m sure anyone involved in the non-profit sector does, and it seems unfair that the actions of a few colors the perceptions people have of all charities.
Fair or not, it reminds us that there is nothing more important in cause-releted missions than reputation. This is particularly true if an organization relies on broad public support through donations.
Reputation influences all the goals you can set—gaining access for your programs, capturing both the attention and loyalty of donors, attracting and retaining the best employees, and finding strong program partners. Reputation also is a critical factor in how well you can weather a crisis.
While this may seem obvious to some, the best way to maintain a good reputation is to be authentic in your programs, public statements, fundraising, and financial practice. Tell the truth. Don't present your organization as more than it is, and don't try to be more than you can support with quality.
Every organization needs to have a corporate conscience, a person or group of people who will ask the hard questions of integrity and authenticity without fear or self-interest.
For information on Rooftop MediaWorks, visit our website at: http://RooftopMediaWorks.com.
For commentary on the news of the day, visit The Rooftop Blog at: http://TheRooftopBlog.blogspot.com.
Only about 15% of those surveyed expressed a “great deal” of confidence in charities, compared to the 25% that consistently expressed that level of confidence before the 9-11 terror and response by charitable groups.
The Times reported that “bad publicity from reports that some charities planned to spend some of the money on other efforts and complaints that the money was not being distributed fast enough” started the downward trend, and a variety of bad reports on excesses by charity leaders have kept the number low. I find this report alarming, as I’m sure anyone involved in the non-profit sector does, and it seems unfair that the actions of a few colors the perceptions people have of all charities.
Fair or not, it reminds us that there is nothing more important in cause-releted missions than reputation. This is particularly true if an organization relies on broad public support through donations.
Reputation influences all the goals you can set—gaining access for your programs, capturing both the attention and loyalty of donors, attracting and retaining the best employees, and finding strong program partners. Reputation also is a critical factor in how well you can weather a crisis.
While this may seem obvious to some, the best way to maintain a good reputation is to be authentic in your programs, public statements, fundraising, and financial practice. Tell the truth. Don't present your organization as more than it is, and don't try to be more than you can support with quality.
Every organization needs to have a corporate conscience, a person or group of people who will ask the hard questions of integrity and authenticity without fear or self-interest.
For information on Rooftop MediaWorks, visit our website at: http://RooftopMediaWorks.com.
For commentary on the news of the day, visit The Rooftop Blog at: http://TheRooftopBlog.blogspot.com.
posted by rooftop at 1:00 PM
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