We all prefer to end on a positive note. A strategy that promotes that way of thinking is “Good News Friday.”
Each department or program should report at least one piece of “good news” to the entire organization on Friday morning. This provides the opportunity for colleagues to congratulate one another for a job well done, a grant received, a client reaching a milestone or a big report or monitoring completed. Everyone can find something good to report after a week of work!
Then, collect all the Good News and prepare an e-mail to all the members of the Board of Directors (and Advisory Council if you have one) and share the news. This is a simple, but effective way to help Board members feel like they are a part of your organization. It also helps them to get to know your staff and programs better. They can also help spread good news in the community circles in which they operate. You may also choose to include key funders and program partners.
Good News Friday should become a regular practice – after you send a few emails, people will find themselves looking for the Good News from your organization. If you don’t have anything gathered from your staff, think back to what good news you know of – may be from outside the organization – that impacts in a positive way.
One or two sentences is all you need to keep your staff and board thinking good thoughts about your work.
