Give your success away

When President Obama spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention he did exactly what every nonprofit should do: he gave his success away.

“So you see, the election four years ago wasn’t about me. It was about you. My fellow citizens, you were the change.

You’re the reason there’s a little girl with a heart disorder in Phoenix who’ll get the surgery she needs because an insurance company can’t limit her coverage.

You did that.

You’re the reason a young man in Colorado who never thought he’d be able to afford his dream of earning a medical degree is about to get that chance.

You made that possible.”

Although people would have cheered had President Obama said, “I helped a little girl in Phoenix get surgery” they wouldn’t have felt an attachment to that success and eager to help make the next one possible.

As nonprofits we like to tell our supporters and community how great we are and all the ways we are making the world better. Try flipping this and giving your success away to your donors, volunteers and supporters. When you position your organization as the conduit of change, as opposed to the sole reason for it, you’ll look behind you and see an eager crowd ready to lend their time, talent, money and voice to your mission.

Image Thanks to Flickr:markgoodwin