Engage

Passion: it’s why we became engaged in this work; it’s why many of us remain in this work. But nonprofit work is hard work. And passion can slip away, become hard to feel when we get pulled into the day-to-day challenges of maintaining an organization. As a result, both board and staff engage­ment can suffer.

Ironically, when this happens, a common response is to double down in the nitty-gritty in an effort to regain that spark, believing that deeper immersion in the work will somehow reverse increasing feelings of disengagement. But what we may need to do instead is to step back for a moment, take in the view, lift our gaze to the horizon, and remember why we do this work.

CNPE offers opportunities to do just that – to reenergize and reengage your board, your staff, and your­self. We do that through consulting engagements that guide you through one or more of these foundational questions:

Why are we doing this?

What do we want for our community (or those we serve)? What is the ultimate aim of our work? And what beliefs do we hold that lead us to work toward such a vision? These questions are fundamental to our work, but in the heat of the day-to-day it is easy to forget the answers.

CNPE can help you to remember, reconnect with, and recommit to your vision for those you serve and the beliefs and values that guide you as you make it a reality.

What are we doing here, anyway?

Our vision for a better community is what drives our work – the mission of our organization. Have we lost sight of that vision and so become confused about our mission – what we are trying to do?

CNPE helps you strengthen the con­nection between what you want to see in our community and what part of realizing that vision is uniquely your work to do.

Where do we get our energy?

An analysis of the landscape, an assessment of our capabili­ties, a deep dive into data are all certainly needed to achieve our mission. But is there a larger context within which all of these acquire deeper meaning and utility? When did it all seem to come together? When were we at our best? What did that look like? What did that feel like?

CNPE helps you explore the energy behind your work and what you might do to feel and flow with that energy.

What if we couldn’t fail?

We often find ourselves held back by a fear of falling short. And so our vision narrows, our goals lower, our efforts become calculated, measured, and safe. But what if we knew we couldn’t fail? What big, scary – maybe even laughable – initiative would we take on?

CNPE can help you step back and dream boldly for a moment – and then help you understand what that dream says about who you are and what you ultimately could accom­plish.

To learn more about CNPE’s consulting services or to retain one of our consultants, contact Ed Cortas, our Director of Consulting Services, at ecortas@cnpe.org or 502-618-5329.