[The following is an excerpt from a keynote I gave to the Southern Minnesota Nonprofit Summit.] Fifteen years ago this week was when I arrived in Minnesota to become the Executive Director of The Playwrights’ Center. My wife and I were newly married. We drove 900 miles from Dallas to Minnesota with most our belongings […]

An article in the December issue of Twin Cities Business Monthly captures a wonderful case study on the branding work Creation In Common did for CaringBridge. CaringBridge is a nonprofit providing free websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier. Go here to read the […]

Call to Action Commit 72 minutes per day to innovate and create a new future for your nonprofit organization. 72 minutes away from putting out fires and reacting to the economy; 72 minutes from the daily grind; 72 minutes focused on challenging assumptions and generating new ideas; 72 minutes building on what your organization is […]

This post is part three of a three-part series on board/staff collaboration. Go here to read part one and here to read part two. “What we got here is a failure to communicate” said the Board President slightly chuckling at his own joke. “Actually, what we have is a failure to listen” the Executive Director […]

This post is part two of a three-part series on board/staff collaboration. Go here to read part one. “We’ve already tried that, it didn’t work.” The board member smiled back at the organization’s marketing director and thought: “you may have tried it, but did you do it right?” The marketing committee meeting was approaching its […]