Fundraiser Requires Organizational Skill, Leadership, Teamwork

As many of you may know, Jersey Business Leaders, a business group with whom I'm associated, put on a fundraiser in April.  It was for a non profit called Hopeworks, and it was a success--128 people attended, and we raised approximately $5000 for a very worthy cause.  We'll present Hopeworks with the check at a networking event Wednesday June 29, from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Brio in Cherry Hill.

For more info on the networking event, go to Jersey Business Leaders Networking Event

So, I'm excited about the success of the fundraiser, but I'm reminded that running a fundraiser is a lot like business in general, and leadership in particular, in that it requires a lot of work, organizational discipline, and teamwork.

Over the years, I've attended many fundraisers, but this was the first I'd actually run. 

Planning started in the fall, and it really did require a lot of project management skills--timelines, assigning tasks to different people, setting up processes for registration, payments, donations, etc.  It also required everyone involved to exercise leadership to get the word out, get people involved by donating items, and get people to attend.

Most of all, it required a ton of teamwork.  People pulling together to do the various tasks to make the fundraiser a success.  And I was fortunate to have a great team of people who worked very hard.

Organization, leadership, and teamwork.  Jersey Business Leaders, and the others who helped us, displayed all three skills.

Come out and join our celebration as we present Hopeworks with the check on Wednesday June 29, from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Brio in Cherry Hill.  It's only $10, and Brio will provide light appetizers and a cash bar.  For more info, and to register and pay, go to Jersey Business Leaders Networking Event

Teamwork Plus Competition Often Equals Subtraction

My wife had some painters come in last week, and one of them, a guy named Mark, asked what kind of work I do. When I told him I'm a consultant and coach, Mark said that years ago he had a boss who tried to get the team to compete against each other.

Mark said it was a big disaster. Instead of improving teamwork, it caused conflict and resentment.

I told him that many managers still believe that competition is good for a team, and that they still run into the same problems Mark saw years ago.

A little competition is ok, but it usually reduces, or subtracts from, teamwork. Think about it, do you really want your team members competing against each other? Or do you want them working together?

Chances are that if they're focused on competition, they're not focused on the team's purpose, on what the team is trying to achieve. That's not a good formula for team success.

Individual competition involves winners and losers, and that's not what you want your team thinking about. You want the TEAM to succeed so that EVERYONE on the team wins.

Also remember that what happens on the micro level mushrooms to the macro level.

I'm currently working with an organization where the top guy is trying to rid the organization of competition. He wants his six divisions working together as an enterprise, not as individual divisions that are watching out for their individual interests.

Changing that mindset is difficult, but we're doing it. You can't take an enterprise approach if everyone's competing against each other.

And it all starts at the smaller team level. You don't want your team members, or your department heads, working against each other. You want them working together to achieve common goals.

Focus your team on working together, not against each other.