What You Need To Succeed After Your Campaign

By Norm Fishman, Executive Vice President
Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc.

So, what’s next? After the conclusion of a highly charged and successful capital campaign, what will you need to succeed at your changed organization?

In Stephen R. Covey's, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he reminds us that visioning is essential to success. His second habit is:

“Begin with the end in mind -- decide your mission, develop your strategic plan BEFORE you start.”

One of the great pleasures of consulting is serving as a change agent for our clients. Early in the campaign activity, I ask clients what they will be when the new facility is completed and a new array of services is available to the community.

Frequently in the best preparation process, an often overlooked issue in the planning is what changes will occur to the lead professionals and what skills will be necessary to conduct the business of the larger facility and organization. We all probably believe that we will continue to grow into the larger position.

This is a misconception that can result in very difficult consequences for otherwise competent professionals. When we arrive as the lead professional, we become vital to the well being of our organization. The fact that we are able to lead our boards through the necessary processes of deciding to enter into capital additions is a sign of our leadership. I have observed that the best professionals serve their boards best by having a vision, sharing it with the decision makers and helping to come to consensus on the final decision.

Recently a speaker asked the following: “Does working with technology make your work easier or more difficult?”

Several people in the audience answered “Easier.” Others said it made it harder. The speaker replied that neither was correct. The answer is that the way you work will be completely changed! A small example of how we work differently is how we use our assistants today. How many of us dictate or record for letters or memos to be transcribed? We now prepare our own letters on the network and perhaps give it to our assistant to complete on stationery. Memos today are most commonly done through email.

Peter Drucker, author of The Effective Executive says:

“An executive's time cannot belong to everybody else. Leadership should not mean micromanaging. Second, choose what to contribute -- executives often focus on effort instead of results and all paths must lead to a strategic goal. Third, know where and how -- an executive must gather information from many sources in order to make a good decision. Fourth, set the right priorities -- crises must not drive organizational decisions. Fifth, knit together by effective decision making -- an effective executive creates an effective organization.”

The same is true for building new facilities. Everything will change! It is an appropriate assumption that expanded facilities and programs will require additional skilled staff. This will require a more skilled professional leader and the great opportunity to implement the vision could be lost if the executive is not prepared.

As a final note, this modeling needs to be incorporated into all aspects of our communal organizational structure, not only at the staff level, but throughout all decision making bodies, board and committees as well.

To learn more about what you need to know as you are considering a campaign, contact Jeffrey Byrne & Associates at 1-800-222-9233, or visit us on the web at www.jeffreybyrneandassociates.com.