2005/06

Improving your Presentations

Patrick Gossage, President, Media Profile
Most people, even experienced leaders, fear standing up in front of an audience as much as they fear writing exams. Even born conversationalists somehow get stiff, dry mouthed and uninspired facing dozens of eyes bearing down on them. Below are some practical tips to help you to connect with your audience, use PowerPoint more effectively, and deliver your presentation with confidence and flair.

Managing Union Relations

Frances Lankin, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Greater Toronto
The necessity for community-based agencies to operate on a shoestring often collides with trade unions seeking increased compensation for their members whose salaries are lower than similar jobs in other sectors. The long-term answer is for both parties to convince funders that core, sustainable funding is required. In the short-term, the interests of community-based agencies are served by having knowledgeable, skilled negotiators on both sides of the table.

Creating an Inclusive Organization

Kay Blair, Executive Director, Community MicroSkills Development Centre
Embracing the values of inclusiveness within an organization is a long-term proposition; the process of altering attitudes and practices does not happen overnight. Creating an inclusive organization requires more than just hiring new faces. It requires opening minds and doors to new perspectives and worldviews. It is an on-going process of rethinking the work we do as well as the relationships we build with the wider community. This session provided practical tips on how to embrace the principles of inclusion.

Innovation

Suzanne Gibson, Suzanne Gibson & Associates Inc.
Useful social invention and innovation should have at its core: a need, problem or issue that it is addressing. It should also be aligned to a powerful vision and key guiding values. And, for the purpose of social innovation, it should have positive change as its end goal.

Media Relations

Susan Reisler, Vice President, Media Profile
Media relations exploded into my life ten years ago, when I was winding up a long career at the CBC. Before that, as a hard political and international news correspondent, I had very little contact with public relations (PR) people. We did speak with people in organizations who handled our requests for interviews and research, but frankly, it was usually the reporter making the call out, not the other way around.

Corporate Fundraising

Susan McIsaac, Vice President, Fundraising, United Way of Greater Toronto
The current philanthropic environment in Canada is one of great opportunities and challenges. While Canadian corporation give away a lot of money, securing corporate funding can be challenging. More than ever, companies are professionalizing their approach to philanthropy and sponsorship and seeking to align their community investment with their business objectives. At the same time, the number of registered charities in Canada keeps growing. In addition to these traditional charities there are many emerging small agencies and they are all looking for corporate dollars. How do we all stake our claim and get noticed – not only to secure funding but maintain on-going support?

Managing Effective Board – Executive Director Relationships

Rick Powers, Assistant Dean and Executive Director, MBA Programs Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
The key to successful board – management relationships is timely and effective communications between the executive director of your organization and its board of directors. It sounds simple enough but done poorly, it can become of the leading causes of discord in nonprofit organizations. How do these problems arise and how can we structure and organize nonprofits to capitalize on effective communication skills? How should executive directors conduct themselves at board meetings and how can we enhance the flow of information between the organization and the board within the time constraints that each is operating under.

Social Marketing

Mark Sarner, President, Manifest Communications
Social marketing began about thirty years ago with the adoption of business marketing principles to social ideas. Over that time there has been many adaptations in the discipline and its reputation has been transformed in the social sector. However, there are also a number of misperceptions: social marketing is not advertising. Social marketing is a tool for understanding how to move your organization forward and a ‘scorecard’ to keep track of what’s working in your organization and what needs to happen next. Phil Kotler, a professor of business marketing, says that “marketing takes a day to learn and a lifetime to master” and that’s true of social marketing as well. Social marketing does not require tremendous resources; in fact, the less money you have, the more powerful social marketing can be for your organization.