-adjective | 1. | dulled or satiated by overindulgence:
a jaded appetite. |
| 2. | worn out or wearied, as by overwork or overuse. |
| 3. | dissipated:
a jaded reprobate. |
Sounds like it could be burn out. I happened to take a look at their website in my spare time. Their website also looked a little jaded. The excitement was gone. This organization had three times the staff of several non-profits I have worked with here in Boulder, yet this organization with its bigger staff seemed jaded. It made me wonder where all the enthusiasm went. It used to be fun to put on a show for an appreciative audience. What happened to all the enthusiasm?
I have been part of the world of listening to the Oprah/Tolle webcasts these past 10 weeks on Monday nights. The last webinar touched upon this very subject. Simply put, Eckhart Tolle mentions in his book "A New Earth" that there are three states that are best for living in the present: acceptance, enjoyment, and enthusiasm. If you are not in one of these states, then you are not fully present. To me, this made a lot of sense.
On this blog, I challenge all of my fellow burned out non-profit employees to accept the fact that your budgets are less than desirable, your staff too small, and maybe your salary is a little less than it should be as well. Also accept why you took the job in the first place, how wonderful the mission is and how kind the staff, board and volunteers are and how they also have passion for the mission of the organization. Also help the other people in the organization accept where they are at too. If you have too much of a load in general, accept that you may need to put some things on the back burner until your capacity grows.
Then, after you have accepted where you are right now, enjoy the good stuff. Enjoy the fun parts of your job, the connections you make, the good you are doing, the people you are helping, and whatever else you enjoy about your position. Enjoy working on your non-profits exciting challenges. Enjoy pulling the rabbits out of the hats and performing miracles.
You will know you are on a roll when enthusiasm creeps in. This is the point that you are smiling and sharing all the joy with others around you. Enthusiasm and smiles are contagious after all. Enthusiasm makes other people take notice and want to be a part of your organization too. It is one of the best, if not the best, audience development techniques.
So, in all you do for your organization, design work for your materials, websites, brochures, the business calls and visits you make, the fundraising events and campaigns, the community outreach efforts, the marketing and audience development - accept, enjoy, and above all put enthusiasm back in to your organization! Let the world wonder what you are smiling about, and then let them in on your secret.
Until next time, may your audiences be happy and loyal ones, and if they are not, feel free to contact me!
~Shoshana~
Shoshana Fanizza is the founder of Audience Development Specialists. Her mission is to introduce organizations to their existing and potential audiences and to help form more rewarding relationships with them.
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