Who’s in charge, here?
This is, in theory, an easy question with a straightforward answer. If I were an alien landing in many nonprofits, though, then you might keep me waiting after I said: “Take me to your leader…”
Especially if I’d come to earth based on one of your press releases, wanting to meet the supposed author. In nonprofits, things like this which should be clear are never clear. An executive director might, in theory, oversee day-to-day running of an org. A board chair of founder might also have a major say. Then there might also be key staff whose input weighs heavy on any big choice. They might have built their own organizations within your organization. They might be less accountable than others, especially if their funding is secure. There might also be people outside the organization to keep happy. You never want to annoy a “strategic ally” but at the same time, they might be a frenemy in disguise. So: Why ask them to line-edit your documents? You need some boundaries, here!
Power is a funny thing. It flows from money. It’s also beyond money. So: Where is it most concentrated, in your cause-driven organization?
In my experience the most powerful person in your organization is the one with final sign-off. The person who can say, “I give the green light for this to go out into the world.” If it’s not that person then it’s the person who can stop a thing from happening, when it’s almost ready to go. Or the person who calls that person after the press release has gone out. The one with the power to say, “what the heck happened, here? Now, we’re in serious trouble…”
Often the most powerful person in your organization is the last to look at a document. The more contentious the news you’re sharing with the world, the more disagreement.
If this all sounds like a lot of responsibility, then that’s because it is. I always laugh when people tell me they like the idea of nonprofit work because it sounds less stressful. It takes a lot of tact, finesse, and diplomacy to see a document through this production cycle. I’ve been doing it for years, now, and I’m still learning every day.
But here’s how you can smooth the waters:
1. Get the people in a zoom call, early, who might want to argue over a press release later.
2. Get them to agree on the goals of the press release before they talk about its contents.
3. You’ll need a bit of time, here. Different functions within an organization often compete. Some people bill by the hour. Egos being what they are in the nonprofit world it’s also unusual that people can say fewer words. They like to hear themselves talk!
4. Once you agree on the goals, suggest a sample headline and lead paragraph. Get everyone to agree on it or wordsmith it in real time. I find Google Docs can be a great place to start. If this sounds patronizing, it isn’t. Write the first 80 words together. It will help.
5. Then you can go away and draft the rest of it based on that conversation.
6. Give everyone a clear structure and timeline for feeding back and weighing in.
7. If there’s a further disagreement, convene another call. People are generally more civil face-to-face than they are in “track changes.”
This is all where clear roles and responsibilities help. And where you’ll learn to work better with people after a few hiccups. Or if you still need help, you could always hire a strategic communications consultant. Hey. Now there’s a funny coincidence…
—Matt Davis is a communications consultant and writer for a wide variety of clients. He also teaches yoga and lives with his wife and son in New York.
