New Year, New Team Culture

Happy new year, managers, leaders, and nonprofit staffers currently doing 7.5 jobs!

We all know that the start of the new year is a time for personal resolution and, hopefully, a good party. But then January 2 rolls around and many of us fall right back into the nonprofit hamster wheel of chaos, with no plan to reconnect or time to think big. There are small, meaningful ways to break this cycle, if you’re willing. Here are some new year hacks to try with your team.

Hang Out as Human Beings

I mean NO task talk. No work check-ins. No boss bashing. Invite your colleague or direct report to coffee, drinks, or simply a (free) walk in the park. Use this time to connect with them as a human being. Ask questions and listen. You may be surprised to learn something really exciting or difficult going on with them. While everyone’s comfort level sharing is different (and that’s ok), this simple act of having a “How are you?” conversation with no business motive sets a powerful tone. It’s a reminder that you aren’t cogs in a machine, but people with lives and priorities outside of your 10-6. In the best of cases, this can lay the groundwork for a stronger, more open working relationship. (PSA for managers: friendly reminder to do this with every direct report; don’t be a clique-starter).

Reflect & Reset as a Team

Consider this your team or organization's “annual performance review.” What went well over the past year? Why? Celebrate those wins and give credit where it’s due. What mistakes were made? Why? Uplift the lesson learned. This can be a great all staff meeting agenda that will encourage participation and, at the very least, be more interesting than department reports. Leaders should be ready to dive in first, especially to openly own their mistakes and lessons learned. This creates safer space for others to admit things that they wish happened differently. Depending on your staff culture and comfort, a good ol’ “everyone change your name to X on Zoom and then put your thoughts in the comments” can allow for a real-time, anonymous share-out.

Share Organizational Intentions

Intentions, resolutions, goals–whatever you call them–are undeniably a new year trend. And yet, so few mission-driven organizations set clear intentions each year. Instead, the mission is assumed to be the de facto, unwavering intention. Let’s say your mission is to share the art of tap dance with NYC youth. What specific intentions will help you move that forward this year (hint: your operating budget will tell you). Perhaps it’s the launch of a new program, maintaining a strong partnership with a school site, or increasing wages/benefits to make your company a place people want to stay. To the leaders: identify these intentions (3-5), share them, and provide reasoning. To the non-leadership: ask your leaders for this information. Such a little exercise yields so much clarity. Also, your development and marketing teams will thank you!

Check-In on Process

HOW you’re doing your work makes all the difference. This is what keeps folks up at night and riddles those happy hour vent-sessions. Think: last minute requests for every Board Meeting, (even though those are calendared); the fact that 47 people are editing the annual appeal letter (for some inane reason); or that team meeting that could seriously be an email (and is now the top slack channel sidebar). Checking in on process at least once a year is good for your nonprofit health. This doesn't have to be a multi-day retreat. Connect as a group, discuss, and collectively identify the 2-3 things that are working well and the 2-3 processes that are in desperate need of a makeover–as well as who is willing to take on said makeover. It’s amazing how motivated teams can be if they have the opportunity to make something in their life better.

Plan a “Just Because” Stewardship Moment

This is for all you contributed-revenue-driven companies. If you’re lucky enough to have a development staff or department, they likely have stewardship woven into their annual activities. These are the ‘thank you’ notes, listing names on your website, or special invites to artist meet-and-greets. But, why not get creative? Liven up an all staff meeting by dreaming up a unique stewardship moment. Plan it for a random time of the year when you aren’t usually in contact with your supporters. Mailing a polaroid pic of the staff on a Tuesday in March? Cute. Creating a “bring your kids to rehearsal” afternoon during public school break? Aww. Emailing a behind-the-scenes reel featuring everyone’s favorite dance moves? Fun. This new tradition will stand out to supporters and double as a little team-building.

Ask for Feedback

Asking for feedback is rarer than it should be. If you’re a manager, when was the last time you asked your direct reports for feedback…if ever? If you aren’t a manager, when was the last time you sought out feedback on your own? This isn’t meant to feedback-shame you, but rather encourage you to take notice and get curious. Feedback can reinforce things you’re doing that you didn’t realize meant so much to others. And, yes, it can uncover those things you’re doing that aren’t folks’ favorite. You can seek feedback in conversation (give advance notice), an anonymous survey, over email, etc. The important thing is that you ask, receive, and apply it moving forward. To make it worthwhile, try requesting at least one piece of positive feedback and at least one piece of critical feedback.

Experience the Mission In Action

Last, but most certainly not least, THIS: experience the mission in action. The mission is why most people take the job, work more than they should, and stay at an organization. Unfortunately, too often the staff are either working remotely or in an office setting. The mission isn’t tangible there and day after day without a real-time reminder of “the why” takes a toll. Now is the perfect time to re-experience it. Sit in on a rehearsal, shadow a class, attend a performance. No laptops. No forced debriefs. No homework. It doesn’t even need to be a group outing. The purpose is to give yourself and your team the permission to pause, be in the moment, and enjoy the magic of your organization's very reason for existing. Bonus points if you can find a way to make this a regular, valued part of your jobs.

By approaching the turn of the year as a moment of collective reset as opposed to a relaunch into “business as usual,” you make space for change. If just reading this upped your overwhelm: take a breath. You don’t have to do it all. 🙂 Keep it simple, start with one strategy, and be proud of yourself for trying something new. Small changes make a big difference.