Month: July 2014

Make Your Good Nonprofit Board a Great One

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“To make the greatest impact on society requires first and foremost a great organization.”                      – Jim Collins

Consider this view of nonprofit Board members:

  • Necessary evil (for legal reasons)
  • Impediment to progress
  • Source of busy work for staff
  • Meddlesome micromanagers
  • Power mongers

As opposed to this one:

  • Stewards of public trust
  • Guardians of the mission
  • Ambassadors for the organization
  • Strategic partners with staff
  • Experienced civic leaders

If you’re on the Board of a nonprofit, I’m sure you’d rather be viewed the second way. So what can you do to make your Board great? What skills and behaviors can you bring to the Board table to ensure that your organization’s beneficiaries are being served by the best Directors possible?

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A Change Will Do You Good

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I wrote this blog post from the offices of Buchanan PR’s PRGN Chicago affiliate, LC Williams & Associates. In the span of a two-hour flight, my daily view went from the habitually willful “can-I-have-a-treat?” faces of our office pups, Lacey and Romeo, to sun-drenched sailboats docked along Lake Michigan.Buchanan Public Relations, Philadelphia Public Relations agency, Emily DiTomo

The inspiration – not to mention effect on my productivity – was enormous. This got me to thinking: how can a change of scenery benefit PR professionals?

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Dog Days Dos and Don’ts

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It’s the middle of summer and it’s my turn to write a blog post. I don’t feel like writing a blog post. In fact, I don’t feel like doing much of anything. Did I say it’s the middle of summer?Buchanan Public Relations

So – how to stay motivated and productive during the dog days of summer, when frankly we’d prefer to be at the beach or in the mountains rather than sitting at our desks?

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Beyond the Basics: Taking PR 101 to the Next Level

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Recently, I’ve  been lucky enough to attend some  amazing conferences in Philadelphia. These conferences have provided me the ability to do some great networking, as well as learn a lot about running businesses, using my talents and being a strong female leader. 

A common theme throughout all of the conferences, however, was that the skills workshops and forums tended to cater to  younger professionals, with a distinct lack of options in the advanced department. It got me thinking about what workshops I’d like to attend as an experienced PR practitioner. I also asked a few of my peers what they’d like to see in terms of professional development opportunities.

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