Philanthropy in a Flat World: Inspiration Through Globalization, Jon Duschinsky, Wiley, 2009.
A couple of years ago I was blown away when I read Thomas L. Friedman's The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century. Friedman, a prize-winning author, NY Times columnist and social commentator, explained global interconnectedness in a way that even I could understand.
Now Jon Duschinsky has written a sort of sequel, explaining the effect of that global connectedness on philanthropy. His recent book, Philanthropy in a Flat World: Inspiration Through Globalization uses Friedman's book as its catapult.
Since I had read, indeed gobbled up, Friedman's book, I just loafed my way through the first half of Philanthropy in a Flat World, reading a little at a time. That is until I hit chapter five, titled, "The Four-Step Plan to Flat Philanthropic Success." I woke up and finished the book in one sitting. Here were actionable suggestions for bringing the "Flat World" concept to fundraising.
If you haven't read Friedman's book, then the first half of Philanthropy in a Flat World will bring you up to date. But the meat of the book is in the second half, and anyone involved in philanthropy or fundraising will find carefully honed suggestions that will exercise one's note-taking and highlighting skills.
Duschinsky's four-step plan to flat philanthropic success consists of these steps:
- Rationalize
Basically, let someone else do the things that might distract you from exercising your core competency in the service of your core mission. For many nonprofits, especially those working in global settings that require all the skill they can muster just to do the job, that means contracting out fundraising, public relations and other administrative tasks. Laser focus is demanded of nonprofits that will flourish in the flat world. - Become Sexy
This is all about being competitive. Only those organizations that can appeal to a donor's emotions and attract donors to their cause will survive in the flat world. Duschinsky offers plenty of suggestions about how to do this, with brain science to back him up and plenty of anecdotes from his experience as founder of Be The Change consulting. Hint: examine your website and your mission statement for signs of "sexiness." - Use Your Body
Focus on nonverbal communication first. Stop preaching and start exuding passion for your cause. Transition from giving information to being an organization your donor wants to spend time with. Organizations that flourish in the flat world understand the "laws of attraction." - Get Hypersensitive
Does your brand radiate an impossible-to-resist vibe? Gathering donors and keeping them is about providing a superb donor "experience." This may demand deep cultural change for your organization. Nonprofits that make it in the flat world will know how to massage the donor experience from beginning to end, and then will be able to start over and do it again.
Duschinsky says that, paradoxically enough, a global, flat world made possible by technology demands relationship building of the first order. He says, "...many nonprofits are structured not around building relationships, but around fundraising, communications, programs, and often a myriad of other activities--topped off with a fairly heavy management/administration level." A flatter, more focused nonprofit is a more nimble one, able to cope with the continually changing patterns of globalization.
Nonprofits have been slow to catch on to the survival techniques of a flat world. Philanthropy in a Flat World is a quick read that might just help your organization transition from a 20th century organization to one that can flourish in the 21st century.
Philanthropy in a Flat World: Inspiration Through Globalization, Jon Duschinsky, Wiley, 2009.
