Week 35 of 52. Welcome to Drucker Mondays, a 52-week journey through the new book, A Year with Peter Drucker: 52 Weeks of Coaching for Leadership Effectiveness, by Joseph A. Maciariello. Each Monday, we'll feature a Drucker fan and his or her favorite snippet from the week's topic. (Subscribe on this page.) Joanne Pearson is our guest writer today.
Week 35: The Salvation Army
THE BIG IDEA FROM THE BOOK: According to Peter Drucker, The Salvation Army is “by far the most effective organization in the U.S. No one even comes close to it in respect to clarity of mission, ability to innovate, measurable results, dedication and putting money to maximum use…”
JOANNE PEARSON'S FAVORITE DRUCKER INSIGHTS from Week 35, pages 278-285:
• “The Salvation Army knows “how to work with the poorest of the poor and the meanest of the mean.”
• Peter Drucker was famous for asking excellent questions such as: “How do you allocate your resources?” and “How do you make sure that ‘today’ doesn’t’ swallow up all the resources you have?”
• On fundraising, “I have long ago learned that if you have results, you get the support.”
• “Put resources where the results are.”
JOANNE PEARSON'S COLOR COMMENTARY:
At John’s persistent urging, and with great reluctance, I agreed to be a guest writer. This topic on The Salvation Army was a natural choice—because right out of college, I was a case worker in Chicago’s inner city for Cook County’s department of public aid.
Perhaps way too idealistic about making a difference, I wanted to put feet to my heart for the poor. It was an uphill battle with very few results or success stories. Everything I’d been told about government bureaucracy was true.
The good news: when I couldn’t help a desperate single mom, I would refer her to The Salvation Army nearby. With unusual consistency and compassion, the caring officers and employees at The Salvation Army would meet needs—and deliver results. It was amazing.
When John reviewed Commissioner Robert A. Watson’s book, I was enthusiastic. The Most Effective Organization in the U.S.: Leadership Secrets of the Salvation Army is humble and insightful. (Read John’s review here.)
I agree with Joseph Maciariello’s note, “The American public responds favorably to the demonstrated ability of a nonprofit to achieve measurable results.” I know John preaches "Results! Results! Results!” with his clients every week. There’s still work to be done!
THIS WEEK'S QUOTES & COMMENTARY BY JOANNE PEARSON:
Joanne Pearson is the chief operating officer at John Pearson Associates, Inc., and especially enjoys reviewing client surveys and discerning insights and next steps for nonprofit ministries. Her social work career began during the Martin Luther King riots in Chicago, and she has also served in a senior living ministry. Later in life, she received a degree in interior design and enjoys a wide range of activities and interests, including travel to more than 50 countries. She loves being a grammy to five grandchildren who live nearby.
TO-DO TODAY:
• “Convert your organization’s mission statement and the mission for your position to a definition of results for your organization and for each major programmatic activity you are undertaking.”
• “What programs, products, or services have you abandoned recently?”
NEXT MONDAY:
On Sept. 7, 2015, Rick Bee, senior director of alumni and friends development at Biola University, will share his color commentary on Week 36’s topic, “Diffusion of Innovation--Public Schools,” the fourth of five weeks on “Lessons From the Social Sector on the Power of Purpose.”
This was good Joanne!
Posted by: Jerry Butler | 09/02/2015 at 12:57 PM