Archive for the ‘Organizational Pilates’ Category

• Core Strength in Action

  Date: 2010.03.15 | Category: Organizational Pilates, Technology | Response: 0

  When I first injured my back in 2003, I was surprised that the first exercises my physiotherapist gave me focused on the transverse abdominal muscles.  I had done a plethora of stomach exercises before then but never paid attention to those little guys. Viagra for women Viagra sale

  The premise: a strong core is the root of overall healthy functioning.

  We like this philosophy at Framework. Prospecto levitra  We like it so much we practice it all the time in the form of “Organizational Pilates”.  For a bit more detail about Organizational Pilates as our core management practice, take a quick read of Anil’s September 2009 guest post in Volunteer Vancouver’s blog.

  For now, I’d like to share an example of how the exercises and ‘training’ we’ve been doing for the past year or so (our organizational pilates regime) are translating into agility, flexibility and overall effectiveness.

  I’ll work backwards, starting with the end result and finishing Levitra pas cher with the exercises that got us here. Levitra prix pharmacie

  The Success

  The GenNext volunteers in London are motiv Pastillas levitra ated and passionate to make the 1st London Timeraiser a huge success.  They are currently out connecting with local businesses like WCS Financial and Libro Financial Group who will sign on as spon sors Online levitra so we can buy artwork at fair market value from local artists.

  When a volunteer confirms a new corporate sponsor, we are able to alleviate the burdensome administration around partnership agreements, invoices, etc. Levitra achat Cheap viagra online  After one quick email containing contact information, we can produce all the necessary documents, email Purchase viagra online them over, and often have everyth ing signed Levitra pill in 20 minutes. Viagra levitra

  We transformed an administrative process that used to be circuitous, redundant and cum Brand viagra bersome into one that is fast, easy and efficient for everyone.  Moreover, volunteers can focus their skills where they’re most important: connecting with local businesses and building relationships. Purchase viagra Kauf von viagra Kaufen viagra

  On our end, what used to take us, on average 3 days, can now take 20 minutes start to finish with the end result being more organized and more transparent. Viagra alternatives

  The Process: Before & After

  We have completely removed printers, faxes, paper and pens from this workflow and instead rely on a wicked integration of Salesforce.com and EchoSign.

  I won’t go into it here, because it’s much for fun to have Amanda take you through the process in this concise and colourful video (shown above). Really, it’s a good video, even the folks at the EchoSign blog said so!

  How we got here: Organizational Pilates regime

  Our success can be attributed to our strong organizational core. Viagra sin receta  Our daily pilates regime builds:

  1. Strength to evaluate and implement technology that works best for us
  2. Agility to practice processes that can engage new ideas and evaluate them against our existing programming
  3. Focus to always use programming that engages and supports the best staff and volunteers
  4. Resiliency to learn from the work that we, and other like-minded initiatives, are doing
  5. Motivation to share everything we know, data we have and insight we generate

  We’re going to keep on this exercise regime; we’ re feeling fit as ever! Levitra contraindicaciones Over the counter viagra Viagra bestellung  And one thing I learned from my back injury is that maintenance is everything: I re-injured my back last year having neglected my transverse abdominus exercises.  Luckily I enjoy our organizational pilates more than actual exercise!

  Let us know how you exercise your organization’s core!

• HBO’s The Wire: Great Writing, Amazing Character Development

  Date: 2010.02.08 | Category: Organizational Pilates | Response: 0

  Eli Malinsky (Viagra alternatives Social Innovation” href=”http://socialinnovation.ca/” target=”_blank”>Centre for Social Innovation) and I had coffee recently. Before we got down to business, we started talking about our favourite television shows. We quickly found out that we both appreciate HBO’s the Wire. Omar is Eli’s favourite character. Freeman is mine.

  Here is what I like about Freeman’s character: Episode after episode, you will see Freeman patiently peering under a magnifying glass with his wood working tools creating some little toy while waiting for the bad guys to make a call and activate the ‘wire tap’.

  It was boring work. But it was critical to make the case. Levitra pill

  His o ther colleagues were often out on Kaufen viagra the street, cracking heads and making arrests. Over the counter viagra Cheap viagra online Freeman was assigned to the tedious grunt work. Levitra contraindicaciones Levitra prix pharmacie

  Freeman also spent a lot of time searching for patterns in loosely organized pieces of crime reports, maps, the banking statements of criminals, suspect photos and property development information.

  In several episodes you would see him sitting there, silently, looking at the collage on the wall. He’d sit there, hour after hour, day after day waiting for the pattern to emerge. Viagra sin receta Brand viagra This method Freeman’s colleagues to no end: they wanted immediate results. Viagra levitra

  However after time, patterns would emerge. Purchase viagra Viagra bestellung The gangsters operated more sophisticatedly than the police gave them credit for. Online levitra Their techniques more thought out than police suspected. Viagra for women Pastillas levitra And unsuspecting accomplices were keeping their exploits hidden. Viagra sale Levitra achat

  In our offices, we also like to look at a lot of seemingly random data, stats and stories. We, like Freeman, often post them on a board or wall or into a GChat. Often it is a bunch of random stuff about the nonprofit sector. Sometimes it’s simply “Hey have you seen this?”. In doing so, we see a few patterns emerge. We’ll be blogging about a few of these patterns in the next few weeks, but the one that is most promising is the Levitra pas cher Kauf von viagra ” href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_system_(computing)”>open-data/open-architecture movement.

  We th ink there is massive opportunities Purchase viagra online in our space. We’re also happy to see more buzz around Social Enterprise and will be connecting the docs on seemingly random stories that relate to both areas.

  Feel free to share your observations with us; collecting information from all sources is the best way to solve a case. Prospecto levitra

• Building Effective Twitter Posts

  Date: 2009.10.06 | Category: Organizational Pilates | Response: 0

  Many say that Twitter is just noise. There have been concerns about how Twitter affects productivity in the workplace, particularly if you were to click each link that is posted in your feed. Levitra pas cher  Let’s not contribute to the noise. Instead, we can build quality content that inspires our followers and helps build a meaningful online voice for our organization. Pastillas levitra Of course, now that we have this big goal of consistently good content, how will Over the counter viagra we know if it is effective, or in the very least, interesting to our readers?

  The best way to figure out if your audience is listening is to ask them, and give them choice. Viagra sin receta Purchase viagra I thought I’d run a mini “A-B” experiment and see which of our Civic Footprint Tweets were the most effective. Viagra levitra Kaufen viagra Since we have the Edmonton Timeraiser quickly approaching (11 days!) measuring #yeg Timeraiser content seems fitting.  The results are interesting.

  • Tweet A: A tweet about inspiration and opportunities for volunteering received 22 clicks and was “retweeted” by 4 different users: Looking for a reason to be inspired? Seeking Volunteer Opportunities? October 17th is the 1st Edmonton Timeraiser. http://bit.ly/x453M. September 30th at 2:11pm.
  • Tweet B: Comparatively, a tweet the next day about bidding time towards art received virtually the same number of clicks, but no one felt compelled to pass the message along to their users. Match your skills with volunteeragencies who need them. Bid time on art. Kauf von viagra Cheap viagra online We’re coming to #yeg for the 1st Ed. Timeraiser http://bit.ly/x453M. Oct 1st 1:59pm
  • Tweet C: As a final test, I sent out a rather provocative message at 11am on a Tuesday morning (supposedly the best time to capture readers) to see if it would change the number of click throughs to our Timeraiser page. It received 7 clicks and no retweets. Hey #yeg! What are you doing on October 17th that is more interesting than the Edm Viagra bestellung onton Timeraiser? http://bit.ly/x453M. October 6th at 11am

  When it comes to engaging with our audience, messages of inspiration and volunteerism are most likely to attract action (click and forwards).

  Why this is important

  As an NGO, dedicating resources to Facebook posts, Tweets, LinkedIn Updates and blog posts can be a daunting task. Levitra pill Viagra for women There are many free resources for monitoring the “buzz” around your brand and for seeing where your visitors are coming from (and how often they click your links).  Seeing what happens to your content, and knowing whether or not your efforts are worth the resources is valuable in building effective strategies for social media. Levitra achat Being flexible and prepared to change direction become key elements for being involved in a shifting environment like social media. Viagra alternatives

  How do you measure succes Prospecto levitra s?

  –

  Side notes on the A-B experiment: Time of d ay is likely Levitra prix pharmacie a contributing fac tor Brand viagra to how often our links Viagra sale our clicked. While the first two tweets were sent at roughly the same time of day (on two different days) the third tweet was sent at an earlier time of day. Purchase viagra online  Since the West Coast will be just starting their work day at 11am EST, it would Online levitra be a contributing factor to how much interest a tweet gains. Levitra contraindicaciones

• Thoughts on the “Good Enough” Revolution

  Date: 2009.09.09 | Category: Organizational Pilates, Technology | Response: 0

  I recently came across an interesting article by Robert Capps in Wired titled Online levitra : When Cheap and Simple is Just Fine".” href=”http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/17-09/ff_goodenough” target=”_blank”>”The Good Enough Revolution: When Cheap and Simple is Just Fine”. As an organization that makes a strong effort to stay on top of the latest technology trends and tools, this article made me stop and think about our current uses of hardware and the requirements we have to operate efficiently. Brand viagra Purchase viagra Prospecto levitra

  As the article describes, products like the Flip Camera have “stunned the industry”, offering “cheap, fast and simple tools” that are extremely popular. The article points to several examples of customers moving towards easy-to-use tools that offer most (if not the majority) of the functionailty we need at a price that cannot be ignored (as is the case of cloud computing, where many software tools are free).

  Capps outlines three elements that participants of the “Good Enough Revolution” are focused on; ease of use, continuous availability, and low price. Cheap viagra online As he explains, “Thanks to the speed and connectivity of the digital age, we’ve stopped fussing over pixel counts, sample rates, and feature lists”. These elements resonate with what we’re building as a non-profit organization, and our goals to be an open-source organization (where our volunteers, staff, stakeholders and fans can participate and collaborate).

  As tech tools continue to become the method for which we produce great work (instead of becoming the work itself), do we need flashy options and endless capabilities (and lengthy trainin Levitra prix pharmacie g courses?) or do we need software that allows us to create, produce and remix awesome work without huge start-up times (and costs). I vote for the latter. Viagra sin receta Purchase viagra online As Shel Holtz has said in regards to social media, “It’s not about the tool, it’s about the conversation”.

  In evaluating new technical tools for our organization, I am faced with questions like “will our users pick up and start using the tool without much training Viagra for women ? Is it accessible and in the cloud Viagra bestellung ? Is it collaborativ Viagra alternatives e? I look for tools that can complete the task (ideally quicker and easier than desktop software), that don’t demand a huge learning curve, and at times, ones that have a “cool factor”.

  Maybe more importantly, the Good Enough Revolution is successful because it allows organizations to get started in using the tools now, and then adapt Pastillas levitra and grow in the future. Levitra pas cher  Picking up the “Good Enough” tools and running without a strategy isn’t the rea son why they are Levitra pill so popular.  In fact, using too many tools without a plan is a surefire way to confusion, disorganization and duplicated processes. Levitra contraindicaciones  Instead, organizations should look to “Good Enough” tools as a way to excute strategies and projects without commitments to expensive software, training and extended planning. Over the counter viagra  Get going, experiment and adapt.

  It’s interesting that Capps writes, “As more and more industries move their business online, they too will find success in Good Enough tools that focus on maximizing accessibility. Kaufen viagra It’s a reflection of our new value system. Viagra levitra Viagra sale We’ve changed.”  At Framework, it is clear that our values lie with accessibility and open-source. Levitra achat  What do you think about the Good Enough Revolution? Are there some features that the “quick and easy” tools can’ t provide for you Kauf von viagra ?

• Transition in Turbulent Times

  Date: 2009.08.18 | Category: Organizational Pilates, Technology, Timeraiser | Response: 1

  Jen Grebeldinger- Normally a move across the country with a job would be a lot more involved.  Normally transitions can be tricky and painful and exceptionally disruptive.  This one wasn’t, and it’s thanks to the time and energy we’ve invested into establishing systems that allow for dynamic flexibility, instant scalability and genuine resiliency. 
  

  Armed with my laptop, a travel mug, cheques for 2009 Vancouver artists, my BlackBerry, a headset and my daily notebook I made the move from Toronto to Levitra pas cher Vancouver on August 1st. Viagra sin receta Purchase viagra online Viagra for women Viagra sale Viagra precio Prospecto levitra With this ‘office’ I can: access every file I need that relates to planning, administering and reporting on a Timeraiser, get coffee to go without using paper, pay the 25 amazing 2009 Vancouver artists, access the internet anywhere (with my USB I can tether the internet to my laptop, too!, use Skype to talk to my lovely colleagues for free, and track ‘to do’ lists; the minute I land, I’m ready to go.  I don’t miss a beat and I don’t have to use vacation days to organize my office (Since I’m on the west coast, there are many other things to do on a vacation!).

  If you read our other blog posts, or peruse our various Google Sites, you’ll probably notice that one of the things we strive for is to be as transparent as possible and provide uninterrupted access to our planning, administration and reporting tools.  You’ll also notice that we are big supporters of cloud computing and leveraging our technology platforms so that we can be efficient, agile and most importantly during these times, resilient.  So even with this big move we’re feeling strong and stable because we’ve been investing time into completing exercises that reaffirm our use of these tools as well ensure we are living the values we are promoting. 

  One of the original purposes of these exercises was to ensure, for example, that our volunteers on the other side of the country could always have the up-to-date documents they need to support one of our programs.  As it turns out, this has benefited me now that I have moved offices – I have instant access to every document I need without having had to backup the hard drive of my desktop computer in Toronto.  I also have access to documents created by volunteers and colleagues without worrying about who in our office had the most recent version. Viagra levitra Brand viagra Levitra contraindicaciones Purchase viagra Kauf von viagra Kaufen viagra Levitra prix pharmacie

  At its core these exercises or “organizational pilates” help us remain thoughtful about how we plan, administer and report on our programs.  We’ve deliberated the how’s and why’s related to the various technologies we’ve chosen to leverage in a more “slow food” approach as opposed to a “fast food” approach. 

  A Fast Food approach is transactional.  Think “super size me” and the “I want it now” idea where the focus is satisfying short term cravings that ultimately jeopardize long term health of individuals and environments.  In Fast Food you never know what all the ingredients are, let alone where they came from.  A Slow Food approach is fundamentally different; it is deliberate and focused on awareness so that less is more.  Encouraging consumers to know where their food comes from, Slow Food encourages the use of fewer, quality, seasonally appropriate ingredients which is healthier for people, environments and culture. Online levitra Over the counter viagra Levitra achat Cheap viagra online  

  Using this analogy, rather than being reactive and focusing on short terms goals that may ultimately jeopardize our organizational core (fast food approach), we have been thoughtful, strategic and deliberate in organizing our operations (slow food approach). 

  This Slow Food approach is the bottom line of why a big change like moving across the country hasn’t disrupted our operations.  The ease of this transition shows that the time we invested early on in creating our cloud infrastructure has been well worth it. Levitra pill Viagra bestellung Pastillas levitra Viagra alternatives