The biggest crime my clients commit against themselves, and their positive impact, is censorship.

But it’s not for lack of good intent. In fact, they do it because that’s what they’re told to do. Too many ideas make them look naive, unprofessional, and is a sure sign they don’t know what you’re doin’.

How We Plug Up Positive Impact

How does this happen in practice? Let’s say there’s a nonprofit executive that realizes the services her organization offers aren’t sticking. Clients revert back to old behaviors, incidentally just as much if not more the longer they’re in her program. What she realizes is that the foundational work isn’t being done. Things like building up value, new narratives, worthiness, and agency. She has all sorts of ideas as to how this could be done.

Sure, she could do the tried and true suit drive. But, there are about a dozen other things she comes up with; incubators to start businesses or life coaching to name a few. She talks about all of them in a flurry any time the subject comes up, and what do people tell her? She’s got to focus. She’s too all over the place. So she chooses one thing, and it’s usually the most conservative/less innovative. So suit drive it is.

Alternatively, take a business owner. She prices a giveback into the prices of her products. She also volunteers when she isn’t working. But she still feels there’s more she could be doing. She could hire individuals who have a hard time finding jobs. She could even hire and enlist the community as agents and evangelists. But it all seems like so much, so she just sticks with the giveback.

Givebacks are where a business owner donates a percentage of proceeds back to the community.
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Lastly, you have a woman that wants to do something really cool with civic duty and tech. She’s not quite sure how she’ll fund it, and she’s never seen anything else like it. She’s also bursting with ideas and talks to a few people. Immediately they say, “Oh, you should be a nonprofit.” So without research or exploring otherwise, she starts a nonprofit. Even if that’s not what she wanted to run in her heart.

There’s Never Too Many Ideas

Having a ton of ideas isn’t a problem. In fact, a ton of ideas is the only way we’re going to right this world’s jankily riding ship. The challenge is none of these women are CLEAR about all of the ideas.

When we brainstorm AND censor at the same time (in our heads no less) we create unnecessary overwhelm. It’s important to get the ideas out on paper and strategically think through them. What are the assumptions? What can I test right at this moment? What experiments can I run?

Because the goal isn’t to get “it” right, whatever “it” is for you. The goal is to learn. The more ideas you throw out and experiment with, the more you learn. You also start to gain more momentum. It’s the only way to do innovative things that no one has done.

Get It On Paper

Seeing this happen over and over, I started to work with clients through this process. Not censoring, but brainstorming and thinking creatively. Getting all of the ideas out there, and working through them.

The results give me goosebumps every time.

Clients start to make new connections. They see how many resources they have, and find a little more ease at clearly seeing what resources they need. Through the process, I literally see them walk back from the ledge real-time. For the ones who embrace the process, I even see them start to moonwalk in a different direction as they start to pilot, partner, or pivot.

Don’t mind me….
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Project Blueprints On The Way

The results have been so great, I want to explore this work as it’s own service. There are a few reasons:

  • The blueprints I create are a low commit, easy way to see if a client and I have synergy. I ain’t built for everyone, and everyone ain’t built for me.
  • The investment isn’t as heavy for a first project.
  • Clients try to implement projects while their minds are in a whirl and their hearts are still in crisis. It can be hard letting go of a vision. Or, doing the work in a much different way than anticipated. A blueprint allows clients to clear their minds and stabilize for the larger work ahead.
  • Blueprints give us a high-level view to see the whole picture. What do we have, and what’s missing. Does the intention match the project mission, and does the project mission match the larger vision? Who is missing? What are the upcoming challenges?

Why The Blueprint Approach Works

Clients come in having already made a firm decision on how to move on a project. But to use the nonprofit example, how do you know for sure one approach is better than the other if you’ve never done any of them? How do you ensure alignment?

With a blueprint, we can look at the whole story and construct something from that instead of vice-versa. That way, there’s alignment and an opportunity to do something new. Clients can get a better sense of what’s been bobbing around their head, start to sort through, ask the questions, and get answers.

Then again, that’s what I think based on what I’ve seen so far. Which is why I’m doing this little experiment.

You got me a Blueprint!
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Get A Blueprint For Yourself Or As A Bomb Gift

For the holiday:

  • Individual Blueprints will be $99 in 2 payments.
  • Blueprints for nonprofits will be $299 in 2 payments.
  • Blueprints for businesses will be $299 in 2 payments.

As far as what you get:

  • Individual blueprints include a 20 min. call with myself.
  • Blueprints for nonprofits and businesses include a 45 min. call with myself.
  • A proprietary questionnaire to get you thinking and your thoughts down.
  • A custom-tailored, visual blueprint that includes the ecosystem, resources, assets, etc. for you to keep, reference and get you moving forward.

A blueprint is great if:

  • You’re an individual starting a new business or charity.
  • You’re a nonprofit implementing a new program.
  • You’re a business or nonprofit thinking about a new initiative.
  • You’re a business or nonprofit looking for new, creative approaches.
  • You’re an individual, nonprofit or business starting on a new project.
  • You want to buy a gift for someone doing any of the above

If you’re interested, want to learn more, or have questions shoot me an email at erin (at) emcclartypllc.com.

Because this is just a trial, I’ll only be doing a few this round so email now if you want a spot.