I want to use the metaphor of a game to demonstrate the process of generating new streams of revenue. I call it the Income Innovation Game.All games have constraints, process, and rules for winning. The Income Innovation Game is no different.The first thing you must do is to identify a problem worth solving. To do this at least two groups of people must agree that the problem is worth solving: a group of people outside your organization and a group of people inside your organization. You get bonus points for every additional external group you find who agrees that the problem needs a solution. Read more at https://innovatingnonprofit.org/post/142637711274…

The S-curve theory of organizational growth says that organizations will follow a growth path that that looks like a sigmoid curve. If we understand this we can use it to keep our organizations ahead of the curve; relevant and high performing. But how can you know where your organizations is on the curve? And how can you keep it in the sweet spot?Let’s journey through the S-curve and find out how we can prepare for it…InfancyIn the early stages an organization is like an infant, thrashing about as it tries to figure out how to arrange itself to understand the needs of a target market and develop meaningful solutions to key problems it sees in the market. In this stage learning and flexibility are key characteristics as the organization begins to figure out what works. The focus is not on efficiency because too much is unknown at this point. The structure of the organization resembles a network more than a hierarchy. Everything is exploration and experimentation; learning.As it begins to gain confidence in what it is learning the organization starts increasing its capacity to both cultivate and fulfill demand for its service. The focus is still on learning, but inefficiencies are now becoming more painful as the organization seeks to grow. In early adolescence policies and make-shift systems are put in place to alleviate the most painful inefficiencies. Initial hierarchy is beginning to form in addition to the innovation network. Read more at https://innovatingnonprofit.org/post/140803502170…

At some point you’re going to need to describe some aspect of your organization. When you do you will choose a perspective and a tool for the job that will come with a set of terms.If you want to describe the authority structures you’ll probably sketch out an org chart. If you want to describe the overall process of achieving outcomes you’ll use something like a value stream map. If you want to take stock of the essential capabilities for achieving your purpose you’ll use something like a capability map. And if you want to describe the pattern of the business model you’ll probably use something like the Business Model Canvas.Regardless of which tool you use you’re going to have to grapple with the terminology that comes with the tool at some point. If you doubt this, just start using the word “customer” whenever you want to refer to the people your organization exists to serve. If your organization is like the nonprofits I’ve worked with, your people are allergic to the word “customer”. But that’s the word all the tools use because all the tools are developed with commercial businesses in mind. Read more at https://innovatingnonprofit.org/post/140344797339…