I’m not handy. I wish it were different, but no amount of renovation-based television programming or YouTube videos seems to change things. I can be stymied by the simplest of repairs, so much so that I’ve found it less awkward to hire someone at the outset rather than engage them after I’ve botched things up on my own. I’ve seen the cause marketing equivalent of my conundrum often enough that I’ve decided to share a few common signals that your endeavor may outstrip your current capabilities.

Any maintenance on an old house is like pulling a loose thread on a hand-knitted sweater. But I know ignoring things will almost always yield a deeper chill. It’s remarkably like the work I do with clients leading public engagement programs — how ongoing refinements are non-negotiable for meaningful impact. But how often these improvements tend to get neglected. So here are three common mindsets that can limit your success and, more importantly, three tactics to overcome them.

It's no surprise that Millennials and Gen Z see the world in a completely different light than their elder counterparts. But why are these distinctions so important for cause leaders? Because even if you aren’t directly serving younger generations, you’ll soon need them to be your donors, volunteers, or advocates. And their innate distrust of institutions includes philanthropic ones. That means you need to think differently about your message AND your messenger. So here are three trusted-messenger strategies to help jump-start your own.

Our hearts beat for those we're trying to help. That’s why last week’s federal fire drill hurt so much. And while the immediate threat of funding interruptions has abated, recent scares hint that this is no time for complacency. Even if you don't rely on federal funding, new shifts could impact a large swath of organizations. So here's a sample five-point plan to help your organization be as prepared as possible.

There’s a big difference between right and right now. So when it comes to social impact, how do you reconcile a culture of instant gratification with the need for sustained commitment? You bring later into the now, so an increasingly impatient public can stay engaged.

Here’s how to succeed.

Quiet inspiration feels appropriate as we begin this year filled with equal parts of opportunity and uncertainty. It’s an in-between time. A moment of what ifs. Navigate it correctly, and your organization can break new ground. I can't promise Degas and I are on the same page. But here are three considerations he helped inspire.

One can easily ruminate about the causes for division, the competition for donors/grants/staff, or the lack of trust that seems so pervasive in our field. But the leaders I admire and collaborate with aren’t distracted by these truths. Instead, they put their heads down and build. And some are even doing that differently. Rather than continuing to aim for an increasingly elusive bullseye, they’re pushing a ring or two further out on the target, finding the next adjacent group to join their movement. Here are some examples of how they’re growing their communities through inclusive approaches.

Why cautious leadership is now too risky.

There are two types of leadership, reward-based and transformational. Reward-based leaders set expectations, establish structure, motivate through incentives and enforce accountability. Transformational leaders articulate a clear vision, foster growth and self-actualization, provide inspiration and challenge the status quo. With few exceptions, today’s circumstances demand the latter. Read more to understand why and how to get comfortable with the uncertainty this type of leadership demands.

When was the last time you thought “no” but said “yes”? Accepted an invitation when you’d rather stay home with a bowl of popcorn on your lap? Or avoided letting a poor-performing staffer go even though they — and your organization — would ultimately benefit in the end? Guilt is there to keep us true to our obligations. Other times, it’s unwarranted. Here’s how to know the difference, and apply that to both yourself and the issue you’re working to solve.

Our jobs have become much more difficult. And it wasn’t that they were easy before. Though there are multiple cross-contributing causes, I believe four generations in the workplace is the most significant among them. Work on a cause is harder because effective communication requires constant code-switching between these cohorts. So, let’s examine how each manifests the three most common behavioral science biases, and what we can do about it.