What is your zone of genius?

I think about this question a lot. As individuals and as organizations, this is such an important question to consider, especially when you're trying to move yourself forward. I define "zone of genius" as the area of expertise that makes you shine. For me, that has shifted a few times over the last couple of years, but I think I've finally figured out what sets me apart and what it is about me that brings nonprofits to my world.

My "development brain" as I jokingly call it, bridges the gap between event planning and event strategy. It's an important distinction because event planning just focuses on the logistics and execution of an event, but event strategy focuses on why you're doing the event to begin with. The genius part comes in when I'm working with my clients to understand the difference between strategy and planning so that they can see their events as a small (but important) piece of a much bigger fundraising picture.

I challenge all nonprofits to zero in on their zone of genius. With so much good work being done in our community, what is it about your mission that sets you apart from other nonprofits? This can be difficult to determine when your organization does so many things, but you have to remember your donors' experience and their capacity to grasp the intricacies of the work you do.

While it's important for them to understand the breadth of your work, sometimes it's better to highlight the top 3-5 pillars (or zone of genius) that make your organization special, and then prioritizing what's most important for them to understand. When it comes to your events, being clear on this will really help you figure out how to articulate your mission in a way that donors will be able to connect with. You want them to know what your zone of genius is, and your events can really help to ensure that message is clear.