Seven stages of success of the 36-hour Giving Partner challenge

Sometimes, others say it better than you can ever say it yourself. That's how we feel about Herald-Tribune Executive Editor Bill Church's column on the The Giving Partner challenge success. He likens the challenge (and all of its collaborators and priorities) to the Drexler-Sibbet team performance model, saying that it could be an MBA case study of funneling multiple priorities into successful outcomes.

Here's an excerpt on the seven stages of success from Bill's column:

ORIENTATION: Nonprofits understood why they would benefit from joining the challenge. Their causes are different, but they share real-world similarities in raising money and developing a donor stream.

TRUST BUILDING: Sarasota and Manatee have competitive foundations. You can't show up to any major event without seeing foundation officials in networking mode. Yet they saw the value of working together on this project.

GOAL CLARIFICATION: Donors and nonprofits had to understand why an open competition for donations was beneficial.

COMMITMENT: Everyone had to buy into using an online platform to donate and share results.

IMPLEMENTATION: Technology needed to be in place. Nonprofits needed to market well (even if it meant doing the Harlem Shake).

HIGH PERFORMANCE: Did we mention they raised more than $2.78 million in 36 hours? Score.

RENEWAL: Celebration is important. That explains the not-so-impromptu party, the beverages, the pet and the pet's new nemesis, Gilly the Mote Marine Lab shark/mascot.