Now’s the time to make 2011 the year of working smarter.  Set your goals and communicate them clearly to all your constituencies -

1. Set your priorities for the year, tied to your goals.  Is it a capital campaign?  An increased percentage of clients you serve?  This is how you can gauge your success in 2011.
2. Communicate your goals and priorities with your board to obtain their buy-in and participation.
3. Communication them with your staff too.  Inspire them to work with you as a team to achieve 2011’s goals.
4. Plan how best to share these priorities to donors and friends.  Does it make sense to target different groups of donors with different priorities/needs?  Do you communicate to some people in person, while for others your newsletter will suffice?
5. Share not only your number goals, but also the human side of the story. That is the “why” you are doing what you do.  Emotion is a powerful motivator.