I’m on a mission to help employees of charitable organizations contribute and gain more by breaking the boundaries of the status quo.
You went to work in the nonprofit world because you wanted to make a difference. But now you have found yourself in an unimagined place. Your individual gifts, voice and dreams have been discounted.
You chose to do nonprofit work that matters. But instead, you’re sinking fast.
You are hungry to help race a mission forward. But now? Well, you’re stuck.
You are more than a job description. You want to be understood, affirmed and appreciated. You want to bring the glitter of who you are to the workplace and help elevate the mission.
Should you stay or should you go? Your personal mission is unfulfilled. You want to get paid what you’re worth, amplify your impact and more easily connect with others. You want to explore new possibilities. And you’re not alone.
Whether you’re in charge or not, a seasoned professional or new to the field, a Baby Boomer or Gen Zer, I can help you escape the quicksand.
What uncommon outcome do you hope to achieve in the next 30 days? Share with me what you are dead set to lean into and find out what big results others are seeking.
executive director
The stakes are high and the uncertainties of the nonprofit world have you feeling unhinged. You are exhausted to the core and trying to avoid an epic meltdown. How can you overcome an unstable board, a ruptured staff, broken finances and your own fears-all in time?
fundraiser
You feel like you are stranded on an island. You’re de-energized and struggling to meet unrealistic goals with a lack of support. The competition for funding and political headaches are increasing. How can you find the path to success before you fall into a fundraising coma?
Board Member
As a member of a passive board, you have searched for ways to provide a spark. But the organization only seems to care about your checkbook and contacts. Can you find a way to apply your life skills to advance the mission or is this a mismatch?
program staff
They label you disengaged but you’re really just disappointed. Not to mention underpaid, overworked, and unappreciated. You feel trapped and need a way out. How can you make the impact you want before it’s too late?
financial manager
You’re continuously facing a barrage of cash flow storms. The staff needs to be paid more and the board wants financial sustainability. Expenses are rising, donations are dwindling, and the red tape is never ending. How can you keep the lights on and maintain your own sanity?
volunteer
You’re overloaded, burning out and feel like an outsider who isn’t contributing anything important. Your volunteer role is confusing with different people telling you what to do and no point person. When-if ever- can you expect to get more direction in a disorganized program?
“Never sacrifice who you are to become the right fit. Unlock your authenticity and transform a soul crushing culture into new possibilities.”
Hi, I’m Mark.
I’m an Appreciative Inquiry practitioner, speaker, writer and cocreator. I have spent over twenty years deciphering shaky charitable organizations and challenging scarcity mindsets. And I believe it’s not as much what you do as who you are that creates miracle-working power.
Now I’m here to help you crack the code. To break the boundaries of fizzling cultures and plain vanilla thinking. To help you stand out, instead of just figuring out how to fit into the box your organization has waiting for you.
Your work is important, but the sand is running out of the hourglass. There’s a lot of people in need counting on you. So, let’s make sure there’s a part of you that’s left in everyone you encounter and all you create- before it’s too late.
ti@markctiti.com
Why this?
Unlock Authenticity
Bring who you are to the workplace.
Improve Clarity
Focus on what matters.
Create Greater Opportunities
Unearth chances to grow.
Awaken Curiosity
Crush limiting beliefs.
Unite Differences
Absorb new branches of understanding.
PURIFY YOUR CULTURE
Discover a culture that promotes your best physical, mental and spiritual self and that people are excited to be connected to.
What uncommon outcome do you hope to achieve in the next 30 days? Share with me what you are dead set to lean into and find out what big results others are seeking.
Why now?
The stories that depict people at their best are treasures. It is essential for a nonprofit organization to hear the voices of its whole ecosystem. The shared experiences that are harvested can open the door for a charity to multiply the good it already does.
Individual Gifts Are Important
If people at odds in a nonprofit were aware of their own and each others hidden talents, work would be more fulfilling and impactful.
If employees leave a nonprofit employer less curious-less interested-less passionate than when they started, can the organization truly grow?
Relationships Often Need Rebooted
There are adverse consequences resulting from impaired relationships. No organization can be successful in a toxic environment.
Nonprofit organizations can’t cook up core values to make themselves look attractive, build trust and establish momentum. Those values must be proven over the long term. And, when they aren’t, it will be easy to see through the smoke screen.
Team Play Has It's Weaknesses
“You need to be a team player.”
Team implies a norm. Everyone is required to fit in even if that results in overall mediocrity. Anytime someone is asked to be other than who they are, a team loses its potential to be extraordinary.
Rather than accusing others of failing to be team players, encourage everyone to bring who they are to the workplace. It’s how you go from average to truly awesome.
Workplace Culture Has No Recipe
Nonprofit employers do not create the culture alone.
Organizations consist of people.
Those people bring who they are to the workplace.
That helps form the culture.
When who they are is rejected they become apathetic, are fired or quit.
When who they are is affirmed they are capable of making powerful contributions to success.
People In Need Are Counting on You
Nonprofits make large contributions to their communities through a lot of great work. I have experienced this first-hand over the years as a leader and as a follower.
Nonprofits don’t need to perpetually struggle to do more with less.
But they can do more with more.
Contrarian Thinking Is Needed
Going against the grain isn’t easy. It’s rarely the most popular thing to do.
But it can take your organization beyond the mediocrity that mainstream thinking often produces. Being contrarian is a matter of character.