“Lise really understands the art of writing... I would definitely work with her again. We got the contract!”
Short Case Studies
Analyzing Operations Gaps, Shifting Culture
Communication, Facilitation, Analysis
PROBLEM: A nation-wide non-profit had a communication and sympathy gap between the NY and regional offices, and between the offices themselves due to geographic separation and resulting differences in local and office cultures. Physical separation was exacerbated by inefficient infrastructure and a lack of norms around organizational systems, and a belief that standardized policies and procedures lead to top-down bureaucratic systems—which would stifle initiative and the ability to respond quickly to local needs.
PROCESS: This iterative process started with establishing cross-functional, cross-hierarchical teams to identify, address and propose solutions for ongoing problems around issues related to payroll, performance evaluations, contract management, onboarding and more.
SOLUTION: Establishing ongoing channels of communication between operations staff in all locations by working with key staff and management to build and (initially) to facilitate a cross-functional team with ongoing responsibilities to identify pain points and create solutions around infrastructure and operations. To ensure these shifts would remain part of organizational infrastructure, worked with the C-suite, local leadership, Legal and HR to rewrite job descriptions for all operations staff positions, regardless of hierarchy or status; add the cross-functional team into the network of roles and responsibilities for each location; and, facilitated the team in creating a tracking system to ensure that all new or revised systems were fully documented in organizational policies and procedures and that any necessary regulatory and/or risk management issues were fully assessed, documented and addressed on a regular basis.
Creating a Manifesto for the New Director
Communication
PROBLEM: The new director of the local branch of an international NGO had written a 7-page statement of purpose that was too long to provide clear calls-to-action for stakeholders and staff.
PROCESS: Discuss, research and analyze to understand the five core messages the Director wanted illuminated and communicated.
SOLUTION: A 1-page “Manifesto” and call to action that outlined and stated a clear who, what, why and how of the organization, speaking directly to their local and international communities as well as to organizational stakeholders.
Long-term Donors: Distilling Their Personal Stories into Calls to Action
Communication, Facilitation
PROBLEM: A major international faith-based NGO had many fiercely loyal supporters with fascinating stories about why and how they came to be long-time supporters of the organization. The challenge was to craft compact, engaging narratives that outlined each donor’s underlying philosophy of giving, moving readers to give through linking highly personal motivations with universally compelling need. The goal was to move the organization’s supporters into giving both more and more systematically, including through estate planning.
PROCESS: A community of faith tends to have its own language and philosophical shorthand, which can be opaque and even off-putting to those outside the inner circle. LBE acted as a ‘translator’—i.e. thinking partner, questioner and writer—for articles and blogs proposed by leadership in donor cultivation.
RESULTS: Thought pieces placing the philosophy and expertise of the donors and of the organization into context, illustrating how theory looks in positive, effective action.
Central Park: Seneca Village “Imagined History” Walking Tour
Communication, Facilitation
PROBLEM: The Central Park Conservancy was informed by Park Rangers that there was a lack of understanding by the general public about how important the area of Central Park between roughly West 86th-89th Streets is to the African-American history of New York City. They asked: how can we educate without limiting ourselves to historical plaques?
PROCESS: The first step was intense historical research to understand more about the people and activities of Seneca Village (1825-1857), the first community of free African-Americans in NYC. Because the goal was an interactive experience, it made sense to look for aspects of the Villagers’ daily life that could be accessed now – like local plants, any remaining original landscape, songs they would have been likely to sing, food they would have eaten. Interactive education has grown into a key aspect of how museums engage the public and NYC’s The Tenement Museum has been a leader in this. Emily Gallagher, then a Museum educator, became LBE’s key collaborator, offering a wealth of information about 19th century NYC, including other areas where African-Americans and new immigrants shared neighborhoods, which helped illuminate the social and economic dynamics in Seneca Village. A food historian, professional forager, and specialist in African-American religious and educational song also contributed their expertise, co-creating ways that participants could eat, explore, sing and discuss their way into a better understanding of key historical information and, literally, the earth they stood on.
RESULTS: An “Imagined History” walking tour of the area that was Seneca Village. Participants foraged for plants introduced by immigrants, paced out the measurements of documented houses, ate apples and other foods the villagers would have eaten and sang songs likely sung by the children (mostly African-American and Irish) attending Colored School #1. The tour brought to life, in the early 21st century, something of the political and social history of the city as a whole during the period Seneca Village existed (1827-1857).
Peter Stuyvesant’s Ghost + Interactive Events and Sound Walks (Communication, Facilitation)
PROBLEM: 5 Dutch Days was created to address the lack of visibility of New York City’s Dutch heritage. The programming leaned heavily towards events that sold to the already converted. So - the challenge was engaging people (NYC residents and tourists) who wouldn’t normally interest themselves in a ‘Dutch’ event.
PROCESS: A deep dive into the history of the Dutch in New York City revealed wonderful texts about the incredible biodiversity and beauty of the world created by 1,000s of years of Native American land-use. The descriptions were filled with colors and smells and sounds, which were triggers for interactive events created by sound artists, mapmakers, birders, environmental historians, and others. The point was to help participants imagine this other world, appreciate the bounty early Europeans found (and quickly destroyed), and allow people to appreciate the underlying geography of the area defined by the Dutch as “Peter Stuyvesant’s Farm.”
RESULTS: We worked with sound art, pay-phones, environmental organizations, musicians, artists, historians, and cartographers to create a series of listening walks, a birding tour, maps of pay-phones were dialing a particular phone number would call up a short sound piece (a Dutch hymn, the sound of cowbells, the answering machine in Peter Stuyvesant’s office, etc.), panel discussions and lectures, and more. In short, we brought the 17th-century Dutch footprint to life through elements of modern day New York City.