Q: How can we quickly reconnect our board and staff to the passion they once had for our organization?

A: First of all, pat yourself on the back for noticing that things have gotten a little stale. You could have ignored it or lied about it and pretended everything was fine.

The most important thing to notice is that there was something about your organization that sparked their passion in the first place. Something that had them say, "Yes, this is the place or cause I want to get involved with."

Your job is to get them back in touch with that moment.

One easy way to accomplish this is to have them, as a group, tell each other why they got involved here in the first place. What was it that had them choose your organization? This works best in a conducive setting like a retreat or a board or staff meeting where you've set aside a little extra time.

I've seen this work very powerfully with an extraordinarily dedicated, yet burned-out, staff group. They had been working at an outstanding organization anywhere from two to twenty years. In spite of their incredible track record, they had never shared with each other why they started working there in the first place.

For some, it was just that they had needed a job, they hadn't been particularly interested in this cause, yet they got hooked as they began to learn about it. There was a moment when they had each become hooked, an incident that had stirred them enough personally to dedicate themselves to this issue, in spite of the organizational politics, funding concerns, and other tempting job offers.

There was something magical that occurred when they told their stories to each other. Individually, they were each returned to that original moment (much like asking a long-married couple to tell you the story of how they first met and fell in love) and they were personally re-inspired (and, surprised that they had indeed lost that passion).

As a group of professional colleagues who had been working together (in some cases for many years), they learned another side of each other. Some of the stories were very personal and moving, whereas others were amusing and even silly. They all gained a deeper respect for each other.

Ultimately, they were reminded of the validity of their cause. They had renewed energy and ammunition for going out there and telling the story of the organization to their community. They were reminded of just how important the work of their organization was.

All in the space of an hour.

This is a great opening exercise at a board retreat. It doesn't need to take long or get sappy. A good leader or facilitator can keep it moving along. Without making a big deal of it, your board will be quickly re-energized, connected, and turned on.

Big results will follow.