In the Ted Talk: How Great Leaders Inspire Action, Simon Sinek explains his research on what makes some people and brands more successful.  He suggests that communicating the “why” related to a service or product provided, in any industry, is necessary to explain to potential stakeholders why they should also care about your vision or mission. He says that by talking about the reason for doing what you do inspires others to believe in what you believe.  And by doing so, you attract employees and support that share your interests, creating a very powerful foundation for a successful organization. This is a very relevant concept that should be applied to all nonprofit organizations. If they can communicate why they do what they do and why they are helping a particular population group, stakeholders will want to support you.

For example, in the Susan G.  Komen/Planned Parenthood case discussed in class, Planned Parenthood was successful in retaining their funding as well as growing their donor base-­ $3 million in three days, because of strategic communication. Planned Parenthood; their employees and donors understood their mission and were able to communicate it to individuals outside of their original base, emphasizing why and how their organization contributes to women’s health. In a previous class, a student wrote an OpEd article about the need for continued government funding for abortion services. Nearly half of pregnancies are unintended and her main point was that whether you are aware or not, you know a woman that needs this service. She stressed the “why” throughout the OpEd and I thought it was very effective in encouraging the reader to care about this issue and to petition for funding. Many of Komen’s supporters who care about women’s health identified with Planned Parenthood’s goals and were inspired by their reaction. Strategic planning and communications were essential to quickly enhance Planned Parenthood’s reputation for care and service during this time and led to their victory.