Beth Kanter has a blog obituary post enhanced by this great image. Beth writes:
Did I scare you! No worries ... this is not a blog equivalent to a myspace suicide note. Just a pointer to an interesting post from Michael Gilbert on his authentic organization blog called Organizational Obituary -- that I have morphed into:
Write down your blog’s obituary. How would it read if your readers were to write it? How would it read if other blog's in your field were to write it? What would the world look like if your blog didn’t exist? If you were to stop tomorrow, who would miss your blog and why? Have you made any real difference for your readers?
I like Michael's original too:
Write down your company’s obituary. How would it read if your stakeholders were to write it? How would it read if other organization’s in your field were to write it? What would the world look like if your organization didn’t exist? If you were to close tomorrow, who would miss you and why? Have you made any real difference for your stakeholders?
Good question - but how often is it asked in the nonprofit and public sectors? Competition usually kills off weaker companies (for good or ill) but too often the nonprofit and public sector response to possible closure is just a fight for funding without sufficient thought about whether a changing environment is offering some important messages. A few too many blogs in the world isn't too much of a bother. Lots of redundant organisations fighting for territory (and public funds) is another matter. But then I'm just a freelance, and used to uncertainty. It must feel different inside.
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