Well, I am late to #WritingWednesdays and to the news of a major #organizationalchange and #brandmanagement development, so let's turn it into a post, I say.
Kudos to Elisa Villanueva Beard and the Teach For America team for sharing with the universe a new logo and an accompanying narrative that provides the rationale for the adjusted visual vocabulary. As someone who worked with this group during my time at AmeriCorps, I know the visibility and relevance of the Teach For America brand on the Hill and within the broader network of social impact leaders. In short, it's worth paying attention to this announcement.
Thought I was not involved in TFA's project, the process of re-evaluating an organization's response to broader trends and pressure points is one that inspires me. I get excited at the thought of such an engagement. Specifically, when I read Elisa's post about the organizational analysis and evaluation that produced the new logo, three things stood out to me:
1. This is about more than a logo, and that is okay. The new visual vocabulary and the associated programmatic adjustments signal a change that helps a movement meet the moment. Let's remember, there are nearly two million nonprofits in the U.S. It is a cluttered and competitive space. The best organizations understand how consistency and clarity (in words and images) combine to create a lasting, trusting relationship with the audience. I have no doubt TFA will continue these best practices with its new pledge to “Illuminate every learner.” The 80-second video is cool, too.
2. Risk is essential to relevance. Let's be honest, a lot of nonprofits with the brand recognition of a TFA would not be so transparent about their internal processes. One part of thought leadership is identifying gaps in the status quo and acknowledging the need to invite other perspectives to the table to help convert these challenges into opportunities. Granted, no organization is perfect, but let's give credit to those that take a risk in saying a core part of their approach requires some re-engineering. Visible organizations also become targets for detractors, which is fine. Criticism can be constructive if you have the internal strength to absorb it; otherwise, stay under the proverbial rock.
3. Time is a project partner. As Elisa wrote in the blog post, "When we look back three decades years from now, we’ll be able to point to many other changes, big and small, that have made Teach For America stronger, more impactful, and more accountable to our communities." I smiled when I read this line. She signals that the organization will evolve with the challenges. That invites others to join the cause because their experience will influence decisions.
If you are a leader whose organization is marking a milestone moment, such as an anniversary, and want to explore ways to match risk with relevance, please send me a message. I love this stuff!
Change starts from within. It lights the way to a brighter future, where all students have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. We know that more of the same in education isn't working, and meeting this moment will require nothing short of a transformation.
So, we’re starting with ourselves. By revisualizing the way we look *at* the world and *to* the world, we are better positioning ourselves to be responsive to the dynamic realities around us, support students in reaching key educational milestones and living choice-filled lives, and inspire a new generation of leaders to join this work. Learn more about our brand refresh here: https://lnkd.in/eZ9fYRgE
We appreciate the support and look forward to continuing the partnership!