Picks of the Week: July 14 - 20, 2013

Website of the Week --  Leader-Values
This site aims to provide visitors with cutting-edge resources on leadership and value systems with a special emphasis on the consideration of multicultural, global issues. Resources at the site have been written or selected to assist leaders in all kinds of organization to develop their skills. In addition, the site examines the qualities and behavior of famous leaders throughout the centuries. Visitors are invited to take the free leadership assessment and the homepage signposts most of the site content. Thought-provoking feature articles share the limelight with regular sections: 'themes' offers in-depth work on change, knowledge, organization, and value systems and '4Es' discusses the four essential Es of leadership. Go to: www.leader-values.com

Publication of the Week --  Nonprofit Mergers and Alliances , 2nd Edition by Thomas A. McLaughlin
From the publisher: Using real-world examples, case studies, and enduring frameworks, Nonprofit Mergers and Alliances, Second Edition offers clear, practical, step-by-step guidance through the merger and alliance development process. From assessing feasibility and planning for implementation to post-merger integration, this ground-breaking work points out pitfalls and offers insightful commentary in every chapter.

• Provides a comprehensive framework for designing and implementing effective collaborations of all kinds
• Offers the tools needed to effectively collaborate with potential partners
• Shows how nonprofit mergers are fundamentally different from for-profit mergers-and why board members need to know this
• Focuses on the needs of the nonprofit sector, including cultural compatibility and compassionate management practices
• Shows nonprofit managers and board members how to make their way through the merger process without repeating Wall Street's mistakes

Insightful and realistic, Nonprofit Mergers and Alliances, Second Edition equips you with the tools and knowledge you need to create effective collaborations.

Click  to preview this book on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Nonprofit-Mergers-Alliances-Thomas-McLaughlin/dp/0470601639/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=createthefuturec

Trend of the Week -- The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth

This report from the National Endowment for the Arts examines arts-related variables from four large datasets -- three maintained by the U.S. Department of Education and one by the Department of Labor -- to understand the relationship between arts engagement and positive academic and social outcomes in children and young adults of low socioeconomic status (SES). Conducted by James Catterall, University of California Los Angeles, et al., the analyses show that achievement gaps between high- and low-SES groups appear to be mitigated for children and young adults who have arts-rich backgrounds. To download the report, go to: http://www.arts.endow.gov/research/Arts-At-Risk-Youth.pdf

Resource of the Week –  The Dynamic Board: Lessons from High-Performing Nonprofits
The Nonprofit Practice of McKinsey & Company:” The Dynamic Board: Lessons from High-Performing Nonprofits” This report from the Nonprofit Practice of McKinsey & Company, explores the issue of board effectiveness. The report summarizes the best practices identified through McKinsey’s interviews with the directors or board chairs of 32 highly-regarded nonprofits. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/959h8cp

Tech Tip of the Week -- Using the Data Analysis ToolPak in Excel 2007/2010
Most people are not aware of the Data Analysis ToolPak in Excel. This feature is disabled by default. To use the Data Analysis ToolPak you need to be familiar with Engineering and Statistical terminology. To enable it:

• Click the File tab (2010) or Office Button (2007)
• Click the Options button at the bottom of the menu
• Click Add-Ins in the left pane 
• Click Go 
• Select Analysis ToolPak
• Click OK

You can now access the ToolPak from the Data tab in the Analysis group.