You’ve Gotta Have Heart

Achieving Purpose Beyond Profit in the Social Sector

by Cass Wheeler, longtime CEO of the American Heart Association

“In this refreshing and straightforward book, Cass Wheeler uses the example of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation—a partnership between the American Heart Association and my Foundation to combat childhood obesity—to illustrate pragmatic ways for nonprofits to effectively reach their goals. You’ve Gotta Have Heart is a useful and insightful guide for how to transform hard work and dedication into change for those most in need.”

— Former President Bill Clinton

Charitable organizations employ more than 14 million people in the United States—that is about 11 percent of the nation’s workers. And more and more for-profit companies—Avon, Microsoft, and MTV to name just a few—are launching their own charitable campaigns and foundations. With the increasing competition for donor dollars in today’s difficult economic times, any nonprofit that hopes to continue doing good must be bold, innovative, efficient, accountable, and adept at the best business practices.

“Every nonprofit can be more forward-thinking, creative, disciplined, visionary, and successful,” says Cass Wheeler, CEO of the American Heart Association. Under his 11-year leadership tenure, this highly respected nonprofit has done great—doubling its annual revenues to $800 million and investing a total of $1.4 billion in research aimed at reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 25 percent by 2010—while doing good. In YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HEART: Achieving Purpose Beyond Profit in the Social Sector (AMACOM 2009), Wheeler shows how to apply his core concepts and winning strategies to nonprofits of various sizes and missions. As he stresses in his introduction, he wrote the book with a concrete and far-reaching goal: to increase every nonprofit’s effectiveness—whether measured by fund-raising revenue, staff and volunteer retention, or people served—by 5 percent (or better) over current projections.

To help readers realize that goal, YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HEART presents proven management techniques, tactics, and tools reinforced by valuable leadership lessons. Using examples from internationally recognized nonprofits, including the American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts of America as well as the American Heart Association, Wheeler stresses and demonstrates the importance of:

- Clearly defining an organization’s sense of mission—yes, it takes more than crafting a mission statement—with attention to real-world challenges and customer service.

- Creating a breakthrough goal to motivate employees, volunteers, board members—and making it meaningful by backing it up with rock-solid execution.

- Investing in market research, paid advertising, and other brand-building tactics used by the for-profit sector.

- Leveraging new technologies and incorporating diversity into all fund-raising efforts.

- Building the best staff and inspiring the best work from volunteers, as well as paid employees, by consistently providing them with information and specific praise.

- Raising the bar in terms of accountability and ethical standards—for corporate partners, donors, volunteers, and employees.

- Influencing public policy and public opinion with strong, structured advocacy, including legal lobbying.

- Forging powerful strategic alliances with for-profit corporations, influential individuals (such as a former U.S. President), and other nonprofits to achieve shared goals together.

“I am proud that the American Heart Association’s practices, strategies, and achievements are on par with some of the best-managed for-profit corporations in the world,” Cass Wheeler reflects. “Most of all, I am proud of my relationships with the mentors, staff, volunteers, survivors, partners, and friends with whom I have connected over the past 30 years. No manager can succeed alone.” With YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HEART to lead and guide the way, every dedicated manager can claim the same pride in their successful nonprofit organization, foundation, or campaign.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cass Wheeler was Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association from 1997 – 2008. He began his career with the association in 1973, after working for the American Cancer Society and as a stockbroker. The first nonprofit CEO to be honored with the Award Excellence in National Executive Leadership, he has been a guest lecturer at the Harvard Graduate Schools of Business, among other distinguished venues. A past chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Health Council, he currently serves on the boards of Partnership for Prevention, National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, and Research! America. Mr. Wheeler lives in Austin, Texas.