PAI Visits the Mackinac Center

June 06, 2007

From April 18^th through the 20^th, two representatives from PAI were present at the semi-annual leadership conference hosted by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, MI. Various topics were covered. These ranged from organizing the board of directors to writing a good editorial. The conference, as a whole, was very informative and interesting. The conference focused on three fundamental topics. These were team management, communication and publicity, and fundraising.

Quality team management is fundamental to a functioning think tank. Mackinac maintains that the most important factor in this is character. Mackinac emphasized time and time again that a man of good character is superior to a man who is great at his field of study but has a poor moral compass. Job assignment is also important. In order for a think tank to be effective, the employees must enjoy what they do. The world of think tanks is much different than the rest of the workforce in that regard. People join think tanks to exercise an ideological belief in something. To utilize this person to their fullest, it is necessary to allow them to do the job they like the best. At PAI, we have taken great effort to ensure staff members are utilized in a manner complementary to their areas of expertise and enjoyment.

Communication and publicity was the next topic. A key component of this was professionalism. For a think tank to be considered credible and taken seriously, it must convey expertise and professionalism. It is essential to start here and work up. Also, Mackinac suggested using editorials and op-eds as a publicity tool. This is a great idea, because it appeals directly to the desired demographic. Only people that care about the topics on hand would read the editorials, and these are exactly the people that a think tank wants to attract.

Fundraising provides the bedrock for a think tank. A key to this is opportunity. The more opportunities a person has to give; the more apt they are to contribute. Another important function is to keep the current donors interested and feel wanted. Mailings and other publications are a great way to do this. Attitude is also important. Without optimism and passion, a think tank is doomed to failure. Attitudes also are, then, passed along to donors and potential donors. If a donor senses that a think tank is truly serious and passionate about their cause, he or she is more likely to donate. It is also paramount to establish personal relationships with as many donors and potential donors as possible. This provides the donors with a touchstone with to the think tank.

This is just a brief synopsis of all the topics covered, but it is meaningful nevertheless. These suggestions, when applied, will undoubtedly push Pax Americana Institute to new heights. There is always room for improvement, and PAI has taken these lessons and reminders and begun to apply them where necessary. An even better tomorrow is becoming a sure reality.