"You are not ever a genius all by yourself. Your ideas are a function of the people you are connected with..." - Carol Dweck, Author, Mindset Your professional network is your greatest asset no matter what stage you are in your nonprofit career, whether you are an emerging leader or an acknowledged thought leader in your industry or somewhere in between. When you intentionally build your professional network in the right way, you create a circle of individuals who are all rooting for your … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2015
Hey Nonprofits: Here Comes Gen Z Donors
[slideshare id=43263375&doc=generationzfinaljune17-140617085136-phpapp01-150106190611-conversion-gate02] Many nonprofit fundraisers know about and have specific strategies to reach, cultivate, and solicit baby boom donors, Gen X donors, and Gen Y donors. But look out, get ready to reach out to Gen Z donors, sometimes called “PhilanthroTeens” or “PhilanthroKids.” These potential donors are teens (and pre-teens) with a passion for social change and who grew up not knowing what it was like … [Read more...]
How DoSomething Transformed A Mistake Into Learning: Creating A Culture of Impact
You’ve heard the mantra: Learn from failure. But no one likes to screw up and you can’t learn when people are feeling shame and pointing fingers at each other. Dosomething.org knows that mistakes happen, but also knows how as an organization to transform mistakes into organizational learning that leads to better results in a program. This how you create a "culture of impact." Earlier this month the Chronicle of Philanthropy wrote about how the organization corrected a mistake with a text … [Read more...]
Talking Shop with Network Designers and Weavers for Social Change
We learn so much about professional practice from having honest and candid conversations. Not only do we learn something new, but it feels great to connect with other people who are asking the sames types of questions about their work. A part of my practice is around network design and facilitation and one of my most respected colleagues in this area is Eugene Eric Kim. So, when he sent around an email that Janne K. Flisrand, who is a network weaver for sustainability networks, was in town … [Read more...]
What Nonprofits Need To Do More in 2015: Embrace Stillness
The new year is always a popular time for all of us to take stock and see the big picture. And, every year when the calendar flips over, we embrace reflection and setting goals. However, we live in a connected world where we have gotten so go at being in touch, informed, and connected, that we don't know how to be alone and step away more regularly. People who work in the social good sector world are busy people, flitting from task to the next text or email. Too often, we can caught up … [Read more...]
