Episodios

  • The Nonprofit board's duty of foresight with Jeff De Cagna

    The Nonprofit board's duty of foresight with Jeff De Cagna
    Jul 16 2024
    In episode 102 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Jeff De Cagna discuss the concept of the "duty of foresight," stressing the need for boards to prepare for future challenges. They critique traditional leadership paradigms and promote stewardship as a more inclusive and effective approach. The conversation covers various topics, including the evolution from VUCA to BANI and the need to challenge orthodox beliefs to create resilient and forward-thinking organizations. Episode highlights: Duty of Foresight [00:07:00] - [00:010:00] - the concept of the "duty of foresight." - the importance of boards anticipating future challenges and preparing accordingly. Evolution from VUCA to BANI [00:14:00] - [00:17:30] - the shift from VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) to BANI (brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible). Challenging Orthodox Beliefs [00:19:00] - [00:24:00] -The need for nonprofit leaders to question and confront orthodox beliefs. - examples of outdated beliefs and suggests alternative approaches to foster innovation and resilience. Leadership vs. Stewardship [00:30:00] - [00:37:00] - Critique of traditional leadership models, arguing that they often emphasize winning and greatness in unproductive ways. - Stewardship as a more collaborative and sustainable approach to governance. Preparing for Future Challenges [00:37:00] - [00:23:00] the importance of collective responsibility on nonprofit boards and shared vulnerability in addressing complex issues. Guest Bio: Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC in Reston, Virginia is an association contrarian, foresight practitioner, governing designer, stakeholder/successor advocate, and stewardship catalyst. In August 2019, Jeff became the 32nd recipient of ASAE’s Academy of Leaders Award, the association’s highest individual honor given to consultants or industry partners in recognition of their support of ASAE and the association community. Important Links and Resources: Jeff De Cagna Foresight First LLC VUCA https://www.mindtools.com/asnydwg/managing-in-a-vuca-world BANI https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeroenkraaijenbrink/2022/06/22/what-bani-really-means-and-how-it-corrects-your-world-view/ Reasons to be cheerful newsletter: https://reasonstobecheerful.world/ Threatening Thirties series: https://www.naylor.com/associationadviser/the-threatening-thirties-part-i/ https://www.naylor.com/associationadviser/the-threatening-thirties-part-ii/ https://www.naylor.com/associationadviser/the-threatening-thirties-part-iii/ Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/characteristics.html Related Episodes: Episode 15: The Nonprofit Executive Director-Board Chair relationship Episode 42: Building shared governance Episode 55: Helping nonprofit boards move toward greater equity Episode 61: Impactful nonprofit boards Episode 97: The business imperative of facing climate change Episode 99: Elevating nonprofit governance Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting 💻 Give us feedback on the show 🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review. 😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    52 m
  • Insights for nonprofits from MacKenzie Scott's philanthropy with Michael Randel

    Insights for nonprofits from MacKenzie Scott's philanthropy with Michael Randel
    Jul 2 2024
    In episode 101 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Michael Randel discuss Michael’s research into nonprofit organizations that received significant funding from Mackenzie Scott’s trust-based philanthropy initiative. The impact of these transformative gifts on nonprofits, Six key areas of organizational preparedness and grant readiness Good practices for handling substantial donations. Episode highlights: [00:09:30] Mackenzie Scott's Trust-Based Philanthropy Philanthropy Approach - Mackenzie Scott’s “quiet giving” process. - Discussion on how Scott’s approach differs from traditional philanthropy with no application process and minimal reporting requirements. - The concept of trust-based philanthropy and its implications for recipient organizations. [00:13:30] Research on organization’s receiving Scott gifts - Michael’s initial hypothesis and surprising positive research findings - Insights from interviewing CEOs of recipient organizations about managing large gifts. [00:15:30] Patterns in Recipient Organizations - the characteristics and sectors of organizations that received funding. - The importance of organizational preparedness and strategic clarity. [00:18:30] Organizational Preparedness - Key elements that made organizations ready for large donations: - Clarity of purpose and identity. - Strategic priorities. - Proven approaches and evidence-based strategies. - Aligned leadership and governance. - Strengthened capacity and systems. - Learning and adaptation capabilities. [00:27:30] Organizational Development Lessons - Michael’s observations on the sustainability of organizations not centered around a charismatic leader. - Importance of multiple levels of system attention within an organization. [00:30:30] Holistic Organizational Approach - Carol and Michael discuss the benefits of a holistic view in organizational development. - The shift in the consulting field towards addressing multiple aspects of organizational life. [00:32:30] Taking a comprehensive approach - Emphasizing a comprehensive look at all organizational components, not just programmatic aspects. - The role of communication and visibility in securing funding. [00:35:30] Practical Advice for Handling Large Gifts Five good practices for organizations receiving large donations: - Advisor for the CEO. - Thoughtful sharing of news about the gift. - Strategic investment planning. - Establishing a working group for decision-making. - Effective communication with stakeholders. Guest Bio: Michael Randel Michael Randel helps leaders and their teams move through Change and Growth with Calm and Confidence. He developed the RCA Seasons of GrowthTM framework to help people understand and move through the three common phases of change. This allows leaders to navigate the challenges of change and bring about transformational results. With 30 years of experience, Michael works with philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and public sector agencies to help them navigate change with success and poise with his expertise in organizational change. The influence and impact of Michael’s work has been recognized with multiple global awards, and his clients include Amnesty International, AstraZeneca, NASA, United Nations, and the World Bank. Important Links and Resources: Yield Giving: https://yieldgiving.com/ Michael Randel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrandel/ https://rcachangeadvisors.com/ Gestalt approach to organization development https://www.gestaltosd.org/ Related Episodes: Episode 15 The Nonprofit executive director-board chair relationship Episode 17 Program evaluation Episode 67: Get that money honey Episode 69: Designing for strategy Episode 70: Values based strategic planning Episode 76: You don’t have to go it alone Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting 💻 Give us feedback on the show 🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review. 😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    48 m
  • 10 Things I have learned about Nonprofits in 100 episodes

    10 Things I have learned about Nonprofits in 100 episodes
    Jun 18 2024
    In episode 100 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton goes solo to celebrate this special 100th episode. She reflects on the insights and lessons learned from her podcasting journey exploring nonprofit leadership and organizational health. Celebrating a significant milestone, she emphasizes the importance of creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures, addressing toxic organizational behaviors, and reimagining a healthier nonprofit sector. Through her conversations with various guests, she highlights the need for aligning mission and operations, valuing human-centric approaches, and fostering collaborative and supportive environments. The episode concludes with a call to action for nonprofit leaders to prioritize relationships, self-care, and a balanced, sustainable approach to their impactful work. Episode highlights: 10 Lessons from 100 Episodes **[00:01:16]** Reflection on various aspects of nonprofit leadership, from organizational cultures to sector-wide health. Lessons on Organizational Culture **[00:03:32]** Lesson 1: A healthy organizational culture cultivates diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming space by design. **[00:04:28]** Lesson 2: Identifying and moving away from toxic organizational cultures characterized by lack of clarity, microaggressions, internal competition, and unaddressed conflicts. Overwork and Martyrdom in Nonprofits **[00:06:13]** Lesson 3: Addressing overwork, perfectionism, and martyrdom, and understanding their prevalence in the sector. Healthy Nonprofit Organizational Cultures **[00:12:00]** Lesson 4: Characteristics of healthy organizational cultures, including openness to mistakes, effective conflict management, clear roles, and strategic redundancy. Importance of Relationships **[00:16:03]** Lesson 5: Emphasizing the importance of relationships in all aspects of nonprofit work and leadership. Collaborative Support **[00:17:22]** Lesson 6: You Don’t have to go it alone! Encouraging leaders to seek support through coaching, peer groups, and collaborations. Defining Unique Contributions **[00:18:27]** Lesson 7: Finding and claiming a unique niche based on strengths and contributions. Grace and Cultural Humility **[00:21:00]** Lesson 8: Practicing grace, compassion, and cultural humility within organizational contexts. Organizational Alignment **[00:21:22]** Lesson 9: Highlighting the power of alignment in organizational goals, strategies, and values. Embracing Human Imperfection **[00:23:11]** Lesson 10: Emphasizing the importance of being human first in all things and embracing imperfection. Reimaging the nonprofit sector **[00:23:49]** Carol poses important questions about redefining the nonprofit sector, making work sustainable, and promoting play, creativity, and thriving in the workplace. Important Links and Resources: Laziness does not exist by Dr. Devon Price https://bookshop.org/p/books/laziness-does-not-exist-devon-price/14871468?ean=9781982140113 Start Finishing by Charlie Gilkie https://bookshop.org/p/books/start-finishing-how-to-go-from-idea-to-done-charlie-gilkey/9833426?ean=9781683648635 Related Episodes: My top 10 lessons from 100 episodes: In order to cultivate healthy organizational cultures, the culture has to be diverse, equitable, inclusive, welcoming by design. It has to center cultural competence and cultural humility. Episode 56: Applying an equity lens to your work Episode 39: Equity highlights from 2020 and 2021 What a toxic organizational culture looks and feels like Episode 11: Nonprofit Organizational healing Episode 36: Conflict and Nonprofit Organizational Culture Why overwork, perfectionism and martyrdom are so prevalent in our sector Episode 5: Preventing burnout in the nonprofit sector Episode 38: An invitation to do less Episode 50: Why more money and more staff are not always the answer What are we striving for instead? What a healthy organizational culture actually looks like Episode 62: Healthy organizational culture highlights Episode 63: Healthy organizational culture highlights It is all about relationships! Episode 45 Authentic marketing for your nonprofit Episode 65: Building a ladder of engagement Episode 67: Get that money honey You do not have to do it alone! Episode 4: Strategic partnering for nonprofits Episode 21: Investing in the next generation of nonprofit leaders Episode 42: Building shared nonprofit governance Episode 76: You don’t have to go it alone Find your unique contribution Episode 99: Elevating nonprofit governance and leadership Give yourself and others grace and compassion with a healthy dose of cultural humility There is grace and power in organizational alignment Episode 94: Navigating power and conflict Episode 90: Five steps to a successful nonprofit strategic plan Be human first in all things Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at ...
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    26 m
  • Elevating Nonprofit Governance and Leadership with Mary Reeves

    Elevating Nonprofit Governance and Leadership with Mary Reeves
    Jun 4 2024

    In episode 99 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Mary Reeves, PhD discuss:

    • the importance of effective governance in nonprofit organizations.

    • the transformational experiences board members often undergo

    • the Japanese concept of Ikigai—finding purpose through what you love, are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

    Mary's reflections provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of nonprofit governance and the importance of continuous learning and integration for effective nonprofit organizational leadership.

    Episode highlights:

    Ethical Nonprofit Governance

    - [00:06:00] The importance of ethical and proper governance in educational organizations.

    The Concept of Ikigai

    - [00:07:20] The Japanese principle of Ikigai and its four components: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for.

    Building positive Nonprofit Board and Executive Director Relationships

    - [00:08:35] The importance of fostering positive relationships between the board and executive directors.

    Transformational nonprofit board experiences

    - [00:011:34] The transformational experience board members often undergo.

    Managing Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Responsibilities

    - [00:18:26] The inherent conflicts of interest in many association boards and the importance of understanding fiduciary responsibilities.

    Elevating Nonprofit Board Service

    - [00:22:20] The high stakes of decision-making in board service and how it can be a transformational experience by rising above personal experiences and biases in board service.

    Progress over perfection

    - [00:28:43] Leaders should recognize they cannot do it all and should focus on progress rather than perfection.



    Guest Bio:
    Mary H Reeves, PhD

    Mary Reeves is the retired executive director of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), the current public member on the Council on Academic Accreditation of ASHA, and a member of the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Board of Directors Governance Committee. Her non-profit board experiences span 50 years, both on the board-side in local service organizations and national leadership positions in professional associations in English language and international education, and in staff-side associate and executive director positions. She now focuses on effective transitions, proactive mentoring, and how to maximize contributions of knowledge, experience, and passion while gracefully passing the torch. Mary holds a PhD in higher education policy studies with a primary focus in international education and a secondary focus in organizational behavior.


    Important Links and Resources:

    Leadership without Easy answers by Ronald Heifetz

    BoardSource

    Related Episodes:

    Episode 15: The Nonprofit Executive director – Board chair leadership

    Episode 42: Building shared governance

    Episode 55: Helping nonprofit boards move toward greater equity

    Episode 61: Impactful nonprofit boards

    Be in Touch:

    ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting

    💻 Give us feedback on the show

    🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review.

    😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    35 m
  • Declining interest in Nonprofit Leadership with Danielle Marshall

    Declining interest in Nonprofit Leadership with Danielle Marshall
    May 21 2024
    In episode 98 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton hosts Danielle Marshall for another learning out loud episode where we do a deep dive into a topic. Today’s topic is leadership in the nonprofit sector, especially the declining interest in nonprofit leadership as highlighted by the "Push and Pull" report by the Building Movement Project. We explore the dual reactions of frustration and affirmation in response to the report, discuss the challenges and support needs of nonprofit leaders, particularly BIPOC leaders, and emphasize the importance of culturally relevant support, universal design, and sustainability in leadership roles. Episode Highlights - [00:06:01] The "Push and Pull" report by the Building Movement Project, tracks the declining interest in nonprofit leadership roles, a persistent issue in the sector. - [00:07:25] The importance of training, mentoring, and coaching, and reflects on her own experience of not knowing she could negotiate for executive coaching. - [00:08:41] The added challenges faced by BIPOC leaders, including gaps in board and staff support and heightened expectations for rapid change. - [00:010:54] The unrealistic expectations placed on nonprofit leaders and the renegotiation of work-life balance. - [00:012:59] The additional pressure on BIPOC leaders who serve communities they identify with, dealing with systemic oppression and trauma patterns. - [00:15:00] Rethinking Leadership Roles with culturally relevant support and universal design and its potential benefits for creating more inclusive and supportive leadership roles. - [00:23:30] The trend of having co-executive directors. Potential and challenges. - [00:28:30] The challenge of always adding new expectations and the importance of focusing on sustainability. - [00:31:01] The importance of boards and staff supporting executive directors in carving out time for development and peer support. The conversation underscores the complexity of nonprofit leadership, the need for systemic changes to support leaders better, and the importance of culturally relevant and sustainable support systems to encourage more people to step into these critical roles. Guest Bio: Danielle is an inclusive leader focused on strengthening collaboration among teams, leaders, and stakeholders to foster problem-solving, create solutions, and improve culture. She finds her inspiration in leading systemic change work that promotes equity and inclusion. Danielle founded Culture Principles in response to a persistent need to operationalize Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion metrics, centering REDI goals and creating accountability systems. She supports clients through her Mapping Equity Framework focused on Unearthing Knowledge, Elevating Strategy, and Transforming Sustainability. She centers her work around organizational assessment, racial equity learning intensives, and the development of racial equity action plans. Understanding that each organization arrives at this work from different perspectives, she utilizes assessment in building a customized strategy for each unique partner. Previously Danielle served as a non-profit leader for 20+ years and today works on strategy development that enables nonprofits to achieve equitable mission-driven results. Danielle holds a Master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University and draws on her background as an I/O psychologist in applying a racial equity lens to organizational policies, practices, and programs. She is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP)/ Executive Coach (ACC). During her playtime, you can find Danielle traveling, knitting, and kayaking in all 50 states. Important Links and Resources: The Push and Pull: Declining Interest in Nonprofit Leadership Related Episodes: E72: Exploring Passion Exploitation with Lauren Brownstein E78: Renegotiating our relationship with work with Carol Hamilton E92: Three stages of nonprofit leadership with Patton McDowell E95: Building shared nonprofit leadership with Emily Taylor Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting 💻 Give us feedback on the show 🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review. 😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    36 m
  • The business imperative of facing climate change for associations with Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn

    The business imperative of facing climate change for associations with Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn
    May 7 2024

    In episode 97 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton, Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn discuss

    • Why addressing climate change has shifted from a moral imperative to a business imperative for associations and nonprofits

    • How climate change is impacting all sectors and industries now

    • how associations are uniquely positioned to address climate change by leveraging their influence

    • Why shifting away from the single points of failure built into the traditional ways association services have been delivered is important

    • Ways to reduce your organization’s carbon footprint

    Episode highlights:

    [00:08:25] Shift from Moral to Business Imperative

    The shift of climate change from a moral to a business imperative, driven by observable impacts like extreme weather events causing significant property and economic losses.

    [00:10:15] Association's Role at COP27

    The proactive participation of associations like the American Psychological Association and the American Institute of Architects in COP27, bringing attention to industry-specific impacts of climate change.

    [00:13:17] Climate Impact on Association Operations

    The direct impacts of climate change on associations, such as disruptions from extreme weather events and the carbon footprint of large gatherings like annual meetings.

    [00:28:23] Strategic Adaptations for Climate Resilience

    The need for associations to develop resilience by adopting proactive strategies like no single point of failure in operations, reflecting a shift towards decentralized and adaptable operational models.

    Guest Bios:
    Shelly Alcorn

    Shelly is a Principal in Michelle Alcorn and Associates and specializes in non-profit trade associations and professional societies. Shelly stands at the intersection of technology, the education-to-employment system, and the association of the future. She conducts strategic, leadership and staff retreats, and speaks on critical issues faced by the association community and society including existential risks such as the rise of artificial intelligence and the coming impacts of climate change.

    Elizabeth Weaver Engel

    Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE, is Chief Strategist at Spark Consulting. For more than 25 years, Elizabeth has helped associations grow in membership, marketing, communications, public presence, and especially revenue, which is what Spark is all about. She speaks and writes frequently on a variety of topics in association management. When she's not helping associations grow, Elizabeth loves to dance, listen to live music, cook, and garden.


    Important Links and Resources:

    Download the whitepaper at: http://ac3coalition.com

    Join the Association Climate Action Coalition community at: https://ac3.breezio.com

    Not too Late: Changing the Climate Story from despair to Possibility, editor - Rebecca Solnit

    Crystal City example: https://ggwash.org/view/91781/take-note-downtowns-crystal-city-suffered-its-office-apocalypse-and-came-out-better

    Be in Touch:

    ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting

    💻 Give us feedback on the show

    🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review.

    😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    38 m
  • Nonprofit start up misconceptions with Dr. Victoria Boyd

    Nonprofit start up misconceptions with Dr. Victoria Boyd
    Apr 23 2024

    In episode 96 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Dr Victoria Boyd discuss

    • The misconceptions about starting a nonprofit

    • Why a program logic model is a better place to start for new organizations than a business plan

    • Some of the key questions nonprofit founders need to ask themselves as they get started.

    Episode highlights:

    07:34 - Common Misconceptions about Starting Nonprofits what to focus on instead

    16:22- The Logic Model as the heart beat of the organization

    25:29- **Defining your Unique Value Proposition

    27:39 Building shared leadership intentionally

    Guest Bio:
    Dr. Victoria Boyd

    Author, Trainer, Consultant, and founder of The Philantrepreneur Foundation. Host of the Nonprofit Corner Podcast.


    Important Links and Resources:

    The Philantrepreneur Foundation - https://drvictoriaboyd.com/foundation/

    Nonprofit Corner Podcast: https://nonprofitcorner.org/home

    Related Episodes:

    Episode 17: Program Evaluation with Wendy Wolfe

    Be in Touch:

    ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting

    💻 Give us feedback on the show

    🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review.

    😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    28 m
  • Building shared nonprofit leadership with Emily Taylor

    Building shared nonprofit leadership with Emily Taylor
    Apr 9 2024

    In episode 95 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Emily Taylor discuss

    • the challenges nonprofit CEOs face as they become victims of their own success.

    • how nonprofit leaders can become disconnected from their community as their organization grows

    • how when an organization is overly associated with the CEO, this can result in a culture of dependence and bottleneck decision-making

    Episode Highlights

    [11:15] Recognizing Organizational Dependence

    how nonprofits become overly dependent on a charismatic CEO and how this can stifle organizational growth and sustainability.

    [20:56] Strategic Reflection Before Planning

    nonprofits should engage in reflective practices to understand their true challenges before embarking on strategic planning.

    [23:03] Gaining Objective Insights

    the benefit of having an outsider's perspective to identify common goals and values among staff that may be clouded by internal bias or jargon.

    [33:02] The Human Aspect of Leadership

    leaders must view themselves as humans with limitations, which can foster a healthier organizational culture and enable growth beyond the capabilities of a single individual.

    Guest Bio:
    Emily Taylor

    Emily Taylor works with nonprofit leaders who are ready to catapult their organizations into their next stage of growth by shifting their decision-making from intuitive to intentional. Leaders who seek Emily’s expertise are not only frustrated with the typical strategic planning process but don’t feel fully informed to make big, long-term decisions. Instead, she first grounds the organization in ‘who they are’ to help them prioritize the challenges that lie ahead.

    To achieve this, Emily applies her individualized strategic listening methodology with an organization's community, allowing teams to 'see their value' and align their decision-making as an organization, not just the CEO. She helps them find a planning process that fits their needs, not something that is out of the box, which is why most organizations get frustrated with strategic planning!


    Important Links and Resources:

    Emily Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-taylor-teenybig/

    Paper on pre-strategic planning:

    https://mailchi.mp/teenybig/you-shouldnt-jump-into-your-next-strategic-plan

    Related Episodes:

    Episode 21: Investing in the next generation of nonprofit leaders with Andy Robinson

    Episode 60: Why bother doing strategic planning?

    Episode 70 Values Based nonprofit strategic planning

    Episode 90 Five steps to successful nonprofit strategic planning with Carol Hamilton

    Be In Touch:

    ✉️ Subscribe to Carol’s newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting

    💻 Give us feedback on the show

    🌟 Like what you heard? Please help share the podcast by leaving a rating & review.

    😀 Connect with Carol Hamilton ➡️ LinkedIn
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    34 m