Mission: Impact podcast & blog
Build a better world without becoming a martyr to your nonprofit cause
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 In episode 112 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton shares several guests perspectives on the question: “what permission slip they would give to nonprofit leaders or what they would invite them to consider, to avoid being a martyr to the cause and as they work towards cultivating a healthier organizational culture.” Together they:
Episode highlights: [00:02:00] Be Thyself Rebecca Epstein emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and alignment in leadership, urging leaders to understand their motivations, values, and triggers. She highlights the value of knowing when an organization no longer aligns with one’s growth. [00:04:00] Acknowledge Humanity Emily Taylor discusses the need for leaders to see themselves and their teams as humans with limitations. Recognizing when it’s time to let go or step back can lead to healthier organizational dynamics. [00:06:00] Permission to Be Wrong George Weiner offers a powerful reminder that leaders don't have to have all the answers. Admitting uncertainty creates space for collective problem-solving and growth. [00:07:00] Take a Personal Retreat Patton McDowell advocates for intentional personal retreats as a tool for reflection, strategic thinking, and rejuvenation. These retreats help leaders maintain perspective and prevent burnout. [00:09:00] Build Other Leaders Dr. Victoria Boyd champions intentional leadership by empowering and equipping team members to take on leadership roles, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility. [00:11:00] Focus Your Efforts Pooya Pourak highlights the importance of narrowing focus to make meaningful, localized impact while being mindful of collective efforts in addressing systemic issues. [00:13:00] Envision Abundance Elizabeth Engel and Shelley Alcorn, inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s reflections, challenge leaders to imagine a future of abundance rather than scarcity, addressing systemic challenges like climate change through hope and collaboration. [00:15:00] Closing Reflection Carol encourages leaders to plan their 2025 personal retreats, reflect on their alignment with current roles, and prioritize building and developing their teams. She concludes with gratitude for the audience's engagement and commitment to impactful work. Important Links and Resources:
Not Too Late – Rebecca Solnit Related Episodes: Episode 91: AI and Nonprofits with George Weiner Episode 92: Three stages of nonprofit leadership with Patton McDowell Episode 93: Nonprofit fundraising transparency with Pooya Pourak Episode 94: Navigating power and conflict within nonprofits with Rebecca Epstein Episode 95: Building shared nonprofit leadership with Emily Taylor Episode 96: Nonprofit start up misconceptions with Dr. Victoria Boyd Episode 97: The business imperative of facing climate change for associations with Elizabeth Engel and Shelly Alcorn  In episode 109 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton discusses the critical components of nonprofit strategic planning, emphasizing that it's much more than just a retreat. She highlights the importance of preparation, comprehensive stakeholder involvement, and continuous adaptation to ensure the strategic plan remains relevant and actionable. Hamilton underscores that nonprofits should consider a strategic planning process that includes pre-retreat work, stakeholder engagement, and post-retreat follow-through, fostering alignment between board members, staff, and the overall mission. The episode concludes by reminding leaders that strategic planning is an ongoing, adaptive process aimed at maintaining the organization’s ability to respond to changing circumstances while staying focused on its mission.
Episode highlights: [00:00:00] Strategic Planning Beyond the Retreat Carol introduces the episode by discussing the common misconception that strategic planning is just about the retreat. She explains that a truly effective process requires more preparation and post-retreat follow-up for long-term success. [00:03:00] Why Do Strategic Planning? Strategic planning helps nonprofits step back to assess their current state, engage with stakeholders, and reconnect with the organization’s mission. The medium-term focus (3–5 years) creates a roadmap for growth and mission alignment. [00:05:00] Pre-Retreat Preparation: Data Gathering and Stakeholder Input Carol emphasizes the importance of gathering input from a diverse range of stakeholders before the retreat. This data gathering phase, often aided by an outside consultant, helps shape the strategic inquiry for a more informed and balanced planning process. [00:07:00] Involving Both Board and Staff in the Retreat Carol explains that involving both board members and staff (depending on the organization's size) leads to a more holistic understanding of the nonprofit and enhances buy-in for the resulting strategic plan. This inclusive approach ensures that the plan is grounded in reality and supported by key stakeholders. [00:08:20] Pitfalls of a Retreat-Only Approach If strategic planning retreats are conducted without adequate preparation, they risk creating disjointed goals that don’t align with the organization's actual capacity or needs. Carol cautions against generating “wish lists” that lack actionable steps for implementation. [00:09:00] Post-Retreat Follow-Through and Plan Implementation After the retreat, a smaller committee should refine the draft plan and ensure feedback from the larger group is integrated. Carol stresses the importance of setting shorter-term goals (quarterly, biannually) to ensure the organization remains agile and responsive to change. [00:11:00] The Dynamic Nature of Strategic Planning Strategic planning is not a static process. Carol advises that plans should be revisited regularly, with progress measured and adjustments made as new challenges arise. Having clear success indicators helps ensure the plan evolves along with the organization’s needs. [00:12:00] Embracing the Full Scope of Strategic Planning Carol concludes by reinforcing that the power of strategic planning lies in its ongoing nature, which allows nonprofits to remain adaptable and responsive while still focused on their mission. Leaders are encouraged to embrace this comprehensive process to boost both organizational impact and sustainability. Nonprofit Success: Using Logic Models to Showcase Impact and Improve Organizational Alignment10/8/2024
 In episode 108 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton explores how nonprofit leaders can measure and map their organization’s impact through building out their theory of change and program logic models. I explain:
Episode highlights: Every Organization Has a Theory of Change (Even If It’s Hidden) [00:02:32] - Hidden Theories of Change Carol emphasizes that every nonprofit already has a theory of change, even if it’s implicit. The challenge lies in making it explicit and shared across the organization to align efforts and strategy. [00:03:25] - Logic Models as Blueprints She explains how program-level logic models map out the necessary resources, activities, and expected outcomes, serving as blueprints for program implementation and evaluation. [00:04:49] - Building a Shared Vision Working together to create a Theory of Change and logic models not only reveals gaps in assumptions but also builds a shared understanding within the organization, strengthening cohesion. [00:07:12] - Practical Example: Watershed Organization Carol provides a concrete example of a local watershed organization, illustrating how they mapped out their programs in a logic model to address environmental education, citizen science, restoration, and policy work. [00:09:55] - Keeping Evaluation Simple She advises against overwhelming data collection, encouraging nonprofits to focus on a few key metrics that matter. This helps balance the workload and ensures meaningful learning from evaluations. [00:11:21] - Hypothesis Testing Carol describes the logic model as a hypothesis, where organizations can test assumptions and adjust programs based on data, making the process an opportunity for learning rather than a pass/fail exercise. [00:12:29] - Sharing Results with Stakeholders She highlights the importance of sharing results not only with funders but with all stakeholders, customizing communication based on the audience’s interests. [00:16:05] - Simplifying Program Evaluation Using the example of a peacebuilding nonprofit, Carol explains how she helped them streamline their evaluation process across different programs by designing a unified set of survey questions, enabling more effective data collection. [00:17:41] - Complexity of Systems Acknowledging the limitations of logic models, Carol encourages organizations to use them as tools to capture a slice of reality and proceed with realistic expectations. [00:18:56] - Encouragement to Invest in Evaluation Carol encourages nonprofits to invest time in building their Theory of Change and Logic Models, emphasizing that these tools help align strategies, reveal gaps, and strengthen program evaluation.  In episode 107 of Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Kim Romain discuss the intricacies of leadership in nonprofit organizations, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by executive teams. Romain emphasizes the importance of cultivating a collaborative, mission-driven leadership culture that avoids burnout and fosters a sense of belonging among team members. She highlights the critical role of self-awareness and the need for leaders to step back from day-to-day problem-solving to focus on visionary leadership. The conversation also explores the dynamics of competition within teams, the impact of leadership behavior on organizational culture, and the importance of creating supportive systems that align with the needs of individual team members. Episode highlights: The Role of Leadership Teams in Nonprofits [00:05:08 - 00:08:01]
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Guest Bio:
Kim Romain is a Life & Business Alchemist for visionaries, changemakers and paradigm shifters. With over 25 years of experience as an attorney, nonprofit executive, and artist, Kim is a catalyst for awakened leadership and creating a more just and equitable world from a place of centeredness and strategic alignment. As the founder of The Rising Visionaries and co-host of Kickass Career Conversations – now the Empowered and Embodied podcast, Kim fosters sustainable success and embodied leadership, inspiring purposeful action with ease, joy, and freedom. Important Links and Resources: Kim Romain Your Kickass Career Kim Romain - Life & Business Alchemist Related Episodes: Episode 46: Generous nonprofit leadership Episode 54: Best of nonprofit leadership transitions Episode 92: Three stages of nonprofit leadership Episode 100: 10 things I have learned from 100 episodes Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview.  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]
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 Click "Read More" for a transcript of the interview |
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Grace Social Sector Consulting, LLC, owns the copyright in and to all content in and transcripts of the Mission: Impact podcast, as well as the Mission: Impact blog with all rights reserved, including right of publicity.
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