A good training experience needs a plot
Once upon a time training meant slides, a breakout, and a checklist. Every day we call that “learning.” But one day I heard about the… Read More »A good training experience needs a plot
Nonprofits
The Words We Didn’t Choose
We recently recorded an episode of the Nonprofit Radio Show about a common phrase in our sector: “We’re just a working board.” It’s often said… Read More »The Words We Didn’t Choose
What interim leaders and frontline workers have in common
Over the past few months, I had the opportunity to contribute to two very different publications. One explored interim leadership and nonprofit transitions for Nonprofit… Read More »What interim leaders and frontline workers have in common
What If It Actually Makes Perfect Sense?
I recently encountered a word we don’t hear often in nonprofit work: counterfactual. The timing was interesting because I had been doing something similar in conversation—taking… Read More »What If It Actually Makes Perfect Sense?
From Stuck to Engaged: Why Engagement is a Design Problem
I went down a rabbit hole, and what an interesting rabbit hole it was. It started simply enough. Board leaders and executive directors asked for… Read More »From Stuck to Engaged: Why Engagement is a Design Problem
2026 is the year we go all in on nonprofit advocacy
Advocacy shouldn’t be a standalone topic, separate from the rest of running a nonprofit. It’s woven through leadership, governance, programs, finance, communications, and fundraising—whether we… Read More »2026 is the year we go all in on nonprofit advocacy
Conferences That Make a Difference: 2025 Edition Now Available
It’s Monday morning, and your inbox is full. Somewhere between a funding announcement and an invitation to take a survey sits an email announcing registration… Read More »Conferences That Make a Difference: 2025 Edition Now Available
The Slide Illusion
At the recent Washington Food Coalition conference, I presented four sessions. Each one had its own workbook with core content, fill-in-the-blank lines, and space for… Read More »The Slide Illusion
Chocolate or broccoli?
No one ever says, “I have a better idea about how accounting should be done. I prefer to use a different currency every month.” Accounting… Read More »Chocolate or broccoli?
Neuro-informed teaching and learning
“To truly support people, lead teams, and design effective learning, we need a new prescription. We need a Neuro-Informed lens that helps us see the… Read More »Neuro-informed teaching and learning
Gatherings that teach, connect, and build community
I came across the book Potlatch as Pedagogy: Learning Through Ceremony in a small bookshop in Ketchikan, Alaska. In it, Indigenous educator Sara Florence Davidson and her… Read More »Gatherings that teach, connect, and build community
Information Isn’t Action: Returning to Our Theory of Change
Forgive me if I sound impatient. The world is calling us to act—boldly and urgently—with every tool we’ve got. In my line of work, that… Read More »Information Isn’t Action: Returning to Our Theory of Change