This podcast features Nina K. Simon, author of The Participatory Museum, and Rob Stein, Chief Information Officer at the Indianapolis Museum of Art discussing how cultural organizations can use social media and social-media-type interactions (such as building a community of interest) to build more robust experiences and relationships. They also explore some of the risks and pitfalls of building inconsistent experiences across these different mediums. How Cultural Groups Can Use Social-Media - Social Good - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- … [Read more...]
Disrupting Philanthropy 2.0
An overview of how technology is being used in philanthropy. The foundation activities are pretty well known. However, there are good examples of where experimentation is happening, and interesting activities happening outside established institutions. The effect of technology on philanthropy comes across as marginal today, but the tech trends & experiments point to what we can expect in 3-5 years, when the experiments become mainstream and the underlying tech is mature and "dull." Disrupting Philanthropy 2.0. … [Read more...]
Strategic decisions: When can you trust your gut? – McKinsey Quarterly – Strategy – Strategic Thinking
Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and psychologist Gary Klein debate the power and perils of intuition. An interesting analysis of the role of intuition in decision-making. We often hear people argue that in the end, they 'go with their gut.' Or by contrast, they're 'driven by data.' Is intuition more reliable under certain conditions? Strategic decisions: When can you trust your gut? - McKinsey Quarterly - Strategy - Strategic Thinking. … [Read more...]
Monitor: The net generation, unplugged | The Economist
An interesting article challenging the oft-received wisdom that millenials/gen y need to learn in a fundamentally different manner than their predecessors: "...there may be 'as much variation within the digital native generation as between the generations.' ” Monitor: The net generation, unplugged | The Economist. … [Read more...]
Column: Why Businesses Don’t Experiment – Harvard Business Review
A great column that talks about the common organizational bias toward answers rather than questions... even though asking the right questions will ultimately lead to the best answers. Column: Why Businesses Don't Experiment - Harvard Business Review. … [Read more...]
The case for behavioral strategy – McKinsey Quarterly – Strategy – Strategic Thinking
This is a really interesting interactive feature on the cognitive biases that most impact decision-making in organizations. By analyzing the top 5 biases listed and their components, leaders will be able to recognize these issues in their own organizations and develop processes to address them. The case for behavioral strategy - McKinsey Quarterly - Strategy - Strategic Thinking. … [Read more...]
Mission Unaccomplished – Sara Robinson + Teo Greenstreet (2007)
This is not a new article, but Alan Brown reminded me of its value recently. Worth a read as we think about the purpose of the arts in society. Mission Unaccomplished - Sara Robinson + Teo Greenstreet (2007). … [Read more...]
Design Thinking for Social Innovation | Stanford Social Innovation Review
Although the article focuses on the use of design thinking for tackling systemic social problems, it highlights many ideas that could help any organization become more innovative and responsive to their customer and environment, including: - background on design thinking - strategies for identifying community needs - suggestions for more innovative idea generation Design Thinking for Social Innovation | Stanford Social Innovation Review. … [Read more...]
The Cost of Information Sharing in Philanthropy | Tactical Philanthropy
The argument here is that there isn't -- and shouldn't be -- any conflict in the not-for-profit sector between the social benefit and the personal gain from information and intellectual property. Why? Because the not-for-profit professional's goal *is* social benefit, and therefore the professional wants to and must give away all information so society can do the most with it. Those who do otherwise are engaging in "a form of corruption," as stated in one of the comments. I think the argument made in this piece is incomplete (email me if … [Read more...]
Career Navigation for Working Learners
This position paper sketches out a system to support career development in our contemporary economy, where careers no longer consist of "climbing the corporate ladder" in a company. The focus is on supporting low wage workers and on government solutions, but in many ways the challenges are the same for working professionals. How clear and intentional are each of us about our goals, our current skills, how we will fill the gaps, and our strategies for reaching our goals? Career Navigation for Working Learners . … [Read more...]
The Outside-In Approach to Customer Service — HBS Working Knowledge
An interesting Q&A in which Harvard Business School Professor Ranjay Gulati describes how companies can evolve through four levels to become more customer-centric. The Outside-In Approach to Customer Service — HBS Working Knowledge. … [Read more...]
Making emotional case for change interview with Chip Heath – McKinsey Quarterly – Organization – Change Management
An interesting perspective on bringing about change in your organization by appealing to more than just logic. Making emotional case for change interview with Chip Heath - McKinsey Quarterly - Organization - Change Management. … [Read more...]