Are you ready to challenge the status quo, achieve fundraiser growth, and make a meaningful impact in the world?
In this thought-provoking webinar from this yearโs Responsive Nonprofit Summit, Heather Hiscox, the CEO and founder of Paws for Change, unpacks the importance of clarity, understanding stakeholders, and embracing uncertainty as key drivers for personal and professional growth.
Hereโs what you missed:
Rethinking Problem-Solving for Social Change and Fundraiser Growth
Heather challenges the traditional ways of creating impact and highlights the need for problem-solving skills rooted in equity and human-centered design. By using her PAUSE framework, Heather works with various social impact organizations to address challenges and pursue opportunities.
Hereโs a breakdown of PAUSE:
- Packaging the challenge: Gaining clarity on the problem or opportunity at hand and understanding the context and stakeholders involved.
- Assessing uncertainty: Identifying what is known and unknown and embracing the uncertainty rather than rushing to solutions.
- Understanding stakeholders: Deeply empathizing with the perspectives and needs of all those impacted, both inside and outside the organization.
- Unleashing possibilities: Engaging in inclusive and abundant brainstorming to generate a wide range of potential solutions.
- Evidence-informed decisions: Testing assumptions and rapidly iterating on ideas before full implementation, using data to guide decision-making.
The Power of Embracing Uncertainty
One of the key takeaways from this session is the importance of embracing uncertainty. Heather emphasizes that admitting we don’t have all the answers is a sign of strength, not weakness.
She shares personal experiences where she reached out for help instead of pretending to know everything. This humble act not only led to collaboration but also taught her the power of seeking guidance from others.
A learning for fundraisers: Be open to new ideas, challenge your own assumptions, and be willing to learn from others. Embracing uncertainty allows us to grow personally and professionally, opening doors to new possibilities.
Shifting the Mindset: Learning as Success
While success in the social sector is often measured by impact, Heather encourages us to shift the focus toward learning and continuous improvement. Embracing uncertainty means acknowledging that not everything we embark on will result in a built solution or pursuit of corporate donors.
By clarifying why something worked or didn’t work, we can make data-driven decisions and evolve our approach. This mindset allows us to move away from the gray tones of impact to a more intentional and impactful way of creating change.
Deepening Relationships for Greater Impact and Fundraiser Growth
Understanding stakeholders and engaging in meaningful communication have immense power. Taking a moment to empathize and consider different perspectives is vital for creating value.
Heather invites us to build deeper relationships between philanthropy and nonprofits. By working together, we can see the world through various lenses, finding common ground and creating solutions that deliver true impact. Collaboration, clarity, and continuous learning become the pillars that lead us toward social change.
Embrace the Unknown and Unleash Your Potential
By embracing uncertainty, we create an environment for growth and learning. The PAUSE framework offers a clear pathway to navigate challenges, gain clarity, and create meaningful impact. By shifting our mindset towards learning as success, deepening our understanding of stakeholders, and building relationships that transform communities, we can unleash our potential and create a brighter future for all.
If youโd like to explore more sessions from The Responsive Nonprofit Summit, you can watch the full replay here.
