Beware the Universal
Beware the Universal I have long found wisdom in the uses of a small scale. It has been decades since I read FritzBSchumaker’s book Small is Beautiful. It speaks to both the enrichment from smaller “humanscale” and the frequent diseconomies of large sizes.My colleagues in Results 1 st are working with groups that have this theme well in mind. Theyseek place-based development in which the...
She Made It Crooked
Hal’s Blog- Each year, Pam and I host a few artists in our Adirondack home who gather to paint for a weekend near Old Forge, NY. This year we had Jean with us, a budding artist whose job was making teeth. For years she fashioned crowns, bridges and other replacements.
The Power of Formats
Hal’s Blog- We like to think that people create solutions and fresh paths to reach them. In organizations, who among us is not firmly convinced we are open to new ideas? Yet look at our expressions: stay within your lane, color within the lines, follow the instructions. My favorite: tell me what to do and I will do it.
Thinking like a scientist
Hal’s Blog- Our CEO of Results1st was ecstatic. She had just heard from a scientist how helpful our approach had been to her. Jasmin Graham is CEO of MISS—Minorities in Shark Sciences.
Don’t Feed the Zombies
Hal’s Blog- This heading sits on top of an article by Kevin Starr in the March 28 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review. Kevin leads the Mulago Foundation, and he is singing our Results1st song. I have worked with about 100 foundations—as large as the Gates Foundation and as small as $10 million in assets. My core theme is fundamental: shift from funding programs to investing in...
Signs from above
Hal’s blog- What if nonprofit organizations acted like gas stations?
What Happens after a program?
Hal’s blog- I was speaking with my colleague Michael Corley the other day about how best to understand the longer-term impacts from a program designed to help nonprofits. My interest was practical. My Results1st partner, Robyn Faucy, led a four-part program for a number of nonprofits…
Are you terminal?
Hal’s blog- The question could not have been better. It was asked by a wife of her husband, a stoic special operations returning veteran.
What does having a Credential or meeting a Standard mean?
Hal’s Blog- The word “standards” sounds great. We all want people whose standards are high. The real question is whether the standards forecast the desired outcomes.