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A Theory of Social Change and Implications for Practice, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

Much has been made in recent years about the notion of "theories of change" in the context of strategic planning and evaluation. I thoroughly approve of this trend. But unfortunately, many so-called theories of change - that I read in plans or proposals - are quick and dirty causal models that often lack a larger theoretical context. The larger context really matters and that thrown together model hides deep assumptions that would be better off revealed. You can help reveal them by reading Doug Reeler's A Theory of Social Change and Implications for Practice, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (35 page PDF). He examines three different views on how change happens: the Emergent Change model, which sees change as a result of day-to-day patterns of unfolding; the Transformative Change model, in which change comes about as a result of crisis and unlearning; and the Projectable Change model, in which change is a result of plans. His key contribution is his look at the relationships between these models and how they affect leadership, our ability to read change, planning & evaluation, and donor practice. Posted: 7/15/08; 10:08:56 AM #

Video for Change Training Guide

The international human rights organization Witness has released a Video for Change Training Guide, which is in large part available online, free of charge. (As usual, I think diverse formats can complement each other, so I recommend the hard copy as well.) The chapter titles reveal a lot about what this guide has to offer: (1) Using Video for Advocacy. (2) Safety and Security. (3) Storytelling for Advocacy. (4) Video Production. (5) Editing for Advocacy. (6) Video as Evidence. (7) Strategic Distribution. The Video Action Plan that they include with the guide - a questionnaire that assists with the strategic planning of a video project - is a fabulous resource all on its own, and is also tightly tied to the rest of their content. Fantastic work! Posted: 7/15/08; 9:52:34 AM #

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Ethical SEOs and Search Engineers Narc Out SEO Fraud

We all want more traffic on our websites and there are plenty of people out there willing to sell it to us. Although the organizations that are most vulnerable to being conned are those who themselves are looking for some kind of shortcut, it still pains me whenever I learn of another nonprofit spending its money on Search Engine Optimization fraud. In Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, a number of consultants and engineers explain what's going on and how not to get cheated. Posted: 7/15/08; 9:30:12 AM #

No-Ask Fundraising: Six High-Impact Jobs for Board Members

"No-Ask Fundraising" - what a great phrase. (And I thought Frictionless Fundraising was a great brand.) In my ongoing quest to open people's eyes to the power of real cultivation, I want to recommend Gail Perry's article on this topic, subtitled Six High-Impact Jobs for Board Members. It's amazing how rarely these straightforward ideas are implemented: (1) Make Friends for the Cause. (2) Identify Your Organization's VIP Friends. (3) Open the Door with Advice Visits. (4) Gather Friends with Small Socials. (5) Become a Tour Guide—And Show How We Change the World. (6) Acknowledge Donors' Generosity. Posted: 7/15/08; 9:20:58 AM #

People Don't Hate Change, They Hate How You're Trying to Change Them

From over 40 research studies on organizational change, we learn that the success rate of corporate change programs is 33%. In thousands of quietly furstrated conversations, the change agents are blaming people. If you are as tired as I am of how the conversation about change (particularly technological change) in organizations is framed, I recommend Michael Kanazawa's online pamphlet People Don't Hate Change, They Hate How You're Trying to Change Them (available as a 13 page PDF designed for the screen). One of his closing remarks captures the consulting philosophy I've followed for over twenty years: "If you believe that people thrive on change and that your job is to unleash it, you will tap into a limitless source of ingenuity, energy and drive that will allow you to consistently take your big ideas into big results." Posted: 7/15/08; 9:15:16 AM #