Kris Putnam-Walkerly’s Post

Philanthropy lacks common sense. I spoke with a previous client at a conference a couple of years ago, and I remember them telling me they were struggling to find key staff people, mainly finance 💲 and technology 💻 staff. They were not able to find many candidates because they refused to allow remote employment. They were chasing the dream of creating buzz and excitement around the office again, but, let me be honest, this foundation does not have a lot of buzz and excitement. They had people in offices doing amazing work, but it’s not buzz and excitement. Would you rather have finance and technology staff doing really good work from home, or an office with buzz and excitement that doesn’t really exist? Philanthropists, family offices, family foundations, community foundations, corporate giving programs, and nonprofit organizations: What tightly held beliefs can you let go of to innovate, improve, and leverage change for greater social impact? #ChangeTheWorld #CommunityFoundations #DelusionalAltruism

Story time! 📚 I had a previous client approach me saying they were struggling to employ finance and technology staff. They were requiring the positions to be in-person and were not willing to hire remote workers because they missed the "buzz and excitement" of a full office. Let's be honest, this foundation was not a happening, exciting place to be—full or not so full. So let’s think about this. 🤔 The idea of having a “buzzing” office full of people was keeping this foundation from hiring key staff people. By embracing the idea of remote positions, they would open up a whole new 🌎 world of candidates able to provide great finance and tech work to support their cause. This is a prime example of delusional altruism. I wrote a whole book on this topic and how to transform your giving by opening your mind and rethinking your systems. If you want ideas on how to improve your efficacy, give it a read. https://lnkd.in/eJRFFpd #DelusionalAltruism #TransformationalGiving #Philanthropy

🤝 Building Lasting Partnerships: Stronger Corporate Partnerships 🏢 As individuals seek purpose in their work lives and corporations strive to align themselves with social justice issues, stronger corporate partnerships are on the rise. Giving USA predicts an increase in corporations aligning with related organizations, especially when targeting Gen Z and Millennials. While individual giving remains significant, the benefits of corporate partnerships go beyond financial contributions. Workplace volunteer programs gain importance as employees seek employers with shared values. Remote work environments have created opportunities for nonprofits to provide group-based volunteer activities, fostering team-building among corporate teams. Furthermore, corporate donation matching programs play a vital role in enticing employees to support causes that matter to their employers. Let's ride the wave of stronger corporate partnerships and create meaningful collaborations that make a lasting impact. #CorporatePartnerships #EmployeeEngagement #SocialImpact

🚀 Support your nonprofit team for sustained success! 🚀 Nonprofit work can be incredibly demanding, but strong leadership and social support are key to keeping employees engaged and motivated. In this snippet, Jack Slingluff and Patti Brownsord discuss our findings on how meaningful social interactions can reduce stress and enhance employee commitment. 📽️ Watch the full video to discover how Grounded With Data can help your nonprofit thrive: https://lnkd.in/evSrcSMe #NonprofitLeadership #EmployeeWellbeing #StressManagement #GroundedWithData

🚀 Support your nonprofit team for sustained success! 🚀 Nonprofit work can be incredibly demanding, but strong leadership and social support are key to keeping employees engaged and motivated. In this snippet, Jack Slingluff and Patti Brownsord discuss our findings on how meaningful social interactions can reduce stress and enhance employee commitment. 📽️ Watch the full video to discover how Grounded With Data can help your nonprofit thrive: https://lnkd.in/evSrcSMe #NonprofitLeadership #EmployeeWellbeing #StressManagement #GroundedWithData

Executive Directors, does it feel like no matter what you do… your staff seem to always have something to complain about? To my nonprofit leaders out there bending over backwards for their employees, doing anything they can to provide the most generous packages for their teams… only to get constant pushback and complaints… I see you! It can be incredibly frustrating having to deal with an unhappy workforce. I know the hours you put in. The good intentions to find the balance of giving what you can to your employees and also just trying to run a successful nonprofit! There are so many ways a work environment can turn bad. But often there are just as many simple solutions to turn things around. The real question is… Are you brave enough to dig deeper to uncover it?

Five Tips For Hiring And Managing Effective Nonprofit Employees https://lnkd.in/dpj6dQiG

Society/community that benefits from a successful company also works for the company to succeed. This part I remember I came across somewhere recently. Let’s talk about how some companies steer to success in whatever they are doing. There could be two equally capable companies with almost the same product or service and yet we see one going to a far greater degree of success than the other. It is not always for the marketing or financial muscles but something more social./benevolent even.  It is what they give back to the community/country/society. Giving back or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is generally left to the HR departments. And some of them do a good job at this and for some it is just some annual ritual for cleaning the streets or visiting an old age home and spending time with the residents there. More of a photo op. Like we say "charity starts at home" Why don’t we start with making the workplace healthier and happy place where people are happy to go to and spend their 8 hours of the day. Imagine a workplace where businesses hire talented employees who give their best for eight hours each day. It's a place where every employee enjoys their daily work, not because it needs to be done but because they love doing it and staying focused on work instead of FB/IG because they genuinely happy to do what they do."

💡 Effective hiring is more than just filling a position; it’s about finding the right person who aligns with your mission. 💡 In this video snippet, Jack Slingluff shares insights from his experience in the casino industry, emphasizing the importance of strategic hiring in nonprofits. 📽️ Watch the full video to learn more. 📺 Full video here: https://lnkd.in/eJqkfjd6 #NonprofitLeadership #StrategicHiring #EmployeeEngagement #GroundedWithData

CSR people are in tough positions. Most WANT to do good work...but are navigating the limitations of leadership and company constraints. (That’s why I’m still so grateful to Melinda Bostwick for creating a peer-support group for us back in 2018!) Like any other human being, we’re prone to “checking off the box” instead of getting creative and pushing hard for real connection and impact. Let’s say you want to place a finance executive on a nonprofit’s board...do you know if that organization can effectively use them in that volunteer capacity? Your institutional giving policies require a multiple-page grant report from each nonprofit partner...are you asking that nonprofit to jump through way too many hoops for a $10,000 check? You’ve got a group of 50 volunteers ready to paint a wall on Tuesday...but does that organization really need another beautification project? How many walls do they even have? Instead, here are 3 questions CSR professionals like you can ask your nonprofit partners to spark curiosity and innovation (instead of going through the motions): ➡ “What's the root cause of the issue you're tackling? Can we help you go upstream to address it more comprehensively?” ➡ “What's crucial for you to accomplish your mission? Let's dig deep into your real needs.” ➡ “How can we collaborate to create something meaningful together?” The social impact sector tackles deep-rooted problems. Some needles are moving, and others are stuck. Change isn’t quick or easy. So CSR folks, how have you infused creativity and curiosity into your work? Are there any other questions you’re asking nonprofit partners? Share your advice below!  #corporatesocialresponsibility #corporatefoundation #corporategiving #corporatecitizenship #consciouscapitalism