WomensLearningStudio

place a priority on a capacity building initiative that presents itself wrapped in a bow.

use network contacts to determine whether it would be more efficient to organize a user group for network members who use the same database. Tapping the wisdom of the network can save time, aggravation, and perhaps thousands of dollars in fees for consultants to train staff or customize a new database, or to replace software that staff may simply not understand. Conversely, the network may confirm that your nonprofit is an outlier for using that particular database.

Leverage your participation in a network to learn from other nonprofit leaders.

funders do not invest sufficient funds in our organizations to build capacity because we don’t have enough capacity.

Yet we are constantly asked to do stuff, to sit at various tables, to help with outreach, to rally our community members to attend various summits and support various policies.

Because we don’t have capacity, we can’t get support to develop capacity.

First, when people talk about capacity building, it ironically seems to be about larger organizations that have some of what one of my colleagues calls “Prerequisite Capacity,” t

Second, I’m glad the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in capacity building is starting to be recognized and talked about. However, there is still a long way to go.

Third, I am astounded by our sector’s ability to overthink and overcomplicate things while ignoring the obvious.

participating organizations and their leaders completed a series of structured peer learning exchanges that allowed for information sharing and skill building.

Participants in the program benefited from opportunities to hear from nonprofit experts and consultants, and to learn from each other as they shared their experiences and challenges in the field. The Nonprofit Association of Oregon continues to provide logistical support to this cohort of community leaders so they can continue to meet for mutual support and ongoing learning.

There is a growing demand for the ability to connect to others. It is with each other that we can make sense, and this is social. Organizations, in order to function, need to encourage social exchanges and social learning due to faster rates of business and technological changes. Social experience is adaptive by nature and a social learning mindset enables better feedback on environmental changes back to the organization.

the role of online community manager, a fast-growing field today, barely existed five years ago.

Knowledge: the capacity for effective action. “Know how” is the only aspect of knowledge that really matters in life. Practitioner: someone who is accountable for producing results. Learning may be an individual activity but if it remains within the individual it is of no value whatsoever to the organization. Acting on knowledge, as a practitioner (work performance) is all that matters. So why are organizations in the individual learning (training) business anyway? Individuals should be directing their own learning. Organizations should focus on results.

Myth 1: Social Learning is a New Fad

Myth 2: Social Learning Means Only One Thing

Myth 3: You Don’t Have to Be Social to Get Social

1. "We can do it"

2. "Good job"

3. "That was worth it"