Comments for http://hausercenter.org/iha Sun, 06 May 2012 19:07:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Paul Farmer’s Call for a New Conversation on Aid to Haiti by Steven Lawry http://hausercenter.org/iha/2011/12/09/paul-farmer%e2%80%99s-call-for-a-new-conversation-on-aid-to-haiti/comment-page-1/#comment-14195 Steven Lawry Sun, 06 May 2012 19:07:59 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=885#comment-14195 CharityInsight, I'm just now seeing your kind comment. Thank you very much. Steven Lawry CharityInsight,

I’m just now seeing your kind comment.

Thank you very much.

Steven Lawry

]]> Comment on Acting Globally, Thinking Globally: What are we trying to become? by Elisa Peter http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/04/24/acting-globally-thinking-globally-what-are-we-trying-to-become/comment-page-1/#comment-14106 Elisa Peter Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:39:15 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=1055#comment-14106 Those are all important questions. I am the Chair of a small international nonprofit organization. At our annual meetings, we devote about 35% of our time on what we call "blue sky thinking". In essence, this is a brainstorming session with all board members on the upcoming challenges of relevance to the work of the organization. We often invite outside experts to inform our discussions during this blue sky thinking. It has proven extremely useful in anticipating change and modifying the organization's strategy accordingly. Perhaps we could increase the time we spend on exploring the future but it seems complicated if not impossible to me to bring this up to the recommended 70%. Board members also have legal and financial responsibilities and a chunk of time during board meetings is devoted to reviewing annual accounts, budget, fundraising plans, staff contracts/organigram, annual work plan, annual report, etc. Those are also important aspects of any board meeting. So how do you reconcile the two? Thanks. Those are all important questions. I am the Chair of a small international nonprofit organization. At our annual meetings, we devote about 35% of our time on what we call “blue sky thinking”. In essence, this is a brainstorming session with all board members on the upcoming challenges of relevance to the work of the organization. We often invite outside experts to inform our discussions during this blue sky thinking. It has proven extremely useful in anticipating change and modifying the organization’s strategy accordingly.

Perhaps we could increase the time we spend on exploring the future but it seems complicated if not impossible to me to bring this up to the recommended 70%. Board members also have legal and financial responsibilities and a chunk of time during board meetings is devoted to reviewing annual accounts, budget, fundraising plans, staff contracts/organigram, annual work plan, annual report, etc. Those are also important aspects of any board meeting. So how do you reconcile the two?

Thanks.

]]> Comment on Acting Globally, Thinking Globally: Challenges of INGO Governance by Elisa Peter http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/04/19/acting-globally-thinking-globally-challenges-of-ingo-governance/comment-page-1/#comment-14085 Elisa Peter Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:36:55 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=1031#comment-14085 Thank you for initiating an important conversation on the governance of international nonprofit organizations. The questions you ask are key. Many of them are also relevant for board members of smaller, local/national NGOs. I am fortunate to be the Chair of a small international NGO working in the field of global environmental justice. We strive to have a diversity of views represented on the board, including those of grassroots partners, to increase our accountability to them. Although we only meet in person once a year, we are committed to on-going communication in between board meetings via phone calls, email, Facebook and Twitter, which has proven extremely valuable to stay connected and enhance our contributions to the work of the organization. New board members are encouraged to bring forward novel ideas and expected to stay on the board for a term of 5 years, renewable twice, to limit excessive turnover and allow them to grow in their role. Elisa Peter, mid-career fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations Thank you for initiating an important conversation on the governance of international nonprofit organizations. The questions you ask are key. Many of them are also relevant for board members of smaller, local/national NGOs.

I am fortunate to be the Chair of a small international NGO working in the field of global environmental justice. We strive to have a diversity of views represented on the board, including those of grassroots partners, to increase our accountability to them. Although we only meet in person once a year, we are committed to on-going communication in between board meetings via phone calls, email, Facebook and Twitter, which has proven extremely valuable to stay connected and enhance our contributions to the work of the organization. New board members are encouraged to bring forward novel ideas and expected to stay on the board for a term of 5 years, renewable twice, to limit excessive turnover and allow them to grow in their role.

Elisa Peter, mid-career fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations

]]> Comment on India’s Caste System: Barrier to Inclusive Development by Dorjay Namgail http://hausercenter.org/iha/2010/05/19/indias-caste-system-barrier-to-inclusive-development/comment-page-1/#comment-14031 Dorjay Namgail Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:55:48 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=432#comment-14031 RAMASWAMI, I agree with you that caste system is certainly an obstacle in the development. This exploitative caste system is not all over India , like there is no caste system in North-East and the positions of women is very good. There is a need of great change in the mindset of Indian people , most people in India are irrational , prejudiced and unscientific.If India wants to develop , we must change our way of thinking and behaving first , we must embrace science with a pure motivation or intention. Regards dorjay namgail RAMASWAMI,
I agree with you that caste system is certainly an obstacle in the development. This exploitative caste system is not all over India , like there is no caste system in North-East and the positions of women is very good.
There is a need of great change in the mindset of Indian people , most people in India are irrational , prejudiced and unscientific.If India wants to develop , we must change our way of thinking and behaving first , we must embrace science with a pure motivation or intention.

Regards
dorjay namgail

]]> Comment on Integrity and Success Are Not Trade-offs – An interview with Dr. Carolyn Woo by Watch an interview with Dr. Carolyn Woo, CEO of Catholic Relief Services http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/04/04/integrity-and-success-not-trade-offs-at-catholic-relief-services-an-interview-with-ceo-dr-carolyn-woo/comment-page-1/#comment-13991 Watch an interview with Dr. Carolyn Woo, CEO of Catholic Relief Services Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:34:11 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=1021#comment-13991 [...] To watch the 30mn interview, please click here. [...] [...] To watch the 30mn interview, please click here. [...]

]]> Comment on What’s in a brand? – The evolving relationship of the nonprofit sector to branding by Nathalie Kylander http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/03/13/what%e2%80%99s-in-a-brand-the-evolving-relationship-of-the-nonprofit-sector-to-branding/comment-page-1/#comment-13945 Nathalie Kylander Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:46:23 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=1002#comment-13945 Hi Mark Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and thoughts. Really interesting and thoughtful analysis. It seems to me that every organization has a brand and that the real question is around how to manage and leverage that brand to create organizational cohesion (focus and preventing mission drift as you say) and trust. The hypothesis if you like, is that cohesion internally and trust externally will create capacity and enhance impact. In terms of the organizations size and ability to build a brand, I think it has less to do with $ and more to do with mind set and investing time and energy to reflect and talk about brand. Finally as you so compellingly write, individual situations vary in their complexity and brand audiences may be very different. The key I think is a brand that is anchored in the organizations mission and values so that is authentic and compelling. In your example, a strong brand that creates support for the organization and mission, might be one way to protect it. Good luck and many thanks for your super comments Hi Mark
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and thoughts. Really interesting and thoughtful analysis. It seems to me that every organization has a brand and that the real question is around how to manage and leverage that brand to create organizational cohesion (focus and preventing mission drift as you say) and trust. The hypothesis if you like, is that cohesion internally and trust externally will create capacity and enhance impact. In terms of the organizations size and ability to build a brand, I think it has less to do with $ and more to do with mind set and investing time and energy to reflect and talk about brand. Finally as you so compellingly write, individual situations vary in their complexity and brand audiences may be very different. The key I think is a brand that is anchored in the organizations mission and values so that is authentic and compelling. In your example, a strong brand that creates support for the organization and mission, might be one way to protect it.
Good luck and many thanks for your super comments

]]> Comment on Private Sector Partnerships: Redefining the Roles of NGOs by Translating a New CEO’s Leadership Vision into Action: The Case of Catholic Relief Services http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/03/30/private-sector-partnerships-redefining-the-roles-of-ngos/comment-page-1/#comment-13939 Translating a New CEO’s Leadership Vision into Action: The Case of Catholic Relief Services Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:22:19 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=1010#comment-13939 [...] On March 23, 2012 the Hauser Center hosted an event with the newly appointed CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Dr. Carolyn Woo. The event was moderated by Peter Bell, Senior Research Fellow, Hauser Center. Dr. Woo discussed her strategic vision for CRS in the coming years, including the role of corporate partnerships. To view the video footage of the event and read a blog by Alison Hemberger about CRS and partnerships, click here. [...] [...] On March 23, 2012 the Hauser Center hosted an event with the newly appointed CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Dr. Carolyn Woo. The event was moderated by Peter Bell, Senior Research Fellow, Hauser Center. Dr. Woo discussed her strategic vision for CRS in the coming years, including the role of corporate partnerships. To view the video footage of the event and read a blog by Alison Hemberger about CRS and partnerships, click here. [...]

]]> Comment on What Role for NGOs in the Climate Change Debate? by regulatory http://hausercenter.org/iha/2011/10/04/what-role-for-ngos-in-the-climate-change-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-13925 regulatory Wed, 28 Mar 2012 06:09:22 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=779#comment-13925 Cool blog post. More people should look at this. I can't believe I didn't discovered this sooner. Cool blog post. More people should look at this. I can’t believe I didn’t discovered this sooner.

]]> Comment on Paul Farmer’s Call for a New Conversation on Aid to Haiti by charityinsight http://hausercenter.org/iha/2011/12/09/paul-farmer%e2%80%99s-call-for-a-new-conversation-on-aid-to-haiti/comment-page-1/#comment-13913 charityinsight Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:48:37 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=885#comment-13913 I must simply just say what a joy to have found someone who genuinely knows what they are talking about on the net. You certainly know how to bring something to sight and make it understandable. I must simply just say what a joy to have found someone who genuinely knows what they are talking about on the net. You certainly know how to bring something to sight and make it understandable.

]]> Comment on Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation – enabling environment holds the key to civil society’s role in implementation by Sam Gardner http://hausercenter.org/iha/2012/03/01/busan-partnership-for-effective-development-cooperation-%e2%80%93-enabling-environment-holds-the-key-to-civil-society%e2%80%99s-role-in-implementation/comment-page-1/#comment-13907 Sam Gardner Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:45:11 +0000 http://hausercenter.org/iha/?p=984#comment-13907 I am sorry to say so, while doing the Power Impact Analysis, with the tools obtained from the Dictator's handbook, the main result of Busan will most likely be a strengthening of the central power of the President or at least the government, under the cover of " country ownership". This happens at the detriment of the secondary objectives, like the role of the civil society and others. I am sorry to say so, while doing the Power Impact Analysis, with the tools obtained from the Dictator’s handbook, the main result of Busan will most likely be a strengthening of the central power of the President or at least the government, under the cover of ” country ownership”. This happens at the detriment of the secondary objectives, like the role of the civil society and others.

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