Posted on Thursday, 15th October 2009 by chris wignall

Paul Polak, founder of one of our partners International Development Enterprises, is currently profiled in The Atlantic magazine as one of the 27 significant people who “who commit acts of moral and intellectual bravery by espousing unpopular or controversial positions.” His listing appears immediately below that of Barack Obama in the front page of the [...]

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Posted on Wednesday, 7th October 2009 by chris wignall

Once a year, at a conference for foundation leaders, I get to have breakfast with Fred Smith Jr. He is one of the clearest thinkers, most generous mentors, and best connected leaders I’ve been spoiled to connect with. Breakfast with Fred is a highlight for me every spring.

Breakfast with Fred is also the name of [...]

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Posted on Thursday, 10th September 2009 by chris wignall

A few brief thoughts on the opportunities and challenges of social media:
-I can learn more from a good blog then I can from most books
-I love facebook, but can’t get excited about twitter; yet
-These are the perfect vehicles for building Tribes
-Your nonprofit should have someone assigned to blog at least weekly something relevant to your [...]

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Posted on Thursday, 10th September 2009 by chris wignall

Next month I will be participating in the Why Everything Must change conference in Oakville, ON. It promises to be an excellent gathering of some of the most intriguing people involved in global matters of justice and spirituality.

I’ll have the chance to be among an inspiring gathering and also lead a post-conference session on what [...]

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Posted on Tuesday, 25th August 2009 by chris wignall

I try to readd at least one book each year that takes me into a field where I really know very little so I can stretch my brain. Sometimes it works well (reading the Quantum Zoo a couple years ago introduced me to advanced physics in a fascinating way), sometimes not so much.
This summer I [...]

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Posted on Friday, 21st August 2009 by chris wignall

The global humanitarian crises are desperate and sadly appear all too permanent. Statistics and stories from boooks like Billion Bootstraps, Out of Poverty, and Dead Aid reveal the lasting ineffectiveness of the billions we’ve poured into the developing world for decades. There has to be a better way.
At the recent Willow Creek Leadership Summit Andrew [...]

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Posted on Tuesday, 14th July 2009 by chris wignall

As my exposure and experience in diverse non-profit organizations grows I find my self increasingly convinced of the enormous potential of an effective board. I am also increasingly frustrated by how few effective board there are and how little understanding I see of how to improve.
Cathie Leimbach of Strive writes an article that neatly summarizes [...]

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Posted on Friday, 12th June 2009 by chris wignall

I am just finished a term on the board of one organization and discussing seriously the possibility of joining another. In the past year I have become convinced that strong pairings of effective boards and lead staff are surprisingly rare and extremely powerful. At Catalyst we want to support organizations that are attempting to make [...]

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Posted on Thursday, 21st May 2009 by chris wignall

In my sessions with teens and young adults I often reflect on the way many people in (and following) my generation are looking for a career in which they can be deeply fulfilled, make a lot of money, and never have to deal with frustrating bosses, co-workers, or clientele. The 30 years my dad spent [...]

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Posted on Thursday, 16th April 2009 by chris wignall

An interesting piece from the Stratford Social Innovation Review today that relates to some leaders I know, including myself not too many years ago. Here’s a taste:
Let me tell you about this guy I know. He’s a young, energetic nonprofit leader in his field and in his extensive volunteer work as well. We are about [...]

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