Name It Podcast

This is a podcast for people who work at nonprofits and who want to name and claim what’s going on. To make the sector better. It’s about anti-oppression best practices and justice.

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 24: It's We're Done With Business as Usual with Korin Mills 09/22/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 23: Cultivating our radical imagination, repairing relational bonds with Veronica Garcia of Wealth Reclamation Academy of Practitioners 08/24/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 22: Acknowledging Collective Grief with Kierra Sunae Taplin, Grief expert 08/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 21: Recruiting with an Equity Lens with Julie Ha Truong 07/08/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 1: Intersectionality 05/19/2021

Name It! Podcast Episode 2: Exploitation In Our Movement-Interview with Chris Ramsaroop 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast -Episode 3: Feminism in the Sector: Interview with Vanessa Chase 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 4: Interview with Kishshana Palmer: Racism and the Nonprofit Sector 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 5: White Fragility 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 6: Interview with NeedMor Fund and Mary Sobecki 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 7: Interview with Jewelles Smith 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 8: How to use your voice to do good with Erin Donley 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 9: Why Women Have A Harder Time Getting Leadership Roles with Aaron Levine 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 10: What Is Hegemonic Masculinity, And Why Should You Care? With Aaron Lavigne 05/19/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 10: What Is Hegemonic Masculinity, And Why Should You Care? With Aaron Lavigne Listen to Show 1 here: And stay tuned for episode 3! Show 2: What is Hegemonic Masculinity, and Why Should You Care? Masculinities and Femininities in the Workplace III. Connell’s masculinities and hegemonic masculinity A. Connell’s theory of masculinities, asymmetric power difference between men and women. gender as performance is varied. Men are accepting or rejecting various factors of it. It’s a type of performance of masculinity, B. Four kinds of masculinity outlined in the original theory i. Hegemonic: the most acceptable use of “violence”, at the forefront of maintaining the gender structure in an environment a) Domineering male is hegemonic performed. ii. Subordinate: Least acceptable combination of qualities and behaviors, sometimes attributed feminine qualities a) Some off-shoots of Connell’s theory put both men and women in the same performance of behaviors, with women occupying qualities and behaviors seen as subordinate to those of hegemonic masculinity iii. Complicit: men who perform not accepting or at least not supporting fully the gender structure, while still benefiting from the domination of women a) Your woke and “woke” male colleagues, even if they are supportive they still gain benefits from performing masculinity in the gender structure iv. Marginalized: men that are “roped” into the gender structure even when their other qualities would put them in the minority (ethnicity, class, sexuality) a) The black men in the glass escalator article C. Types of femininity in the gender structure i. Emphasized femininity: the female qualities hegemonic masculinity deems most acceptable a) Pliant, quiet, accepting, obedient, etc ii. Pariah femininity: women performing qualities that are not emphasized femininity/masculine a) rational logical = men, women = sweet, but if you speak up for yourself, you are called emotional, crazy psychos IV. Men in their own lives vs in the workplace. A. How does this activate in the gender structure of the organization? V. How is Complicit masculinity reflected in NP workplace? A. Anecdotes from Mazarine and Helen B. I’ve been doing this my whole life, why are you bringing this up now? i. This didn’t happen to my grandfather, so it must be a problem with modern women. VI. Men and Women dollop episodes. A. Letter writing- Post office. i. And all the other times technology has been fear mongered because it allows women to communicate better /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19157753

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 11: Creating Inclusive Workplaces With Tanya M. Odom 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 11: Creating Inclusive Workplaces With Tanya M. Odom Today we are interviewing Tanya M. Odom about creating inclusive workplaces. We asked her these questions: 1. Tanya, what is the Research on unconscious bias? 2. Why do mission driven organizations have unique challenges with unconscious bias? 3. What is systemic analysis and why is it so important? 4. What are Microaggressions? 5. What is the Impact of Microaggressions? 6. What is the connection between unconscious bias and microaggressions? 7. What is the research on Belonging telling us? 8. We go into nonprofit spaces, and the spaces are not created for different kinds of groups- we become targets because of systems of inequity. What can we do to address inequity? 9. How do people internalize microaggressions? 10. Bringing it back home- If you are the target of microaggressions- if you notice a microaggression but you are not the target 11. What are micro-affirmations and how can you practice them? Resources: May 9, 2019 Wikipedia – MIT leadership blog, we are teachers online we are teachers online 1 minute video – , we are teachers online Chicago tribune she geeks out online Who is Tanya M. Odom? Tanya M. Odom, Ed.M. is a global consultant, writer, coach, and diversity, equity, and inclusion thought leader. She has worked globally for over 20 years, in over 40 countries, as a consultant, coach, storyteller, and facilitator focusing on areas including: Diversity and Inclusion, Inclusive Leadership, Race/Racism, Gender Equity, Challenging Conversations, Mindfulness, Coaching, Wellbeing, Innovation and Creativity, and Educational Equity. Tanya’s unique portfolio career has allowed her to work in the education, private sector/corporate, not-for-profit/NGO, arts, law enforcement, and university/college arenas. She is the co-author of “Evaluation in the Field of Education for Democracy, Human Rights and Tolerance.” Tanya is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post, where she has written posts about diversity, leadership, self-compassion, and mindfulness. Tanya also writes for . Tanya’s work and commentary has also appeared in several publications including Diversity Woman Magazine, Bloomberg News, among others. Tanya was named by Diversity Best Practices as “A Diversity Thought Leader to Follow on Twitter.” As a mindfulness practitioner, Tanya weaves in mindfulness research and practice in her work with individuals and groups and connects it to leadership, teams, intentional inclusion, and the mitigating of unconscious bias. Often called an innovator and disrupter, Tanya is featured in a chapter in Dr. Patti Fletcher’s book “Disrupters.” /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19133117

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 12: Where Are The Asian Fundraisers? With Melody Song 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 13: How White Supremacy Manifests Inside Our Organizations With Desiree Adaway 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 14: Critical Consciousness & Ethical Nonprofit Storytelling With Jarell Skinner - Roy 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 15: Intersectional Theology With Grace Ji-Sun Kim & Susan Shaw 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 15: Intersectional Theology With Grace Ji-Sun Kim & Susan Shaw We are so excited today to interview Rev Dr Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Rev Susan Shaw about intersectional theology. Here are the questions we asked: – Can you tell me about yourself and why you got into what you do and why you care? – How did you come together to write the book Intersectional Theology? – What is Intersectional Theology? – Why is Intersectional Theology relevant in today’s climate? And how can it translate to the not-for-profit sector, especially for major Christian charities? – Is allyship required and how can one be an ally? – What advice would you have for white ‘conservative ministry leaders? – What advice would you give for white ‘liberal’ ministry leaders? – In the spirit of the work of MLK Jr., can intersectional theology be a lens and a tool for reconciliation today? About Rev Dr Grace Ji-Sun Kim is a Korean-American theologian and professor. She is best known for books and articles on the social and religious experiences of Korean women immigrants to North America. Kim was born in . She immigrated with her family to in 1975. She earned a B.Sc. in Psychology from at the , a degree from , and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from . She has written over 17 books. Learn more about her on Rev Dr. Susan M. Shaw is a professor of Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Oregon State University. She holds an MA and PhD in Religious Education from Southern Seminary and an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies in Women Studies and English from Oregon State University. She is an ordained Baptist minister who makes her congregational home in the United Church of Christ. Prior to joining the OSU faculty in 1996 she taught religion at two private liberal arts colleges. She is author of Reflective Faith: A Theological Toolbox for Women and God Speaks to Us, Too: Southern Baptist Women on Church, Home, and Society, and co-author of two introductory textbooks, Women’s Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings and Women Worldwide: Transnational Feminist Perspectives on Women, and Girls Rock! 50 Years of Women Making Music. She is currently executive editor of a forthcoming 4-volume encyclopedia of women’s lives and Co-Editor of Intersectional Theology. She regularly blogs with Ms.Magazine and Global Baptist News. /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19132889

NAME IT! Podcast: Radical Truthtelling Panel with Women of Color in Philanthropy 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast: Radical Truthtelling Panel with Women of Color in Philanthropy If you listen to this episode today, you will learn about: 1. What triggers you and creates barriers? What keeps you going? 2. It is often said that those closest to the problem are closest to the solutions: What do you wish you can change in building a race, gender, class equity culture in nonprofits? 3. It is reported that 1 out of 3 nonprofit workers experienced sexual harassment in the United Nations, “One woman who holds a high position in the Secretariat said, “The backlash for reporting abuse and misconduct within the diplomatic world or UN system is enormous, and can quickly end a career for a victim.” – Why do you think sexual harassment, silencing, and bullying is so pervasive in nonprofits, NGOs, charities, and foundations? 4. What advice would you have for women of color getting into this work? And what are some resources available that you recommend for the protection and prevention of sexual harassment, bullying and marginalization? 5. What can professional associations and nonprofit leadership whom are dominated and led by white men and white women – how can their hiring practices in HR do better to support and advance women of color? 6. What are some wins? What are some nonprofits would you suggest people give to this holiday season? Whitney Wade: I’d suggest supporting the Chicago Foundation for Women and their mission to end violence, support economic opportunity, and provide access to healthcare for women, especially women and girls of color. Jannies Le: I’d like to ask listeners to donate to Anduhyaun Inc. an Indigenous women and children shelter serving those who are fleeing violence in Toronto. Indigenous women are 6 times more likely than their counterparts to be killed and 8 times more likely to be a victims of violence. As part of an immigrant family who with priviledge get to live on their land while they are continuously facing the consequences of generational genocide and oppression I think its an important cause to support, specifically on Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday. A win for me recently is the fact that there are amazing women like you all doing work in your every day and being a part of this podcast reinforces that for me. Thanks again, Jannies Helen Choi: I always center where I donate to causes related to lifting and empowering vulnerable and unwed women and children in Korean communities and domestic violence shelters. It’s a real bleeding heart spot for me. I do it by online donation and getting a hand written thank you letter by the charity always gives me a big smile knowing that I can support the good work of local and global nonprofits. Nayeon Kim: “I am biased as someone who received support from United Way Greater Toronto and currently work there. Our work touches so many people’s lives and inspires me everyday.” As for wins and advice, I would say, lean in towards your colleagues. Learn about their stories. We recently hosted a book reading internally with one of our colleagues, Samra Habib, who wrote We Have Always Been Here. It is a Queer Muslim Memoir that captures Samra’s experience. That was one of the best experiences we put together for our internal staff and created a safe space for others to learn in and share. Here are our wonderful panelists: Dr. Cheryl Hall-Russell, President & Chief Cultural Consultant, BW3: After a number of years in the corporate sector, including a stint in Europe, Dr. Hall-Russell worked in the non- profit sector for over 20 years leading multiple complex local and statewide organizations. Her years as an executive, experiencing and observing the oppressive impact of race and gender intersectionality, led her back to graduate school in 2013. Obtaining her doctorate in Education with focus on intersectional Leadership and Administration, Dr. Hall-Russell honed her qualitative research skills. She launched BW3 and excels as a DEI consultant, speaker, and facilitator. She specializes in cultural audits to prepare companies for the adoption of inclusionary practices. She works with foundations on special research projects and consults with nonprofits on planning, program evaluation and community engagement. In 2018 she launched the COLORfull Leadership Series, a series of lectures and workshops on women, race and leadership. “Cultural Consultants for Executive Leadership” Whitney Wade: Whitney Wade is a talent acquisition and equity/inclusion professional at a foundation in Chicago. She has also spent time at three consulting firms (one philanthropy advising, two executive search), and started her career in nonprofit fundraising and development. Whitney is also a member of the South Side Giving Circle sponsored by the Chicago Foundation for Women. You can find her @lifesizewhitney on Twitter. Jannies Le: Jannies is a passionate non-profit professional with a wide range of experiences. She is currently the Program Director and Acting Executive Director at Anduhyaun Inc, an Emergency Shelter and Second Stage Housing Facility for Indigenous women and children fleeing violence. In the past few years Jannies has been the Chair on United Way of Peel Region’s GenNext committee and Volunteer MBC’s Fundraising and Event committee. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from York University and an Event and Meeting Management Certificate from George Brown College. Her passion is in women’s advocacy, community building, investing in youth, and poverty awareness. She is currently on parental leave with her 4 month old daughter. Nayeon [na-yeon/ pronoun: she/her] is a proud young, racialized, immigrant woman to call Toronto home. Over the past decade, Nayeon has dedicated her professional and personal life to building social inclusion and fighting poverty. At United Way Greater Toronto, Nayeon has led strategic partnerships with over 400 corporations to raise awareness of poverty, unlock financial support and unleash private sector resources to create positive change in our community. Currently, as Senior Philanthropy Officer, Nayeon works with major gift donors and foundations to raise funds to help families and individuals living in poverty in the GTA. She has also served on United Way’s internal Diversity & Inclusion committee dedicated to building an inclusive workplace culture. In 2018, she was awarded the AFP Outstanding New Fundraising Professional Award. In 2017, Nayeon was selected for the AFP Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy for championing diversity in fundraising and for her efforts in leading inclusive, community-focused campaigns. Nayeon was the first generation in her family to pursue post-secondary education and is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s International Relations and Peace & Conflict Studies program. Outside of work, you will find Nayeon in her neighbourhood advocating for better community or volunteering to build opportunities for youth, indigenous people, women, and newcomers in Canada. She currently serves on the Board of the Regent Park Film Festival as well as Regent Park’s Social Development Plan Safety Network. She loves exploring the world, watching soul-enriching documentaries, and stumbling across unexpected local farmers markets. Resources: Check out Helen Choi’s website: For this episode, I am inspired and fueled by a series of survey reports (below) that highlights the lived experiences of first generation immigrant and women of color working in the trenches of nonprofit and philanthropy. Did you know that on average 70% of employees at NGOs are women, but 70% of the leaders are men? -Kumi Nadoo, Amnesty Secretary General Association of Fundraising Professionals latest diversity and inclusion impact report Race to Lead study Leaders of Color Speak Out ProInspire Report: Awake to Woke to Work in Building a Race Equity Culture One in Three United Nations Workers have been sexually harassed in the last two years The Revolution Will Not be Funded beyond the Nonprofit Industrial Complex: Ontario Nonprofit Network New York Times Article, November 19, 2019 – Philanthropists Bench Women of Color, MVP’s of Social Change, And We All Lose Out Your misunderstanding of intersectionality is hurting black women If you listen, you’ll find some ways to help stop unconscious bias in your organization and make things more equitable and just for everyone. Why do we NAME IT? Because “Changing the world means changing the story, the names, and the language with which we describe it. Calling things by their true names cuts through the lies that excuse, disguise, avoid, or encourage inaction, indifference, obliviousness in the face of injustice and violence.” -Rebecca Solnit We reference some aspects of white supremacy culture in the interview- including: perfectionism, defensiveness, sense of urgency, paternalism, power hoarding, fear of open conflict, and right to comfort /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19132847

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 16: How Nonprofits Are Winning During Covid With Aly Sweetman 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 16: How Nonprofits Are Winning During Covid With Aly Sweetman I am doing some new episodes of Name It, and here’s the first one. This is a bit of a departure from just talking about equity. Why? Because right now we need to ALSO name that nothing will ever be the same again. And we need to start to get used to what is next for us in fundraising. In that spirit, here’s the first episode of Season 2 of Name It. Aly Sweetman, Twitch Charity manager, talks about the incredible wins nonprofits are having on Twitch during COVID-19 and during the protests for Black lives. The bad news is- No more gala. The Good news is- No more gala. We are going to talk about what to do INSTEAD of your big gala. Have you ever heard of…Twitch.tv? There are a lot of people who don’t know what it is. Others think it’s just for gamers. Nonprofits are doing TONS with Twitch right now. It has seen a 100% increase of people using its platform since COVID started. Let’s name the new reality for what it is. A chance for us to get creative within constraints. We can’t be with our folks in person. Can we instead… take them on a virtual nature walk? Stream live and sit around and chat? If you like this episode and want to learn how to make twitch work for you, Ally will be speaking at my online conference in August. Stay Tuned! About Aly Sweetman: I found my passion for influencer fundraising through video games and Twitch while in college. I connected with charities and started pitching live streaming. I explained that my group would like to fundraise for them, but we preferred interactive live tools to do so. My first success was the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. AFSP signed-up on Tiltify in 2016 and has seen much success since. Since joining Twitch, I have helped to shape the team and Twitch’s charity strategies along with its guiding principles to support the philanthropic endeavors for both the company and Twitch’s community. I have spoken at professional charity conferences around the world, explaining the magic of influencer fundraising and how charities can engage and succeed in this new innovative fundraising era. I was instrumental with bringing-to-life projects such as and Twitch Unity campaigns. And supporting organizations like No Kid Hungry, Wounded Warrior Project, and Movember to actualize their vision in the influencer fundraising sphere. In addition to my experience with supporting Twitch’s internal projects and supporting charities’ program launches, I have guided celebrities joining Twitch as they navigate charity fundraising and the best practices involved. Outside of my role at Twitch, I’ve consulted with influencers and their talent agencies on how they may utilize their additional revenue stream platforms like Patreon, OnlyFans, Instagram, and other streaming services to fundraise or execute on a social good impact moment. My passion is corporate social responsibility, celebrity social good impact, influencer fundraising, diversity advocacy, and everything in between. I am strategic when developing strategies, and I’m a creative problem-solver. I support the efforts in creating moments that are unique and exciting for influencers, celebrities, or brands, their fanbase, and style. /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19132703

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 17: Gloria Coleman Explains How To Tame Chaos In Crisis 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 17: Gloria Coleman Explains How To Tame Chaos In Crisis “Succession planning is a way to tame the chaos”. – PODCAST KEY: 00:13:28 – What is the one thing that’s holding people back from greatness right now in their organizations? 00:14:26 – How we could ensure the future of our nonprofits? What could we do differently? 00:19:44 – The actual cost of losing a fundraiser or keeping them 00:23:18 – What is transactional HR and why should you move beyond it? 00:24:30 – Why NOW is the right time to do succession planning or business continuity planning Who do you make responsible for the succession planning? 00:35:34 – How to get in touch with Gloria Coleman and start the succession planning process 00:38:46 – 5 questions to ask yourself Mazarine Treyz: Hey everybody, welcome to the name it Podcast. I’m your host mazarine treyz and today I have the pleasure and privilege of introducing Gloria Coleman of and I had the pleasure of working with her last year, I feel like your leadership just went so well in that circumstance, and I can’t thank you enough for what you taught me and what you shared with me. And so, Gloria, I have been a little bit vague, but who are you and why would people come to you? Gloria Coleman: Well, thank you. Thank you for the introduction. I actually enjoy working on that project with you. I am the founder of high spades consulting started here in Portland, Oregon. I’ve worked in healthcare retail automotive. I’ve done everything to either help you grow your employees or let them go. So everything when it comes to succession planning on getting organizations restructured, and I would say that’s the biggest thing is that people want to manage their human capital, because they understand that assets. The human part of any business the assets capital. The app is the ones that bring in those fundraising dollars that will make or break an organization, so that’s that’s what people come to me for either the HR training or they want to grow their employees. Mazarine Treyz: You help people with right sizing their organizations and finding out what needs to happen to keep them going. Despite loss of human capital. Gloria Coleman: Yes, despite loss and it really starts out with understanding where their HR where their HR strategy is, and a lot of businesses don’t have Gloria Coleman: What I want to say they don’t have like organizational developers that look at the business strategy and say okay, how does our human capital. How are, how are people going to get us there. Might not be with the current set of individuals anything those the current set might not have the training to lead where that organization is going. You think about nonprofits. You know, most of them want to grow, who is saying, Do we have the right leadership, maybe this five years from now 10 years from now? Gloria Coleman: Who can really step in and do we have any type of confidence because there’s a big financial impact of just not having the right leadership. 00:13:28.620 What is the one thing that’s holding people back from greatness right now in their organizations? Gloria Coleman: honestly, it’s this, it’s the leadership. It’s the leadership. I mean, we’re when you have great leaders that are looking at the whole life. You’re I think about what’s holding people back people lead by example and when they don’t see leaders doing the things that they said that they are going to do. Following through and being transparent, that’s the biggest thing nobody, you’re not going to be able to build that organizational culture when you don’t have that leadership structure and some of them are still very Hierarchical they’re not matrix. They’re not flat. So when it comes to even speaking out in seeing things. If it’s not coming from the leadership coming down. There’s not a lot of people that that are feel comfortable with managing up In speaking and just calling things for what they are. 00:14:26.700 So how could we ensure the future of our nonprofits? What could we do differently? Gloria Coleman: That’s the biggest thing I would say to start off doing their from the is making it a mandate of the board. The board is for nonprofits, um, they have that responsibility financially. Ensure that those CEOs or the Executive Officers are not just meeting their fundraising goals, but I’m keeping up like keeping everybody. I’m not everybody happy, but it has to start with the board, the board has to tie it to some type of performance. Of that CEO or that executive director, because they are not exempt from performance management. And so I think that having a performance management or even talent. A good talent system in place Where they can use the right technology. They have the dashboards, where you can come back and say, you know, 2% of your bonus- 10% of your bonus or pay is based on say, having a succession plan or ensuring that you have the right successor, and we’re going to hold you accountable for that. That’s where it really starts because if you are an executive director that isn’t the best that board has to have a reason to they have to have some type of proof and data to get rid of that person. You don’t want employment law since you don’t want where you’re being as friend. 00:15:45 Why aren’t people doing succession planning? Gloria Coleman: Honestly, it takes time. It takes time. It’s part of like a I mean, not just the annual like strategy, but it’s on its ongoing and nobody wants to talk about retirement or leaving A lot of what I want to call these both their knowledge workers if you’re in one of these, I would say high level positions but any key position within the organization is critical. So much knowledge that can be given to you in transition to the next person. Nobody wants to think about planning for one Gloria leaves this role, I’m going to have to get my role to mastery, um, you know, and I, you know, I’m not leave for two years, but a lot of people don’t think about How good that can help row people. It’s not just about replacement is also about the growth in somebody else that you’re mentoring or sponsor within your organization to take some type of lateral position. Or even horizontal temporarily taken on a project to speak with their interest level is it does. It takes time and nobody can provide that constructive that can have a real system of This is working. This isn’t working. Where can we grow and develop it costs money. It does it cost money, good training program. You don’t want to just train Our internal talent for them to leave and go elsewhere. And so that’s why it’s that constant conversation. 00:17:19.830 –> 00:17:24.540 Gloria Coleman: Sometimes leaders don’t want to be told the truth. I think that’s a fallacy that you know organizations have that they have these people that are high performing, you might think everybody who is high performing is ready for promotion and not everybody within an organization is ready for promotion and they might not even want the promotion 10 does not having the right people in the right sequence ID for the organization, but not good for your roles. 00:17:45.030 –> 00:17:51.150 Mazarine Treyz: You know, Gloria. I’m so glad you brought that up because that’s one of the things that I feel like leaders feel like they don’t have time to have that conversation with people, but it’s a drum I’ve been banging for many years about Finding someone’s strengths with the strengthsfinder, ask them, What do you really like to do, what do you not like to do, and as Peter Drury said in our fundraising career conference in 2018, The conversation he has with people. As soon as they’re hired as he sits them down and he says, Where do you really want to be in five years, and how can I help you get there? Gloria Coleman: And that’s powerful. That’s powerful. I mean, The communication when they say along the line of everything, where things happen and don’t work out a lot of it is communicate, it’s the not being transparent in just being transparent with organizational goals like if we have a goal to get to, I don’t know, reach a million dollars in the next year tha tYou want that synergy throughout the organization. you don’t even want the people that are not in what I want to say like the C level positions, though, if they have a customer facing in internally. Going might be losing people they don’t even because it just for morale at that level, until, until they actually know and understand that what they’re doing is tied to an initiative. We’re tied to a program Will start to feel like I’m actually creating some value. What I’m doing me not think about employees that just sometimes job abandoned. And don’t show up, you know, or people who leave companies and taking intellectual property and start their own company, it can be taken a good chunk of your people. Those, those are things that you won’t make those goals when when you don’t have people aligning and understanding that I’m doing this because I’m creating value because I want to help us meet that goal. Like, it should not. It shouldn’t be a secret. Now, I do believe that there’s things that can be talked about. But we’re organization is going to be creating next year that that’s your community internally and sharing of knowledge that should just come out of magic. 00:19:44.790 Mazarine Treyz: I agree with you. And I think what a lot of leaders don’t realize is the actual cost of losing a fundraiser or keeping them and so according to Penelope Burks donor centered leadership research. If you have turnover in your fundraising department for three years running it costs 117% of what that person makes every year To replace them. So if they make 50,000 and you do the math. It can cost upwards of $600,000 If your nonprofit has consistent turnover. So if you’re not asking these questions. They seem like fluffy nice questions, but they’re really actually quite important to save your nonprofit money. And then the benefit if you have someone stay for three years. According to Penelope Burks donor centered leadership book is over $500,000 that’s not including the donor relationships and everything like that. So, The benefits are there and the drawbacks are severe. If you do not pay attention to succession planning. So, um, why is it. Last on the list for people. I mean, how do you carve out the time for it. 00:20:49.680 Gloria Coleman: Well, let me just start off by saying the money you talking about it. It’s chump change, but that’s it. Who cares if it’s half a million, we have that! But really putting putting those dollars into fixing some of it. It’s just not having that HR that internal by true HR structure that’s more strategic that can Help guide and make those decisions and say hey person left, this is really what it’s costing us or would it potentially could Just replace a new employee. Like, I think they said the percentage like 10 about 16% when you are just in the interview, like people want those meetings and taking time I’m in your question. Like why Last on the list. I think because it’s I would honestly say they don’t have the right HR leadership, I think, at times, because that’s where HR comes in, he has to work for the business, but we’re also for doing the right thing and really having a good HR program to drive. Gloria Coleman: To session performance reviews talent reviews. I mean, the onboarding employees, the right way do an exit interviews. So then you can collect that data and information that is what I think these Organizations are looking to their HR leaders to help guide them like we have facts and data like what we’re doing is not is not new. It’s really having somebody to drive and say, I’m coming in as a business partner to help drive it. In this what you need in this is the metrics and data I how I can support you with HR should be one of the first, let him take this is some standard Templates. This is what this person is doing and how much they should be getting paid, is why they left because we found this out the right investigations, so I mean, and that’s at all levels of the organization. I think that’s really why they’re not carving out the time because there’s nobody internally to drive. Mazarine Treyz: Yeah, a lot of small nonprofits don’t have an HR person they try to outsource it, but it’s really difficult to make the case. It’s like succession planning seems like the cherry on top. 00:22:52.770 –> 00:23:00.540 Mazarine Treyz: But if we have a turnover rate in our nonprofits of six to 12 months in Canada for fundraisers and 12 to 18 months in the US for fundraisers this problem isn’t going to go away. And we’ve just told you how much it’s going to cost to solve it. If you don’t do this and I, unlike the drain for the 300, you know, the three years in the $600,000 succession planning and cost considerably less than that. 00:23:18.360 Gloria Coleman: It truly it truly does. And I think the outsourcing that the that they do, which is great, but he’s still looking at what what I call transactional type of HR, but we’re just going to be hiring get a policy in place. You know, give this person their last paycheck type of thing. I mean those real strategic HR and doing it. HR does take time. You need somebody I honest sometimes for like either embedded in the organization or even working with like the operational Director really partner and bridge that gap when you’re not there as an internal HR company that that’s being outsourced don’t really understand the organizational culture. You don’t you you hear about it, but you don’t. So in and you can’t really manage by stage that you have to manage by having the right data. And that means getting everybody up to the confidence levels that they need to be the singles roles that they’re in. Mazarine Treyz: Mm hmm. So I completely agree with you. Gloria and I really feel so grateful that you’re sharing this today. This is a problem that people don’t realize they have. It’s not just about fundraising and it’s not just about HR. It’s about honestly it’s about the long term ramifications of having no policy in place. I mean, especially during covid 19 many people are being forced to retire. Or people are downsizing unexpectedly. So why is it especially important now to do succession planning. Why is this is the right time to do succession planning or business continuity planning? Gloria Coleman: With Covid-19 I think it’s made people realize that we all need to have a business continuity plan in place. If you don’t even want to call it succession planning is really about business continuity is like, what do we mean in case this into my mind is like a natural like global crisis crisis that a lot of people didn’t plan for so just remain operational. Who needs to be there. And you’re right, the people, these people are retiring. How do you take somebody that has 20 years of knowledge. Now, how does it happen maybe a are, you know, God forbid, but maybe you have fallen victim, hospitalized and you don’t have a plan in place just starting off with some business continuity, not even Going to replace who but I think good organizations you really start thinking that out. It’s just about. It’s about advanced planning. Planning for the worst. Like if you don’t make your numbers this year. How are you going to sustain your organization. And that’s what when I think about COVID-19, Why it’s really important. Not all these words, not everybody in a person workforce is going to come back and be and I want everybody to come back. I think this is great time. Well, look at the workforce plan like you know you had to let go, I don’t know 25 people. Do you really want all of these people to come back. So who is essential. Always keep actually coming back. And how are those key people that are coming back or how are they going to be compensated. I don’t think employees want to come back To do the job of two to three pools still at the same. Hey, I mean, there has to be level Of fitness. I mean, so there’s employees that are looking at this is perfect time of the month employment. Do I even want to go back to the job during COVID. I mean, there’s a risk. Risk to Just to lose in that knowledge into intelligent, especially if they’re not using the right technology and other personal laptops now and storing everything on their desktop. You might not even get access to those things that you eat, so it’s going to take the more time business back up and running. And that’s just The matter. I mean, a big I’m a big advocate of, you know, using HR. HR systems out, you kind of information systems or even technology systems. But having just continuous process improvement in all areas of the business. To run operationally, you want to be able to have access to that data whether they’re in the office or not in the office, but make sure that it belongs to that company and not on somebody’s desk, they can easily delete. And that’s happened before. I’ve, I’ve run into that where you you come back, you’re recreating the wheel, because that last person was upset love unexpectedly, and they were the only ones who had Access to something that you need. So now here you are starting from scratch that takes even more time. Mazarine Treyz: I’ve seen it. You know, I’ve seen it in organizations that decide to fire a fundraiser on a whim, or they decide to lay someone off without any notice and the fundraiser just gets upset and takes all their toys and goes home. You need to have structures to have that be less of a likelihood. If you care about the future of your organization. Gloria Coleman: Know in in that invite to save the leap. I think making swift decisions. Sometimes that’s another thing we’re organizations makes with decisions without thinking if I let go of Gloria right now would do I would do I lose what what kind of vulnerabilities, like what How much does it impact us and I think taking that step back and say, Is it, you know, she going to sue because we’re not doing it the right way. I mean, yes, Oregon is at will state, but not all states or I will just Add a little doesn’t mean that I can’t know say claim discrimination or that I was treated unfairly. So really do gotta get out even when you’re letting go with people, for good reason. And that’s because training plans and performance really comes in place, letting go of the fundraising director, because they’re not fitting the culture, you still need to kind of look at, okay, well, If they’re meeting the mark and all these other areas, maybe you do need maybe and now we’re going to get this person some training and Probationary period or whatever you want to call it. We have been a reason to let them go because either they met them or they didn’t meet Mark and then you have data to cover cover what I was what I call him like hrs that’s that’s a risk. Mazarine Treyz: It is risk. Gloria Coleman: Of not doing it the right way and not having the right policies in place. Why do people not speak up and say something when the future planning isn’t happening? Gloria Coleman: I think it’s fear. I think the biggest thing is is fear and not being empowered to speak up. To what I want to say like this old way of thinking that managers and you WHEN DO YOU EVER, call your manager out when you have those real one on one constructive conversations always coming down. So unless you have I would say like this credibility and already trust throughout the organization that when we’re in meetings we can call out what we think is wrong. Employee surveys, like those engagement service level... /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19132535

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 18: Racial Trauma During BLM Protests With Dr. Debra Jenkins 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 19: Grieving During Covid And BLM With Kierra Taplin 05/17/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 19: Grieving During Covid And BLM With Kierra Taplin Mazarine Treyz: Host Kierra Taplin: President and Founder of the Healing Footprints Foundation 00:03:27.630 –> Why she founded the Healing Footprints 00:06:53.010 –> What happens when we allow ourselves to grieve? 00:09:31.110 –> What more people need to understand about grief 00:10:57.360 –> How to deal with the discomfort of grief 00:17:09.540 –> How grief is affecting us now with the COVID-19 00:22:47.790 –> What happens when people push down grief? 00:28:02.160 –> How you can embrace your grief and rewrite your story 00:31:14.260 –> Why we all need self-care and self-love. 00:35:30.990 –> What lessons can we learn from experience of the pandemic? 00:38:13.860 –> Allow yourself space and time to grieve. New power Fundraising Conference 00:00:06.150 –> 00:00:07.200 Mazarine Treyz: Everybody, welcome to the Name It Podcast. I am so happy to have Kierra Taplin here. I heard her speak at the UPRooted retreat, Kishshana Palmer’s retreat, and it was fantastic. I had to have her come on and talk to us. Kierra, please tell us who you are. 00:00:31.110 –> 00:01:12.270 Kierra Taplin: Well, first let me say I am honored to be here. I, like you, totally enjoyed the Rooted Retreat. I think this is a great sign of how wonderful the collaborative is, that it was able to bring us together. I’m Kierra. I’m a woman who is just like so many of us, who was at one point in life searching for fulfillment, searching for more. I knew that there was more for me to do. I sit here today as someone who has discovered her purpose. It’s such a beautiful journey when you know that you have a purpose and you can live with intention. 00:01:12.660 –> 00:01:39.090 Kierra Taplin: I’m a woman who brings hope to everyone that I come in contact with. I’m constantly pouring into my husband, my son, my family members, the women that I’m blessed to be connected with. That’s who I am. I’m a connector. I’m a light of hope in your darkest moment, I show up and I bring light, I bring laughter. That, in a nutshell, is who I am. 00:01:42.030 –> 00:01:45.900 Mazarine Treyz: You’re the executive director of the Healing Footprints Foundation. 00:01:45.900 –> 00:01:47.160 Kierra Taplin: Oh, that’s a minor detail. 00:01:57.060 –> 00:01:59.820 Mazarine Treyz: I think that’s impressive. I started a non-profit; that’s hard to do. 00:02:02.190 –> 00:02:43.710 Kierra Taplin: It’s terribly hard. I just don’t like to admit it so that’s probably why I don’t want to bring up that part. Yes, I am President and Executive Founder of the Healing Footprints Foundation. It is a labor of love that I created over eight years ago, and I’m very proud of the growth that the organization has experienced, but also the growth that I experienced, personally, from taking on that responsibility. It’s a huge responsibility. I don’t think I entered it understanding what it really meant to be a founder of an organization and to commit to serving people. 00:02:43.710 –> 00:03:26.250 Kierra Taplin: I think if you commit to human services, the Journey is a little different because your motivation is different, the commitment is different, and, of course, the responsibility is different because now if I fail or if I show up and don’t give my best self, I’m not just affecting my bottom line, which for most corporations is maybe funding or finance, for me these are people. I’m investing in people, in their future, and their healing. So it’s a huge responsibility to be a founder. I jokingly said that it is a minor detail, but I fully understand the gravity of having such an organization. 00:03:27.630 Why she founded the Healing Footprints Foundation 00:03:27.630 –> 00:03:35.220 Mazarine Treyz: For people who don’t know, you have a movement and you have a mission. Could you share with us more about why you founded this nonprofit? 00:03:38.370 –> 00:04:17.160 Kierra Taplin: Yes, the organization is committed to serving families who have experienced or are grieving from pregnancy and infant loss. What I realized at the start of my journey is that grief is far more than the loss of life. What the movement is, it’s reframing how we see grief. That it is to be experienced, that we don’t have to run from it. We don’t have to hide it. We don’t have to suffer in silence. You don’t have to avoid it. That we actually can embrace the grief, and that if you do that, you’ll actually learn to see the beauty in it. 00:04:17.490 –> 00:04:48.090 Kierra Taplin: It’s a valuable lesson that we have, a valuable life experience that we have. There are so many life lessons wrapped up into it. That’s what the movement is about. It’s about exposing grief and the beauty that we can find if we actually take the time to get to know it and embrace it, and embrace our individual journeys of grief so that we can get the lessons that we need to learn and we can view it from the experience that we are to have. 00:04:48.420 –> 00:05:21.630 Kierra Taplin: That’s what the movement is about. My journey, again, started out focused on infant death, and went from infant death to pregnancy loss, understanding that one in four women experienced some type of pregnancy loss. Your neighbors, your co-workers, your family members; you are more than likely know someone who has experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth or some type of newborn death. Oftentimes, they may not talk about it, especially if it happened early on during their pregnancy. 00:05:21.630 –> 00:06:01.710 Kierra Taplin: There’s this grief that they’re carrying that they’re not able to expose. However, you can connect with them because you too may have experienced some other type of grief. You may have experienced divorce. You may have experienced job loss. There may be some other losses that you’ve had in your life that you can now use to connect with the person who has experienced the type of grief that’s a little more devastating, I will say. That you can connect in that way. Grief is, I think, one area that bridges all of us because we have experienced some form of grief on different levels. 00:06:53.010 What happens when we allow ourselves to grieve 00:06:04.980 –> 00:06:43.740 Mazarine Treyz: I love that you say that because, right now, I feel like, during COVID-19, we’re experiencing a lot of grief. During the BLM movement, we’re experiencing a lot of grief. Part of being a human is experiencing grief, but we don’t really have structures and outlets for that. I was listening to the For the Wild Podcast with Lama Rod Owens about liberatory rage. He said we’re not allowing ourselves to feel sadness and despair, and we’re not allowing our hearts to break, and that is what upholds patriarchy. 00:06:44.940 –> 00:06:45.360 Kierra Taplin: Yes. 00:06:53.010 –> 00:07:01.140 Mazarine Treyz: It touched me so deeply. What is your experience of that, when you allow grief versus when you fight grief? What have you seen with the people that you work with? 00:07:01.560 –> 00:07:56.220 Kierra Taplin: I think allowing grief is giving people permission. For me, I’ve literally had to give a lot of my clients the permission to grieve. To your point, we have this cultural stigma that you’re not supposed to hurt or you’re weak if you show signs of pain, if you cry, that somehow it diminishes their strength or their masculinity. We connect all these expressions of strength with denial. We’re actually denying our humanity that if my mother or my father passes away, that it hurts. If I come home and my wife has packed up everything and moved out, that I’m hurt that I’ve poured 20 years into this relationship and now it’s over. It’s okay to say that I’m hurting. 00:07:56.250 –> 00:08:55.260 Kierra Taplin: A lot of times, we don’t call grief what it is, that it’s grief. It’s oftentimes disguised as bitterness. We’ll say someone is bitter, or they’re angry, or they can’t control their emotions, or they’re insecure. Insecure is one that I hear a lot. We often relate grief to some form of insecurity that you don’t feel powerful or that you’re good enough to move on. I see a lot of that where we’re not identifying grief for what it is because I think if we recognize it and called it grief, that we’ll be more likely to approach it. Who wants to really approach feelings of anger, or disappointment, or not being worthy, or feeling that you’re not good enough? Who wants to really admit that? To go into a relationship or the ending of a relationship and say, “Maybe I wasn’t good enough for that relationship.” 00:08:56.140 –> 00:09:27.930 Kierra Taplin: However, if you say I’m grieving because it’s over, that I had these plans, and I had this dream of what my job would look like, and now it’s over. How do I move on? How do I move forward? How do I deal with it instead of just moving on to the next position or finding a better title, or moving on to the next relationship and suppressing all of those feelings? If we recognize it as grief and call it what it is, then we can address it properly. 00:09:31.110 What more people need to understand about grief 00:09:31.110 –> 00:09:41.670 Mazarine Treyz: I love that. What do you wish more people understood about grief? 00:09:50.100 –> 00:10:30.300 Kierra Taplin: If I had one underlying mission of my grief moments, it is to dispel the myth that time heals all wounds. Usually, when someone addresses grief or talks about grief our response is, “Oh, give it time,” or, “You’ll feel better in time.” I see it all the time across social media; time heals all wounds. It’s a myth. It’s not true. If you sit in your bedroom after experiencing some deep loss, whatever was important to you, if you just sit there and allow time to pass, you will continue to just sit there. Things will not get better for you. Things will not change for you. 00:10:30.300 –> 00:10:55.710 Kierra Taplin: We have to be an active participant in our healing. I think that’s important for us to understand grief and the responsibility that we have in our healing. No one is going to come from the outside and make you feel better. Nothing outside of yourself is going to make you feel better, and that includes time. We have to be an active participant in our healing. 00:10:57.360 How to deal with the discomfort of grief 00:10:57.360 –> 00:11:28.620 Mazarine Treyz: Thank you so much for saying that. I know what comes up for me when I activate how I feel in my body, I feel grief. I get very uncomfortable. One of the things that Lama Rod Owens said is, comfort will not get us free. The question he asked was, how can we begin to center discomfort so that other people can get access to the resources that they need? I thought that was an interesting question. 00:11:28.650 –> 00:12:06.030 Kierra Taplin: That’s actually a good one. I often talk about the discomfort of grief, and also, how we can become comfortable in our discomfort, that we allow ourselves to not address it, especially when it comes to pain. If you are accustomed to pain, if you’ve experienced childhood trauma and a lot of trauma in your life, it’s possible to become accustomed to that pain. You feel that it’s not necessary to address it. You believe that pain is just a part of your existence; that it’s your reality, that you are designed to live in constant pain. 00:12:07.050 –> 00:12:29.820 Kierra Taplin: It’s important to know that if you activate your healing, that you can get out of that place of pain, and that the discomfort may start to look like healing. Addressing those dark places, addressing the trauma that you’ve experienced that that initial discomfort is actually a lot of your healing. It starts to look like healing. 00:12:31.280 –> 00:13:10.860 Kierra Taplin: I tell people all the time, healing can be extremely messy because you have to admit, one, that something has actually hurt you. You sometimes have to admit, too, that someone that you love has hurt you. That’s hard to do. It’s hard to admit that my parents, who were amazing parents, were very good parents, did the best that they could, however, some of their behavior; some of their thought patterns were painful for me. It’s hard to admit that, to say that my wonderful parents may not have been the best at all times for me. 00:13:14.760 –> 00:13:50.250 Kierra Taplin: I think that makes healing messy. It makes it very uncomfortable. It’s important to understand that that discomfort is what liberates you. That discomfort is where you’ll find your healing and it’s extremely freeing to get to a place where you can admit and call it what it is, that this thing actually pained me. It’s very liberating. I will warn that once you get on this path of discomfort, I think, naturally we start to seek comfort. 00:13:56.940 –> 00:14:41.640 Kierra Taplin: One of the areas that I’ve experienced grief is after losing a job. I was laid off after 15 years of a wonderful career in information technology. I had experienced several corporate restructures, but I always ended up on the right side of the restructuring. So the very first time that I got laid off, I was devastated. I did not recognize it initially as grief until I started to experience a lot of the same emotions and reactions that I had when I lost my son. I went through anger. I had a period of guilt. I had periods of depression. I questioned my self-worth, and it’s because I had wrapped myself into this position and this title that I had. 00:14:41.640 –> 00:15:21.790 Kierra Taplin: When I got to a place where I was able to understand and I was actually grieving, I started to feel a huge weight lifted off of me. Now I can call it for what it is, and that means I now know how to address it. Now, I can find healthy ways to cope with it. I think that’s one of the important parts of understanding the freedom that comes with that and that discomfort. Then, I remember thinking, eventually I’m going to get to a place of comfort because we want to believe that’s the whole goal of healing, that you’ll get to this safe space. 00:15:23.570 –> 00:16:03.500 Kierra Taplin: I will warn you, what you will start to do is expose all of the other areas where you’re hurting. So all these other areas where I’m grieving, the relationship disappointments, other dreams and aspirations that I had, it became very important work that helped me to become a better person. Now I can fully understand who I am and why I feel the way that I feel, and it’s so liberating. It’s so freeing. If I could give the gift of healing to everyone that I know was hurting, it would be my life goal to do that for sure because it’s extremely liberating. 00:16:04.680 –> 00:16:52.170 Kierra Taplin: I know it’s scary because I’ve had those moments approaching the subject. It can be scary, especially when we don’t know what to expect because we don’t know how we’ll respond, and grief is not linear. It’s not all uphill once you make the decision to do it. We go back and forth. Some days, still, 14 years later, after the death of my son, I have great days, but there are still moments where I cry. I’m on the floor bawling 10 years later. It still happens. So grieving isn’t this linear journey where it’s always the same, where it’s always up. Expect to toggle back and forth, but it’s a journey that’s well worth it for sure. 00:17:09.540 How grief is affecting us now with the COVID-19 00:16:53.460 –> 00:17:14.340 Mazarine Treyz: I’m really glad you brought up that it’s not just about one grieving how other things get uncovered when you start to deal with grief. That’s what I’m experiencing right now. I was going to ask you, is there a way grief is affecting us right now that we should be looking at? 00:17:15.390 –> 00:17:54.870 Kierra Taplin: Yes, I think now we are surrounded by grief. For me, personally, I can feel it in the air. It’s a lot better now than it was at the start of the pandemic. When I went into my local supermarket, I could feel the tension and the heaviness in the air. We’re all experiencing grief on some level. Of course, we know people who have literally lost their lives. If you don’t know someone personally who has experienced death as the result of COVID or some illness related to it, someone around you probably has. 00:17:54.870 –> 00:18:35.970 Kierra Taplin: What makes this experience so unique and how we’re grieving is that a lot of the tools that we used to be able to utilize to help us during that bereavement period, something as simple as the funeral service has now been either taken away from us, or it’s been restructured. So the comfort that we used to get from hugs, those aren’t available to us right now. The joy of being able to sit around with your family, and talk, and possibly laugh about your loved one’s life has been taken away from us in some regards. I think that makes the grief that we’re experiencing right now a little different. 00:18:43.900 –> 00:19:17.580 Kierra Taplin: We’re also experiencing a lot of symbolic loss. We’ve had the loss of experiences. Our kids, who were ripped out of school abruptly at the end of the school year, have lost the opportunity to have the proper goodbyes with their classmates. We haven’t had high school graduations, colleague graduations. We’ve had weddings that were planned and that did not take place. There’s a lot of symbolic loss that we’re experiencing that I don’t know if we’re actually addressing it properly or identifying it as grief. 00:19:17.580 –> 00:20:19.500 Kierra Taplin: I’ve heard a lot of people address it as if this is just something you’ll get over, or we’ll try it later, but it does not take away from the fact that a lot of us have been planning for these experiences and now they’re gone. Grief is not always attached to a person or the death of a person. It’s also those life experiences that we’ve been planning for: mouthfuls on birthdays, family vacations. If you’ve been saving for two, three years to take your family on a Disney Cruise, and now all of a sudden, you can’t take them, it’s not as simple as, “Oh, it’s just a cruise,” or, “It’s just a vacation. Be grateful that you have your family. ” Of course, I’m grateful that I have my family, but I still had this plan in place that I had been anticipating and now it’s been taken away from me. Not only has it been taken away from me. most of us have no idea if we’ll ever get to do those things again or what it will look like when we start to do those things again. 00:20:21.650 –> 00:21:11.910 Kierra Taplin: We’re experiencing a lot of loss in that regard. When we hear the orders to stay at home to social distance, we assume that everyone has a safe home to stay in, that everyone has a safe environment, that we have food and fresh air and clean water, and a loving environment. That’s not true for everyone. For some people, the thought of staying home, or the order to stay home or not be able to see my girlfriend’s on Sunday brunch, which was my safe space from a husband who may be abusive, or kids who are being abused, that also contributes to the grief that we’re experiencing. 00:21:13.020 –>... /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19132277

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 20: How To Be Layoff Proof- With 2 People’s Jobs With Melissa Watkins 05/13/2021

NAME IT! Podcast Episode 20: How To Be Layoff Proof- With 2 People’s Jobs With Melissa Watkins Melissa E. Watkins Podcast KEY/SEGMENTS Mazarine Treyz: Host Melissa E. Watkins: California Polytechnic University, Executive Director, Major Gifts 00:00:47 –> How did you go from social services to a university fundraising job? 00:06:34 –> What drew you to higher ed? Was it salary or passion? 00:08:56 –> How are you managing working two people’s jobs? 00:11:22 –> How does knowing project management help you in fundraising and doing two people’s jobs? 00:13:31 –> Could you define the key areas of project management? 00:17:30 –> Project management also manages people. 00:18:14 –> How do the project management key points help during a time of unprecedented work expectations? 00:20:01 –> If a person has survived a layoff, what can they learn from you during this crucial time? 00:23:00 –> What does being a futurist mean to you? 00:00:06 –> 00:00:44 Mazarine Treyz: All right. Hey, everybody, welcome. This is Mazarine Treyz of Wild Woman Fundraising and the Name It podcast. Welcome to the Name It podcast. Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Melissa E. Watkins, MBA, PMP as well as who is the Executive Director of Major Gifts at California Polytechnic University. And oh, my gosh, she spoke at the Rooted Collaborative UPRooted Retreat and I just had to ask her to come on to speak at my event and to be on this podcast. So Melissa, thank you so much for being here. 00:00:45 –> 00:00:46 Melissa E. Watkins: Thank you for having me. 00:00:47 –> How did you go from social services to a plum university fundraising job? Mazarine Treyz: So, you have risen spectacularly in your career going from being Development Director at the Gleaners Food Bank in Detroit to Director of Annual Giving at Los Angeles Food Bank, to Executive Director of Major Gifts at California Polytechnic University. How did you go from social services to a university plum fundraising job? 00:01:11 –> 00:01:58 Melissa E. Watkins: Wow. Thank you for asking the question and thank you for having me again today. I’m honored to be here. And I just want to start out by saying that the path to higher ed had been in my vision for years and years. It was something that I always aspired to do. And as you mentioned Gleaners, and also the food bank in LA, it was something in the back of my mind, even back then, so I started planning even before. So I could actually step a few steps back. When I worked as a consultant at CCS Fundraising, I actually left that job to go back to school full time to get my master’s in business, because I wanted to kind of get on that path to get into higher ed. And I thought to myself, “Okay, so how should I do that? Okay, I have to get a higher ed degree.” 00:01:59 –> 00:02:46 Melissa E. Watkins: While I was getting my degree, kind of going back full time, I met a woman at the gym. So just at a spin class, I met a lady who said I had a great smile and she was wondering what I did for a living. And I said, “Actually, I’m going to school full time, but I’m a fundraiser.” She’s like, “I work at the food bank. You need to help solve world hunger. Come work for us.” Two weeks later, I was working at Gleaners. So it’s funny because I totally derailed on my plans were to go back to school full time, and “I’m not going to work at any place”, and in talking to her and in even just learning about the issues with hunger and making sure that people have their basic needs, especially food was so near and dear to my heart that I actually took the position and worked there. 00:02:47 –> 00:03:39 Melissa E. Watkins: And so I worked there, got my degree at the same time, and when I finished, my significant other and I decided to move over to Los Angeles. So again, keeping in mind that I wanted to get to higher ed, at the same time, I’m like, “How do I get there? How in the world am I going to get there?” So we moved out to LA, one Executive Director called the next and I had a job at LA Food Bank just like that, which was a gift, okay. So continuing that hunger conversation and how we can make solutions, but again, the climate, the environment, totally different. So I appreciated having the Los Angeles and the Detroit because it’s two different urban settings, but still similar. The face of hunger is always going to be not what people are expecting. And so the narrative was the same, but just the distribution of food and who the donors were, were just all different. 00:03:39 –> 00:04:33 Melissa E. Watkins: Okay. So I’m in LA. So I’m still like, “I want to get to higher ed.” So I have a friend of mine who, and I want to say this just on record, I interviewed with UCLA nine times, okay? Nine times in person. And I wasn’t getting in and still like, hunger is near and dear to my heart, but I still wanted to get into higher. So I just wanted to bring it back to that just to let everybody know that I wanted to get there. Okay, so I had a buddy who was working in Cal State Bakersfield, we were actually consultants together way back before I decided to go back to school and get my degree, my second degree. He said, “Melissa, we have a position open. I know you well, you’re down in LA but we’re in Bakersfield. Would you be willing to come up and get your feet wet in higher ed fundraising?” And I was like, “Absolutely”. 00:04:34 –> 00:05:45 Melissa E. Watkins: So I actually took the job. So that was actually my transition to higher ed, and without my friend getting me in the door, it would have just taken me a little bit longer. And again, I left the Los Angeles market because there was so much competition in this area that I couldn’t break in. And so I stayed there for three years and a position opened at Cal Poly Pomona, and the actual– Okay, so get this right. The president of Cal State Bakersfield where I was working was really good friends with the president at Cal Poly Pomona. So there was always this connection. So also I should mention that in Bakersfield I had this tie into agriculture because that was the primary donor for the community. So I had a tie into agriculture. I even led the project that started a food bank in Bakersfield. So there was a tie to food, nutrition, and then I also [was] able to use my food banking experience. So I applied to the position as Development Director at Cal Poly Pomona, Senior Development Director there. So it was a step up, but again, same constituent. 00:05:46 –> 00:06:13 Melissa E. Watkins: So I got the job and within two years of just working hard, making prospect calls, building relationships on and off campus, I got promoted to Executive Director, Major Gifts, and now oversee six positions under my title plus an assistant. And that was a pretty fast trajectory and I’m just grateful for the opportunity and to be in the role. 00:06:16 –> 00:06:27 Mazarine Treyz: Wow, incredible! That is so incredible. And I know you make it sound like there’s a lot of luck but it sounds like a lot of hard work was involved in that luck. 00:06:27 –> 00:06:32 Melissa E. Watkins: Thank you. And also just staying focused, like “I got to get to higher ed. I got to get to higher.” I was always mindful of that. Yeah. 00:06:34 –> What drew you to higher ed? Was it salary or passion? Mazarine Treyz: Can I ask you like what drew you to higher ed? Is it because it would be a more sustainable salary? Or is it really because you just feel passionate about education? 00:06:44 –> 00:07:25 Melissa E. Watkins: I am so passionate about education. That’s a great follow-up question. So the reason why I was like– So just a little side personal story. When I went to college, I went to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. That was the only college I applied to. I got there and I must tell you, it was a culture shock. I grew up in Detroit, Michigan. It was the greatest amount of white people I had ever been around in my entire life. I felt like a fish out of water. I was like, “Well, do I belong here?” On top of that, everything that could go wrong with my financial aid did. And so I found myself having to pay for college and on top of that, just being like, “What is going on here?” 00:07:25 –> 00:08:23 Melissa E. Watkins: So after about a year and a half or so of school, I just dropped out. I was like, “I can’t do this. This is too hard. I’m not smart. And I’m not supposed to be here.” And so if you fast forward, I actually worked and went to school undergrad, I mean, it was a struggle. So by the time I got to be 25, I had my undergrad, but it was a grind. So the reason why higher ed is important to me is because I never ever, ever want people to have to experience what I did. And so I’ve always said this is how we propel people to the next level. This is how we get them access to education. No one should have to worry about how to pay for school. If you’re from a different culture, we want to get you into programs where you feel accepted and wanted. I mean, just to be a part of that system through fundraising, we can help donors understand what the student’s perspective is, get funding for these programs to help students propel their lives to the next level. And so that’s why it’s such a passion for me. 00:08:26 –> 00:08:54 Mazarine Treyz: I love that. And it really does tie into the Patriot Act. I was looking at that today with Hasan Minhaj and he’s like, “College degrees really are a pathway for folks. They’re not just like something you reach for anymore, they’re expected.” And people that have college degrees, women make half a million dollars more over their lifetimes and men make over $600,000 more over their lifetimes if they have a college degree. 00:08:55 –> 00:08:56 Melissa E. Watkins: Right. Yeah. 00:08:56 –> How are you managing working two people’s jobs? Mazarine Treyz: So I love that. I think you’re totally right and right now, in our first conversation, you mentioned that you’re working two people’s jobs and not on purpose. How are you managing that? 00:09:11 –> 00:10:49 Melissa E. Watkins: No, that’s such a good question and just to give some context. So when I took the position, we had three positions open out of the six that report to me, well, plus my assistant. And the idea was that we were going to fill all of those positions, and then COVID hit. So what ended up happening is the position that I was previously in, so the Senior Director of Development for Agriculture, was open and then all of the other open positions ware still open. So I’m covering the Executive Director position as well as Senior Director of Development and I’m doing that using a project management approach. I’m being very intentional about the time that I’m using for both positions. So I’ve even like from a weekly standpoint, set aside certain days of the week for which positions, So I’ll only take certain meetings or I try to for each position. And what’s nice is that because I have built such strong relationships with a lot of donors in that college, some of the work is almost automatic. So I’m not having to put in some of that grind work. I’m more or less just following up with the strongest prospects. So I will say this is not the easiest thing to do to manage those positions. There are times when I’m thinking “Am I doing C level work at both?” But I just try to do my best and stretch the 40, 50-hour workweek as much as possible. 00:10:51 –> 00:11:17 Mazarine Treyz: I know for people that are listening who have survived a layoff, this is something that they care about. “How can I do both jobs equally well if I have to do two people’s jobs?” Maybe your Grant Writer got laid off, maybe your event planner got laid off, you’re shifting to virtual events. There are a lot of reasons why you could just have more work right now. Maybe you’re the Executive Director and they lay off the Development Director, which I don’t recommend you do. 00:11:20 –> 00:11:21 Melissa E. Watkins: I don’t either. 00:11:22 –> How does knowing project management help you in fundraising and doing two people’s jobs? Mazarine Treyz: So you have a PMP, project management certification, as well as your MBA and I’m so impressed. You’re a lifelong learner clearly, and how does knowing project management help you in fundraising and doing two people’s jobs? 00:11:36 –> 00:12:33 Melissa E. Watkins: Well, honestly, what it does is it helps you be much more intentional about your work. So sometimes people don’t think about our work as being like projects, but if you think about it, you can break down every aspect of fundraising or development into the project management kind of structures. So for instance, just to give an example, in the beginning of any project, you should have what they call a project charter. And a charter is just a tool that outlines like, “What is our goal? What is our vision? Who should be involved in this project? Do we have sign-offs?” And so what project management has forced me to do is say, “Okay, in order for us to move forward with any project that I’m working on, we must have these things in place.” So it’s more or less a checklist to help guide the work. And then it’s also “Let’s look at the timing. Let’s look at the budget.” And it helps all parties involved, especially internally. 00:12:34 –> 00:13:30 Melissa E. Watkins: So what I use this for is mostly internally when we’re starting out any fundraising project. Or even if I flip the hat over and look at my Executive Director role, as I’m working with the people who report to me, those Development Officers, asking them those questions even before we start a project with a donor. Or let’s say we are going down the path with the donor. The donor has made a commitment. Are we communicating to everyone? So it really is through project management, just making sure that we’re intentional about every aspect of the project or like I like to call [them] philanthropically driven projects, right? It just helps clear everything up and I recommend everybody look into it. Even if they don’t get their project management professional certification, there are courses out there that you can take that talk about this methodology and just help you be more intentional. It just helps tremendously. 00:13:31 –> Could you define the key areas of project management? Mazarine Treyz: Well, I know that I know very little about it, so I know that I know nothing. But I did look it up a little bit before we talked and I know in project management you have some key areas like work breakdown structures, competency development framework, project configuration management and change management. Could you tell us what each of these [mean]? 00:13:54 –> 00:14:48 Melissa E. Watkins: Yes, absolutely, especially so I’m going to start off with the first one that you’ve listed, the world breakdown structure. So basically this is a great tool because if you think about a flowchart, that’s exactly what it is. So it says, “Okay, so we’re going to start a fundraising initiative, what’s all involved in this project?” So from start to finish who are the key players? So if I use the higher education model as an example and use something very simple like a scholarship. So we say, “Okay, in order to get this scholarship implemented, how do we start?” So we start off with the core thing, which is get scholarship implemented. And from there, you break down every step. So we need a gift agreement, we need to get the criteria established, we need to identify what the reporting structure will be. And so you really just outline it in a flowchart format. 00:14:49 –> 00:15:40 Melissa E. Watkins: What’s nice about that is that you can take that breakdown and then assess or add the key players who will be responsible for each task and then ultimately, add a timeline to it. So the work breakdown structure really is a great outline. And as you know, to get through to people, sometimes you need visuals, and it’s a perfect thing for that and you break it down. And I could get more into the specifics of course with, you know, they say that you shouldn’t drill down too far on some of the tasks. So you wouldn’t want to say change all font to 12 point Arial. You wouldn’t want to put that, but you would want to kind of keep it in broad categories that can be assigned and tracked. So that’s the work breakdown structure. I’m going to skip over to the project configuration management. 00:14:40 –> 00:16:25 Melissa E. Watkins: So configuration management just means how do we integrate this project within the existing structure of the organization? And so if we even throw out the food bank, for example. Let’s say someone donates $10,000 for a new system to track the food that’s donated. Okay, so we can’t just take that, right, if those funds– Who are all the parties involved? So we got to talk to the IT department, we have to talk to shipping, let’s talk to development because maybe more money needs to be raised. So how is that all incorporated? And so just managing that process and all the communication, the planning, everything that needs to go [involved 00:16:23] because we know we don’t just live in one bubble, right? 00:16:26 –> 00:17:24 Melissa E. Watkins: Okay. And then change management. I love that one because basically, we all know that people love or hate change. So having a process in place for the changes that need to happen, and involving the key players at the right times. No one likes to be told after a decision has been made that change is coming. So making sure all parties involved know about the change, are involved in that change, have some decisions in the process, and so that’s what change management is really all about. Really all of these are communication, right? And then going back to competency development framework, again, that kind of goes into change management as well. But again, those core competencies that need to be maintained at an organization, having that framework in place so that when changes happen, when projects are managed that everybody’s on the same page. 00:17:30 –> 00:17:38 00:17:30 –> Project management also manages people. Mazarine Treyz: I love that. I love that. So it sounds like it doesn’t just manage projects, but it also manages people. 00:17:40 –> 00:18:10 Melissa E. Watkins: That’s correct. And that’s the name of the game. After all, who would we be without our teams and people management? That’s what we do as development professionals. We keep making sure everyone – the donor, the internal constituents, as we’ll call them, like whether that’s a faculty member here in the [inaudible 00:17:59] space or the president of an organization, the CFO, all of these folks need to be kind of kept in the loop. And how do we do that, you know? 00:18:14 –> How do the project management key points help during a time of unprecedented work expectations? Mazarine Treyz: Yeah, and it also seems like, during a time of great change, we need to think about and be competent in change management more than ever before. And so, how do these help you during a time of unprecedented work expectations? 00:18:32 –> 00:19:59 Melissa E. Watkins: Yeah, I am a very structured person. I love organization and so it helps me feel safe. I know that sounds very– But it helps me see the future. It helps me plan out things. It helps me anticipate what could be coming and so through project management, you also have to do risk assessment. That’s part of the checklist. So using this model, I’m always assessing risks. So one of the kinds of... /episode/index/show/nameit/id/19091645

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