Learning, Technology & Change

No matter what a charity a does, who leads, where it serves, nine times out of ten when it seeks assistance the question posed is: "What's your efficiency?" People often expect charities and nonprofits to to have 0 administrative costs which is impossible. This isn't a sustainable practice for any charity looking to make a large impact. There needs to be people dedicated full-time to a worthy endeavour. Few people have the means to make this happen. There have been some disappointing headlines recently about charities with massive golden parachutes and less than stellar visibility.  The efficiency of some large charitable organizations running lotteries and big galas is suspect. While the non-profit sector is not where you should look to get rich, you shouldn't have to live at the poverty-line either. Enter MoneySense , they looked at the the top charities in Canada in terms of the cost of raising $100. The goal is to provide increased transparency for poten...

I recently finished reading Drive by Dan Pink. This book challenges  the current management carrot & stick ethos. His basic contention is that some incentives can suck the enjoyment and results for creative, and intrinsically rewarding tasks. He cites some very interesting research and anecdotes that back up his hypothesis. One in particular speaks of a study at the efficiency of donating blood. Turns out that when people were paid to give blood, donations decreased. When people were compensated it eliminated the good feeling from doing an altruistic act. The pillars of intrinsic motivation call for autonomy, mastery and purpose. Volunteerism has intrinsic motivation, looking at Pink's criteria it clearly provides purpose. We all feel good about performing a self-less act for others. However when we look at many typical volunteer opportunities, they lack autonomy or mastery. Stuffing envelopes, serving food, donating blood etc. Enter Well of Change Well of...