“Us vs. Them”: Shine a Light on Your Own Biases

January 27, 2012

Despite decades of diversity training, have our organizations and our society changed for the better?

Turn on or tune in to any media source, and your emphatic reply would be “No way.” The extreme polarization in our country is more and more frightening every day. The new cultural norm is to not merely express strong points of view but to thoroughly demonize others.

At least one practitioner says it’s time to address this crisis with a new, 21st century approach to diversity, inclusion and equity.

At the University of St. Thomas Diversity Insights program last Thursday, Howard Ross, founder of Cook Ross Inc. and a leading national expert on diversity, leadership, and organizational change, challenged his audience to look within themselves for solutions.

Ross homed in on the source of our animosity toward each other — essentially, primal fears that lead us toward unconscious, visceral negative reactions to cultural, group, individual and institutional differences.

He coached audience members to overcome the “us vs. them” mentality by developing our capacity to observe ourselves. Instead of pointing the finger at others, he said, we should shine a light on our own biases.  Recognizing our own foibles and faults will increase our compassion toward others.

Ross’s points reminded me of conversations we’ve had at MCF about diversity in philanthropy. When we developed our Diversity & Inclusion Action Kit to accompany MCF’s Working Towards Diversity IV research, we deliberately titled the worksheets ”My Actions.” We wanted to reinforce that grantmakers must take the first step by focusing on what they can do – not what others should do.

Ross concluded his remarks with some concrete steps we can each take to close the widening gulfs in our organizations and in society at large:

  • Shift your consumption of media to really listen to the other side.
  • Open a constructive dialogue in your organization, focusing not on the issues themselves, but on the way in which you’re talking about the issues.
  • Talk to young people about other points of view.
  • Take “the other” to lunch not to persuade, but to listen.

I haven’t cracked open Ross’s new book “ReInventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose and Performance.” But based on his presentation, I expect I’ll find more than a few concepts that are applicable to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.

Join the Conversation: When “us vs. them” differences arise in your own organization, what are your actions and reactions? Is there a chasm between grantmakers and nonprofits that could be narrowed by self-awareness?

- Wendy Wehr, MCF v.p. of communications and information services

Photo cc AAskew

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A New Agenda for Corporate Philanthropy

October 25, 2011

I had the opportunity to attend last week’s “The Evolution of Corporate Philanthropy Conference: Building Value, Creating Change,” hosted by MCF.

The day’s first speaker, Chris Pinney, project lead for the national Council on Foundations Corporate Philanthropy 2012 initiative, started things off with a few startling facts:

  • Of the 100 largest economies in the world, 51% are corporations and only 49% are countries.
  • 40% of all current U.S. federal workers will retire in the next few years.
  • Governments can no longer fill all of the gaps; government debt is high worldwide, business is often more trusted than government, and social issues are becoming more of a shared responsibility.

And, then he asked a question: “What’s the impact of corporate philanthropy in Minnesota?”

The room was filled with community affairs and foundation leaders from Target, Best Buy, IBM, Medtronic, Ameriprise Financial, General Mills, Wells Fargo and elsewhere, but the room was silent. No one had an answer.

Every foundation and giving program knows what they fund, some can measure the outcomes of their own giving, but no one offered any ideas on the sum total of their efforts – past, present or future – or mentioned a good (or consistently used) way to measure results.

Pinney didn’t have an answer either, but he believes corporate philanthropy must evolve from being about the money to being about “managing the money to achieve results.”

He says corporate grantmakers must lead corporate philanthropy until it is truly and completely integrated with the business strategy.

He gave good examples of businesses that are further along than most in these efforts, including IBM, Cisco and Starbucks. See slides 33, 34 and 35 of Pinney’s presentation for examples of how they are creating and incorporating shared value into their giving and business models.

Stay tuned, I plan to blog about other interesting ideas discussed at the conference. And, if you were there, please add your own views.

- Susan Stehling, communications associate

photo cc suttonhoo

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Quality Youth Mentoring in Minnesota

August 9, 2011

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of sitting in on a member-initiated briefing on youth mentoring, co-sponsored by the Travelers Foundation and the Carlson Family Foundation.

Coming into the program, I already solidly believed in the importance of the subject matter, as I can recall more occasions than I can count on two hands when a teacher or tutor has made the difference between passing and failing. Even now, in my college years, I am extremely grateful to have math tutors available to help me get through my microeconomics and finance classes­. For me, the one-on-one encouragement, attention and accountability remain crucial.­

So how do we pinpoint what makes a mentorship experience effective?

The resounding reason for attending the program given by most of the grantmakers was the desire to learn more about a new online program assessment tool called the Quality Mentoring Assessment Path, or QMAP. QMAP is presented by the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) and based on the latest policies, practices, experience and research for youth mentoring.

During the program, grantmakers were shown a video demonstration of how QMAP works, along with next steps available after an assessment is completed. One of these steps includes a follow-up visit from an MPM staff member to help design an individualized improvement program and provide additional resources.

These steps help answer the big question provoked by undergoing the QMAP assessment: “Based on results, what is the plan for improvement of your mentoring program?”

Why Assessment Is So Important

As powerfully put by Saint Paul Public School Foundation’s Karen Woodward, “Literacy is life or death.”

In today’s competitive age of information and technology, in order for kids to have the best chance at success, tutoring and mentoring have proven time and again to be key components. Involvement in these helps students socially, emotionally, psychologically, as well as academically. The research has shown it, youth can attest to it.

So, why the big push for quality now? Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn from Youth Community Connections explained: “Just bringing kids together and giving them a safe place to study is not enough.” Not all tutoring and mentoring experiences are created equal and can actually do more harm than good if they are not of quality. But different ideas of what constitutes “quality” pose a challenge, which is where the QMAP assessment system comes into play. The initiative to shift the field to more accountable quality using tools such as QMAP is meeting a serious need.

Use of the QMAP system may further inspire both volunteers and grantmakers to invest their support in programs they know are dedicated to a higher quality standard.

Graham Hartley of MIGIZI Communications elaborated on a metaphor Woodward used during the discussion to explain that high quality will have several looks: 

 “It’s a fruit salad of organizations, not a fruit smoothie. Programs participating in the QMAP process do not lose their individual flavor.”

In other words, each program that actively participates in the QMAP process will not lose its uniqueness and become a cookie cutter version of every other program, but rather enhance its way of practice, so that parents and students can depend on its quality.

 Image CC Sam Pac
-McKenzie Mackintosh, MCF Communications Intern

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Posted by McKenzie Mackintosh

Blandin Foundation Names New CEO

July 20, 2011

Blandin Foundation has named Kathleen Annette, M.D. — a recognized local, regional and national leader with deep roots in northern Minnesota — as its new president and CEO.

She is a lifelong resident of rural Minnesota who grew up on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, is enrolled with White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and is currently acting deputy director for field operations of Indian Health Service, based in Bemidji, Minn.

Dr. Annette has extensive knowledge and a long-time working relationship with Blandin Foundation. She served as a board member from 1991-2003, and has chaired and participated in the Blandin Foundation American Indian Advisory Committee since 2004. She succeeds Jim Hoolihan, who has served the Foundation as CEO since 2004 and who will return to the private sector Oct. 1.

In announcing the decision, Marian Barcus, chairman of the Foundation’s board, said,

“Kathy has deep appreciation for the mission of this foundation and has been a long-time partner in our work.” Barcus continued, “She will be an excellent guide for the Foundation’s continued journey-contributing to the vitality of the Itasca County area, investing in rural community leaders statewide, and expanding opportunity for rural Minnesota residents through education, economy and inclusion.”

As acting deputy director for field operations of Indian Health Service, Annette has responsibility for supervision and leadership of Area Directors across the United States including 48 hospitals, 238 health clinics serving 1.9 million American Indian patients, and 15,000 federal employees. She will retire from federal service Sept. 1 and join the Foundation immediately.

Look for the complete release at: www.blandinfoundation.org.

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