“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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Coalitions: Successful or Struggling?

June 30, 2011

In a time of scarce resources and contested legislative priorities, grantmakers and nonprofits must find powerful ways to move their missions forward and influence policy. One common, and often effective, way to do this is to form coalitions.

Minnesota boasts a number of successful philanthropic and not-for-profit coalitions, including the School Readiness Funders Coalition, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, ArtsLab, and many others. As organizations increasingly partner with one another to reach common goals, what guidelines can we use to ensure these coalitions are as effective as possible?

The California Endowment reviews the structure and components of successful coalitions in the recently-released paper: What Makes an Effective Coalition? Evidence-Based Indicators of Success (PDF).

How can you make coalitions to which you belong more effective? The paper identifies several keys to success:

  • Avoid redundancy. When considering whether to form a coalition, check for existing coalitions in your interest area. “Over-coalitioned” communities reduce the effectiveness of individual coalitions and the value of coalitions in general.
  • Balance an inclusive membership with a strategic focus. Coalition member breadth and diversity provides wide perspectives and a stronger voice for the coalition, but members with very different points of view can struggle to agree on coalition actions. Coalitions must aim for a balance between diversity of perspective and strategic focus.
  • Make decision-making transparent. Effective coalitions establish transparent decision-making processes that allow appropriate member input. Often, coalitions must choose between equitable decision-making, which allows a decision to be made even when there is disagreement among members, and consensus decision-making, which requires universal agreement before moving on. With transparency, either method can be effective.
  • Take action. Coalitions, made up of disparate organizations with their own goals and priorities, are ripe for abstract discussion. Coalition leadership must balance meaningful discussion with action.

Join the conversation: Have you been a member of a successful — or not so successful — coalition? What made the coalition work well – or struggle?

– Anne Bauers, MCF research manager

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What Does It Take to Lead in Diversity and Inclusivity?

May 11, 2011

Who leads? How do they lead? These were among the questions we here at MCF asked ourselves and our members as we embarked on information gathering for our Working Towards Diversity IV research project.

As we learned more about the diversity and inclusion efforts of Minnesota grantmakers, Headwaters Foundation for Justice’s name kept rising to the top. Headwaters strives to be a catalyst for social, racial, economic and environmental justice and supports, through grantmaking and organizational assistance, grassroots groups addressing the root causes of injustice. One of the foundation’s longest-standing leadership initiatives is its community-led grantmaking process in which volunteers from the communities it seeks to support lead all aspects of the foundation’s grantmaking – they review proposals, go on site visits and make funding recommendations to the board.

“What does it take to lead in diversity and inclusivity?” we asked Headwaters program director David Nicholson. Read his full Voices article in our latest issue of Giving Forum, which focuses on “Diversity in Philanthropy: A Portrait of Minnesota.”

Here are some excerpts:

Q: Does leading in diversity and inclusivity require certain competencies?

Being humble is a core competency for any leader. Leaders must also recognize their own power and privilege and understand how to use these in respectful ways. This is critical. We all have privilege; how much changes depending on who’s in the room. The reality is, as foundation staff, we often walk into a room bringing a lot of privilege and thus a lot of power. At Headwaters, we emphasize using our power and privilege “with” rather than “to.” For example, we can convene – facilitating communities and individuals coming together for the common good.

Another competency is working with the “other.” While it is human nature to hang out with people who look and think like us and have similar backgrounds, we must push ourselves to have relationships with many communities. At Headwaters, we believe that difference is an asset that needs to be cultivated. We seek to be intentional about getting to know people and organizations, so we can identify strengths and resources from all communities.

Leading also means bringing people together to find common ground. Leaders also must be interested in advancing systems thinking, to understand how things work in our society.

Q: Is being a person of color a prerequisite for being a leader in diversity and inclusivity?

No. People are people, and anyone regardless of race, creed, ethnicity or sexual identity can have a closed and narrow mind. Your question implies that it is about “race,” when in fact, it is about values. More to the point, it is about ensuring that foundation practices reflect core values.

For example, I believe that gathering diverse viewpoints, people and ideas is critical to developing solutions that will work for more than just a few. The next step is intentionally creating processes that include all differences as equally valuable; that is the process of creating inclusivity. Philanthropy is the research and development labs of our society. When foundations are at their best, they can test assumptions and develop new insights and solutions to the most vexing social ills. To do that effectively, foundations and staff need to lead in diversity (bringing together different and varied parts) and inclusivity (integrating those differences into something stronger, better).

To flip your question is to ask, “How can people from a majority value include minority perspectives?” My recipe for that is rather simple; but it’s hard work. First, develop self-awareness, a deep understanding of your core values, assumptions and beliefs. Then, surround yourself with people who have very different values and beliefs; empower them to challenge you and how you see the world. If you have done your work well, you will truly see and understand “the other”; now you can choose to value it or not. If you choose to value the difference as your own, then the next step – seeking out difference (diversity) and integrating difference (inclusivity) – is easy. If you value the “other,” you will value their perspectives.

 - Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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What Diversity Looks Like: Stories of Grantmakers Engaged in the Work

April 28, 2011

The Minnesota Council on Foundations just released its Spring issue of Giving Forum, which reveals key results of our ambitious research study to paint a comprehensive picture of the diversity demographics, policies and practices of Minnesota grantmakers.

Are grantmakers hiring and retaining diverse staff and boards? Do they have diversity and inclusion policies in place, and are they followed? Are grantmakers going the extra mile to build capacity in minority-led nonprofits that can truly make a difference in their communities?

The data in Working Towards Diversity IV answers many of these questions. To bring the data to life, we also gathered stories from Minnesota grantmakers about their engagement in diversity and inclusion work, where they’ve been, where they are now, where they want to be, and how they envision reaching their goals.

Among those we interviewed is Patrick Troska, executive director of The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota. Here’s more:

Grant Recipient Connections Guide Funding Decisions

“Good grantmaking is about being a good listener,” says Patrick Troska, executive director of The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota. So, it is critical that funders actively seek out direct connections with constituents. “At our family foundation, we build our knowledge by asking good questions, trying to understand the nuances of particular issues, and not approaching situations as the experts with the best solutions.”

Listening and learning stretch the foundation’s comfort zone, but yield much more impactful grantmaking. “Honestly, it would be easier if we only funded what we know or are comfortable with,” Troska admits. “When you seek diversity and inclusivity, such as exploring an issue that is not part of our own personal lived experience, the grantmaking can be much more complex.”

In the early 2000s, through work with East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS) in Minneapolis, foundation trustees became aware of female genital mutilation in the Somali community. Troska was tasked with learning more and determining if there was an education initiative the foundation could fund. After developing a connection with ESNS, an ESNS contact brought together a group of Somali women willing to discuss the topic. “This issue isn’t even discussed between Somali men and women, much less between a white male and Somali women, many of whom don’t speak English,” Troska notes.

Despite being an uncomfortable situation, the group talked for three hours with the help of a translator. “I just listened to them tell their stories and asked only a few questions,” he recalls. “We learned that female genital mutilation was culturally embedded and that, for the most part, women make the decision, not men. A small grant was not going to make a big difference in changing cultural norms, but information could be provided to women about the medical and physical aspects of the practice.”

This led to a grant to ESNS for Somali Women in Minneapolis (SWIM) focusing on support groups for Somali women. Troska explains, “The focus was not to say female genial mutilation is wrong, but rather to provide a safe place to learn and share, so that women could make decisions informed by medical, as well as cultural, knowledge.”

Troska emphasizes that only reading about this cultural practice would not have been sufficient to make an impactful grant. Fully understanding the practice by learning directly from those affected honed in on a focus for foundation funds that was not immediately obvious and underscored that successful grantmaking requires engagement with constituents.

Visit Giving Forum online to read more Giving Stories based on interviews with Minnesota grantmakers and MCF members, including General Mills Foundation, Grotto Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Marbrook Foundation, Minnesota Community and The Saint Paul Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Travelers Foundation and West Central Initiative.

Join the conversation: Have you, as a Minnesota grantmaker or a nonprofit working with a grantmaker, had success in diversity and inclusion work? Or has your organization been involved in the work, but not had the hoped-for outcomes? What were the challenges? What was accomplished? Will progress continue? What did you and/or your organization learn? We invite you to share your stories.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Gain Traction for Your Board’s Diversity and Inclusion Efforts: BoardSource Grant Applications Due Nov. 15

November 5, 2010

Don’t miss a terrific opportunity to participate in BoardSource’s pilot “Diversity in Action” program offered exclusively to Twin Cities’ nonprofits and foundations. With resource grants provided by Target Corporation, participating organizations will have the opportunity, at no charge, to assess their board’s diversity and inclusion practices and receive recommendations and resources to help the board affect the desired changes in policies, practices, and board culture and dynamics.

During her talk at the MCF 2010 Annual Convening during the plenary “Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion As Assets for Innovation,” Vernetta Walker, director of consulting and senior governance consultant with BoardSource, invited Twin Cities nonprofits and foundations to apply to participate in this pilot.

Find more information and the simple grant application on the MCF website.

Applications are due Nov. 15.

Participants in the pilot will:

  1. Complete a confidential survey, which takes about 15 minutes, to provide individual perspectives about board practices and dynamics that impact diversity and inclusion.
  2. Receive a data report with survey results and an interpretive memo with key findings.
  3. Receive a step-by-step toolkit with templates and exercises focused on policies, practices, board culture and dynamics, to help guide the board in its transformation to becoming more diverse and inclusive.
  4. Best of all, strengthen your leadership and enhance your ability to serve your organization’s mission, promote dynamic decision-making and a culture of inquiry, and thoughtfully craft a board development plan of action for 2011 and beyond.

BoardSource is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of nonprofits by strengthening their boards of directors and trustees. Its products and services mobilize boards so that organizations fulfill their missions, achieve their goals and increase their impact and external influence. BoardSource is a 501(c)(3) organization.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

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Let’s Talk About It

April 28, 2010

At last week’s Facing Race Ambassador Awards event, keynote speaker Naomi Tutu challenged the audience to continue conversations about race. In her speech, Ms. Tutu challenged the notion that by ignoring America’s long-standing issues of race, racism and oppression we were solving the issue, and further asserted that avoiding challenging conversations about race could be compared to having a puss filled wound and repeatedly covering it with bandages and packing, keeping the infection in, saying in every facet of our lives, what we ignore is sure to come back to haunt us.

She said, “Conversations can be frightening – they tell you who you are as a human being. However, the gift on the other side of the challenge is the building of relationships and community. God has given us the gift of diversity. It is an insult to pretend you do not notice it. Enter a conversation because the differences we bring can be gifts to one another. In a child’s world, noticing differences are an opportunity to move the conversation forward.”

Her words stirred me and got me wondering why we as people, as professionals, as co-workers, and co-board members don’t have conversations about race more often. Why is it that when the topic of race comes up, even in conversations related to diversity, inclusion and justice, we tend to back away, change the subject, or shut-down? Why is it that we can spend hours talking about disparities, difference, and what _______ should do, but only minutes about racism itself… intentional, unintentional, individual, and institutional racism?

Though there are many ism’s that should be addressed, racism is arguably the ism that lasted the longest and has the potential to continue into perpetuity in large part due to our inability and/or unwillingness to have open, frank, and crucial conversations in our day-to-day lives about it. So what can we do to change it?

For some, it’s been as simple as having lunch. In 1997, Joe Martin a long time Bank of America executive in Greenville, SC challenged the community to set-aside one day each week to have lunch with someone of a different race. These lunches not only provided an easy opportunity to have discussions about race and racism, but a way to begin building cross-racial relationships that extend beyond the formality of day-to-day business interactions.

Others have chosen even more intentional means such as visiting a worship place with different style and different cultures than you’re used to, or setting up a play-date for your children with children of different races, attending community events that take you out of your comfort zone, and interacting with the attendees to learn more about them as individuals and as a community. The options are as diverse as we are, but you still might be wondering how to actually have the conversation. I mean having lunch with a person of a different race doesn’t guarantee that you will actually talk about race and racism. Like any conversation with a purpose, it must be intentional, and there are tools to help us not only become more knowledgeable but prepared to have those crucial conversations.

A book has recently been released entitled “To Be Free: Understanding and Eliminating Racism” that I believe can help those who strive to know and do more to address racism. The book was written by Thomas Peacock and Marlene Wisuri, and the forward was written by Eric Jolly.

The book was produced with support from several Minnesota foundations and MCF members and free copies have been distributed at several recent events. Though the book was written to assist educators in preparing youth to prevent and eliminate racism, its content is enlightening and motivating for adults as well. Each chapter ends with a summary of its key themes and activities to promote understanding of its topic that could easily be used in a group setting for workplace dialogues and training.

I encourage you to use this book, available at aftonpress.com to create your own conversations about race and racism, and share with us and your peers on the blog your own solutions for continuing eliminating racism through conversation. And to share the words that were shared at the Facing Race Ambassador Awards event, the conversation about race will end when racism ends.

- Tawanna Black, MCF diversity fellow

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Diversifying our Leadership Ranks: COF’s Career Pathways Program Launch

April 20, 2010

If you closed your eyes and tried to picture a room full of foundation CEO’s in 2020, what would you see?

If your vision mirrors what that room would look like today, chances are that you’re struggling with how to diversify the leadership ranks of Minnesota’s foundations and giving programs, just the way many of your peers are.

While affinity groups and networks  are doing their part as conveners for individuals who are new to the field or still under-represented in the field, there is still much work to be done to create inclusive and engaging organizations for all aspiring philanthropy professionals. This gap lies in tandem with the need to aggressively advance the leadership pipeline that will ensure that our senior ranks are as diverse as the populations our funds support. But good news is on the way.

The Council on Foundations is launching a Career Pathways program to help prepare candidates from diverse backgrounds to successfully achieve positions in philanthropic leadership. This year-long program combines opportunities for networking with professional development addressing critical leadership elements while preparing participants to compete for leadership roles.

According to the program description, candidates selected for the program will participate in three small-group learning sessions, each over the course of a couple of days, facilitated by expert faculty representing senior executives and trustees in the field of philanthropy, as well as in other fields. In addition to the in-person group gatherings, candidates will participate in self-directed career planning, one-on-one coaching, mentoring, and job shadowing opportunities. They will analyze and identify their individual leadership styles and traits and be exposed to a range of issues foundation executives face in their day-to-day work.

Applications are currently being accepted for the program and can be accessed at the Council’s website (pdf). Applications must be submitted by May 13, 2010.

Do your part and encourage someone you know to apply for the Career Pathways Program, today.

- Tawanna A. Black, MCF diversity fellow

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COF Report: Career Pathways to Philanthropic Leadership

December 2, 2009

What defines the leaders of grantmaking institutions? How are leaders being chosen within the philanthropic sector? The national Council on Foundations (COF) recently published a baseline report entitled Career Pathways to Philanthropic Leadership that attempts to answer these and other questions concerning leadership selectment, inclusivity and advancement within the field.

The report was precipitated by COF’s broader Career Pathways to Philanthropic Leadership Project, which was initiated to increase the amount of talent competing for top positions at philanthropic organizations, and to encourage inclusivity within the field.

The research findings resulted in six key highlights, with the most notable being:

  • The majority of the successful candidates transitioned from fields outside of philanthropy—primarily from the business (24.3%) and nonprofit (24.8%) sectors.

The other key findings include:

  • Most of the successful candidates (63.4%) held executive positions in their immediate prior position as either chief executive (38.9 %) or vice president (24.5%) before successfully landing in their current position.
  • The majority (79.5%) of the 440 foundations appointing CEOs and executive directors during the study period filled them not through internal promotions but from outside the foundations.
  • Twenty percent of the successful candidates were from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and about half (48.7%) were women.
  • Thirty percent of field leaders who were interviewed said that mentors played a major role in their career advancement.
  • About 85 percent of the interviewees expressed significant skepticism about the willingness of trustees, search consultants, and other hiring decision makers to be influenced by leadership development efforts as they contemplate hiring decisions about the executive candidates.

The full report is available to download for free at the COF website.

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