#41: Tell someone to dream bigger
And 4 other inspiring ideas from the tech and non-profit spheres
Hello!
And a warm welcome to all new subscribers 👋 Pass It On is, to my knowledge, the only publication helping Tech and Non-profits learn from each other. It’s also one of the few Substacks serving Non-profits. Whatever spurred you to join, I’m delighted you’re here.
This week is a pattern interrupt week. It’s when I curate interesting links from the tech and non-profit spheres. I call it a pattern interrupt because I’m attempting to hijack your search and newsfeed algorithms. Tech startups are unlikely to see content from the charity world and vice versa—even if you could learn something from it. So when we pattern interrupt, we hack the system for everyone’s benefit.
Speaking of hijacking and systems: democracy was hijacked last week. I’m still figuring out how to put my thoughts into words. So in the meantime, I’m borrowing some wise ones from Rebecca Solnit:
“The real work is not to convert those who hate us but to change the world so that haters don’t hold disproportionate power and so that others are not sucked into the nightmare.”
#1 Set up your self-reflection calendar
One Question A Day via Dense Discovery
Self-reflection is key to self-improvement, but many of us struggle to make the time. This free digital calendar lowers the barrier by inviting you to one thought-provoking daily prompt. Today’s one is “What do you need to tell yourself today?”
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#2 Write a reverse job posting
Andy Pressman via Startupy
What if, instead of applying to an organisation, the organisation applied to you? The reverse job posting is an inspiring idea from a digital designer daring to state what he’s looking for in a company. And then letting them come to him.
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#3 Challenge your misconceptions about non-profits
Amy Fass via Pinnacle Strategies
Why shouldn’t non-profits make a profit? Who said non-profits need low overhead? This punchy piece challenges everyone to see non-profits for the successful businesses they are:
“Running a non-profit IS running a business—but you are running more than just a business. You have a double bottom line. Not only does a non-profit need to have healthy financials to survive (and to receive funding), it needs to create a SOCIAL BENEFIT to society, as well. It is in effect running two businesses. I would argue that thriving non-profits are some of the best-run businesses around since they have to thrive in not one, but two arenas. In fact, I would argue that many for-profit businesses could learn a great deal from non-profits.”
PS Check out my recent interview for Pinnacle Strategies here.
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#4 Tell someone to dream bigger
Tyler Cowen via Startupy
There are infinite theories and frameworks on leadership. But few are as simple and powerful as this one:
“At critical moments in time, you can raise the aspirations of other people significantly, especially when they are relatively young, simply by suggesting they do something better or more ambitious than what they might have in mind. It costs you relatively little to do this, but the benefit to them, and to the broader world, may be enormous.”
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#5 Give or receive free digital advice
Digital Candle via CAST
If Pass It On became a match-making service, this would be it. Digital Candle connects digital experts with charities needing digital advice. All you have to commit to is a one-hour call. So what are you waiting for?
And that’s a wrap on this week’s interrupt. If any of these links inspired you, I’d love to know:
Thanks for reading,
Lauren
This is great stuff, Lauren. Thanks for the shout out and I am definitely checking out the self-reflection calendar.