Before beginning my career in philanthropy, I spent several years completing a master’s degree in divinity and training to become an interfaith hospital chaplain. Contrary to the images that might come to mind—solemn priests giving last rites or quoting scripture at the bedside, for instance—at...
We philanthropy practitioners are, by nature, an impatient group of optimists, and sometimes our impatience can get the better of us. This happens when we’re in such a hurry to see impact that we fail to recognize unhealthy boundaries related to our role in the change process, don’t clearly...
Mark Sedway: What does reflective practice mean to you?
Janis Reischmann: To me, reflective practice in philanthropy means we—practitioners in philanthropy—are employing techniques or tools to intentionally step back and explore what’s happening in processes, especially difficult ones,...
We all know that foundations are very powerful. Part of the challenge of philanthropy is how grantmakers listen to circumstances on the ground, versus imposing a cookie-cutter approach to incite deeper collaboration with grantees, while developing a more complex appreciation for their partners...
Think of reflective practices as mental bridges you build to help observe, makes sense of and traverse challenging situations. Read more about this working definition and bust myths about the relationship between reflection and action in this brief.
