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اشتراک گذاری
Social impact leaders are scaling back, funding streams are evaporating, and public trust is eroding. In this candid kickoff to Season 4, Eric and Jonathan hold space for what’s really happening in the field—and why this moment demands courageous communication, community resilience, and reimagined leadership. This isn’t a time to shrink. It’s a time to show up . The surprising parallels to early COVID-era chaos (and how that can inform today’s crisis response) Why you might need to ‘scale back’ strategically—and how to do it without losing your sense of purpose. The key to rallying donors, partners, and staff using open communication and powerful impact stories. The #1 mistake leaders make when forced to let go of talented people (hint: it involves your support network) Whether you’re facing sudden federal cutbacks or seeking to maintain momentum in a tough environment, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you adapt without compromising your impact. Don’t let external forces derail your organization’s good work. Tune in now and learn how to protect your mission, inspire your team, and stay resilient. Even when the odds feel stacked against you. Episode Highlights: [00:00] - View from the field: What social impact leaders are experiencing right now [01:50] - The ripple effects of federal policy shifts: Retrenchment and risk mitigation [03:40] - “It feels like early COVID again”: Chaos, fear, and identity crisis in the sector [06:20] - The grift narrative: Online misinformation and the backlash against nonprofits [07:23] - Getting hyper-local: The strategic (and risky) pivot toward smaller spheres [08:38] - Unprecedented losses: Real-world stories of scale-downs and shutdowns [10:28] - Why the blame game backfires: Compassion over critique [13:17] - From freeze to activation: What separated resilient orgs during COVID [15:47] - "Now is the best time": Standing strong in your community [18:22] - A call to funders: Emergency support is urgently needed—again [19:25] - Action steps for leaders: Reconnect, recommit, and re-partner [21:34] - Leading through contraction: Compassionate downsizing and clarity of mission [23:53] - Over-communicating with intention: The power of transparency and storytelling Quotes: “Now is the best time to stand up for science… for a community that's trying to protect itself from a changing environment.” – Jonathan Hicken [00:15] “We need to be better at getting these stories out in a way that actually cuts through.” – Eric Ressler [07:07] “There’s almost this feeling that we’re not allowed to be successful or be optimistic right now.” – Jonathan Hicken [11:30] “Organizations that activated quickly—even imperfectly—came out stronger.” – Eric Ressler [13:50] “Start to prepare to help the people on your team land on their feet.” – Jonathan Hicken [22:25] Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.…
Why Most Activation Plans Fail and How to Fix Yours
Manage episode 455963840 series 3555968
محتوای ارائه شده توسط Eric Ressler. تمام محتوای پادکست شامل قسمت‌ها، گرافیک‌ها و توضیحات پادکست مستقیماً توسط Eric Ressler یا شریک پلتفرم پادکست آن‌ها آپلود و ارائه می‌شوند. اگر فکر می‌کنید شخصی بدون اجازه شما از اثر دارای حق نسخه‌برداری شما استفاده می‌کند، می‌توانید روندی که در اینجا شرح داده شده است را دنبال کنید.https://fa.player.fm/legal
Is your organization struggling to turn awareness into meaningful action? You’ve nailed the brand and the website, but supporters still aren’t stepping up. Why?
In this episode, Eric and Jonathan tackle the critical but often overlooked concept of activation: turning passive attention into real-world impact.
Whether you’re trying to inspire donations, mobilize volunteers, or drive policy changes, this conversation is packed with strategies to help you succeed.
Discover why activation is the hardest—and most important—part of your impact strategy, and how to finally get it right.
Episode Highlights:
[00:00] What Is Activation?
Eric defines activation as "turning attention into action" and explains why it’s the most challenging yet crucial element of any social impact strategy.
[02:30] The Three Pillars of Success.
Eric outlines the three core pillars of social impact strategy: brand, digital, and activation—and why activation is where most organizations struggle.
[06:04] Forms of Activation.
From fundraising to advocacy, Jonathan and Eric explore the many ways activation plays out in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors.
[12:10] Modern Content Creation.
Eric breaks down the key elements of modern content creation: distribution-first thinking, channel proficiency, and community feedback.
[20:18] Evaluation and Iteration.
Jonathan and Eric emphasize the importance of continuous improvement in activation efforts and explain how to measure success.
[33:16] Starting Small.
Jonathan shares how focusing on a single person or small audience can help organizations experiment and refine their activation strategies.
[38:01] The Human Factor.
Jonathan reflects on what motivates people to act and shares a personal story that reveals the key ingredients of effective activation.
Notable Quotes:
Eric [00:00]: "Activation is turning attention into action. It’s the hardest part, but it’s also where the magic happens."
Jonathan [36:52]: "At the end of the day, we’re convincing human beings to make decisions. How do we make that easy for them?"
Resources:
- City of Marion Public Library Instagram
- Podcast - Distribution First Mindset - Create LESS Content to Get Better Results
- Article - How to Increase Supporter and Donor Action Using an Engagement Pyramid
- Article - Turning Stats Into Stories: Supercharge Your Social Enterprise’s Proof of Impact
- Podcast - Minimum Viable Strategy - How to Stop Planning and Start Doing
Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.
*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you!
We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com
Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.
فصل ها
1. Effective Activation Strategies for Social Impact (00:00:00)
2. Activating Attention for Social Impact (00:05:55)
3. Effective Activation Strategies Through Community Feedback (00:14:01)
4. Effective Activation Strategies in Practice (00:27:36)
48 قسمت
