Rethinking professional development for nonprofits

Abstract

Walk into any professional development seminar for nonprofit workers and you'll likely see a familiar scene: polite smiles, dutiful notetaking (maybe some doodling) and a general vibe that most folks would rather be somewhere else, ideally out in the community doing the work they signed up for. It's tempting to blame this on a lack of time or resources. But dig a little deeper, and there may be something else going on: in a field built around helping others, the idea of needing help ourselves can feel uncomfortable, even overwhelming.