Every time I’ve tried to write this introductory blog, I’ve found myself going down a rabbit hole of distractions. For example, should a comma go after the word blog in that first sentence? Yes. Rest assured, I researched this before publishing.
The problem is that I wanted to begin this blog, which is the voice of our company, with a message I felt would encapsulate what Ethos and this blog are all about. I would make several attempts but eventually get frustrated and find a completely different task to focus on. Emails, Amazon, petting the dogs, etc. Then it dawned on me: the very problem I was having in writing this blog was symbolic of the problem so many nonprofits struggle with each day.
I think the colloquialism for this is something like, “you can’t see the forest through the trees.”
When you’re immersed in something, it’s difficult―if not impossible―to get the bird’s-eye view required to really assess the situation. It reminds me of an episode of I Survived, where a lost hiker didn’t realize they were so close to a road and took a turn that led them even deeper into the woods. While this close proximity to the situation gives you a unique perspective, sometimes it prohibits you from seeing the very pathways that can lead you out of the proverbial wilderness.
I think you know where I’m going with this.
Hiring a consultant can help guide you onto a better path, because their outsider status allows them to take that bird’s-eye view of your organization. But I’m not just using this analogy for hiring a consultant. Working with outsiders can have a lot of value for your organization. This could be meeting with other similar nonprofits to compare notes, talking to a neighbor about why or why not they donate or volunteer, or finding a mentor who can help guide you in your nonprofit career.
That’s what this blog and this company are about. We want to foster inclusion and collaboration to uplift the nonprofit sector. Luckily, I’ve found that most people in the nonprofit space are more than willing to open their doors and share what they’ve learned.
I’m excited to welcome you to the Ethos Blog, a place where we’ll be sharing resources we’ve collected, lessons we’ve learned, and the perspectives of others in this industry who have so much to teach us.
-Roxanna
CEO
Do you have a blog or article you’d like to share? Feel free to send it to us at hi@ethoscg.com.
