A couple of years ago, a well-known and well-loved nonprofit organization contacted our team with a bit of a problem. The organization had been sustained by a loyal following of recurring donors, but their leadership had noticed a concerning trail off in contributions. They had lost some of their most important donors and they needed to figure out why.

In flying, the takeoff and the landing are critical to success. Everything in between is coasting. It matters in the sky, and it matters in our speech.

On Monday, March 6, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) tweeted that it was “proud to be on Forbes’ annual ranking of America’s Best Banks.” Three days later, that very same bank was at the center of the largest U.S. bank failure since the global financial crisis. This week, Carrie Fox dissects the communications troubles at the center.

Whether we’re planning a road trip or a change of course in our organization’s strategy, the clearer the roadmap, the better the outcome.

Have you ever had one of those moments, maybe after a big presentation or an important conversation with a loved one when you’ve wondered, “did that go OK?” In this week's Finding the Words, Carrie explores our universal quest to be heard.

To many people, narrative change is just another jargon term that gets tossed around in politics and philanthropy. To us, it’s a powerful tool to shift how we interpret and understand the world around us, with the goal of making the spaces between us smaller.

We can’t have it all. We can’t expect that strong body without putting in the work, just like we can’t commit to a bold plan or a set of clear values and then decide to compromise them. But how do you know, clearly and definitively, who you are, and who you are not, at your core?

In 2020, the video game world learned something special about Marvel’s newest Spider-Man character, Miles Morales. Turns out, the signs were there all along.

Our words and our actions matter. This week, if you’re serious about what you say, make sure your actions reflect it. Otherwise, you may be the one apologizing.

The stories we pass down need not limit the stories we are capable of writing for our future selves. Two little words have the power to change HOW we communicate and HOW we connect with and understand one another as a result. Those two words? This week we offer a lesson in what if.

Two little words have the power to change HOW we communicate, and HOW we connect with and understand one another as a result. Those two words? What If?

Have you ever told yourself that you were going to do something — maybe launch a new initiative at work, make something of that hobby you’ve always loved, or take on a lofty personal goal — but found that something gets in the way of your progress?

“Anyone can play the notes,” he would tell students; “music is what goes on in between the notes.”

Have you ever been given an assignment so daunting that it made you wonder, “How in the world will I ever do this?” Those responsible for communicating during the most uncertain times of COVID-19 surely know the feeling.

Our words and our actions matter. The effect they can have on others is enormous. This week, a reminder to come at your conversations — with your employees, your colleagues, your children, your neighbors — with love.

Have you ever experienced a moment that made you feel strong, maybe even capable of great things? Perhaps it was a big goal accomplished, an affirmation from someone you admire, or a time when you helped someone who really needed it?

Learning, practicing, and excelling at anything requires that we start somewhere. This week on Finding The Words, Carrie explores the journey from there... to here.

A selection from Carrie's column, Finding the Words, in which we explore the space that exists when there are no words at all.