Often, people in the nonprofit world hear the “e” word (whispers: evaluation) and they think of program evaluation, outcomes, and impact. However, evaluative thinking is a way of leading, planning, and making decisions that can be applied to all of an organization’s operations.
Recall that the various definitions of evaluative thinking emphasize that it:
- Is motivated by curiosity
- Challenges assumptions
- Values evidence
- Is meant to inform decision-making and action
- Is infused into all aspects of organizational management
The Bruner Foundation has identified an elaborate (though not exhaustive) list of some of the behaviors in organizations that are indicative of evaluative thinking in each core area of operations. I encourage you to check out the list and see then what else you might add.
Below are a few examples of the less obvious organizational indicators of ET from their report as well as from my own observations.
Organizations that Use Evaluative Thinking In . . .
Leadership
- Demonstrate support for evaluation and evaluative thinking with these 5 strategies (read more):
- Value it
- Get Real about it
- Require it & Use it
- Make Time & Space for it
- Build it in
Mission
- Craft mission statements that are focused and specific enough to guide implementation efforts.
- Continually review their mission statement and use input from key stakeholders (which is data!) to check for relevance and alignment.
- Operationalize and define alignment with mission and measure each program against that.
Strategy
- Use evaluative strategies such as interviews, surveys, and needs assessments to inform strategic planning.
- Continually assess observable progress toward strategic objectives, using clear definitions and indicators of success.
Governance
- Give their Boards relevant data in usable formats for decision-making.
- Equip and empower their Boards to ask questions, challenges assumptions, and engage with data in meaningful ways.
- Have Boards that regularly assesses the executive director’s performance and its own performance based on established goals and indicators of success.
Finance
- Monitor cost per outcome, unit cost, and other measures of efficiency and return on investment by documenting and analyzing staff time, direct program expenses, outputs, and outcomes.
- Develop specific plans identifying actions to take in the event of a reduction or loss of funding.
Fundraising
- Document and analyze the return on investment for fundraising expenses.
- Write grants collaboratively with program staff.
- Strategically pursue, write, and manage grants in ways that increase alignment and reduce burden.
Human Resources
- Conduct regular performance reviews and assess performance against established and measurable goals and benchmarks.
- Conduct regular staff satisfaction surveys and use the results to inform changes to policies and procedures.
How is your organization thinking evaluatively in each of these key areas? What could you begin doing differently to be more evaluative?