Sarah Wong, deputy director of organizational development at Amnesty International, sees performance management as an essential tool for developing leaders in the nonprofit sector. To gain insight into the latest thinking in her field and beyond, she attended Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations (PMNO) at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. In this interview, she shares her thoughts about the program. [...]

Patrick Ross is deputy director of field operations for Team Rubicon, an organization that brings together military veterans, first responders, and medical professionals to provide disaster relief domestically and internationally. Ross leads Team Rubicon's volunteer experience for over 80,000 responders. He recently attended Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations and shares his experience. [...]

Are we sure we are making a difference? An estimated $390 billion was donated to charitable causes during 2016. Of this, international charities received $22 billion that year. When we think about international development, then, how could this not be enough money? These charitable organizations are probably doing what most of us would deem “good work.” Still half the world’s 7.3 billion population lives on less than $2.50/day, and more than 1.3 billion people live in extreme poverty (less than $1.25/day). Over half of the globe still does not have adequate health care access. [...]

I’ve learned this simple lesson too many times to ignore it this far into life: Stepping back from a problem or opportunity and looking at it from afar generally leads to greater clarity. The “hamster wheel” is real and even when I recognize I’m on it, stepping off in the heat of the moment feels counterintuitive, but is ultimately rewarding. [...]

It’s not out of the question to wonder if the work we do in the nonprofit sector is creating change, really impacting the outcomes we seek. It’s also not out of the question to continually ask if the work we do is relevant to the private sector. Are we keeping up with innovation, or is innovation forcing us to modify how we do our work? Having come from the television-news business, I was used to a fast pace, but nonprofits aren't known for their fast-paced, innovative approaches, which, frankly, has its downside. We are doing vital work. We are trying to keep pace - the problems we face have taken decades to evolve. To impact our missions will most likely take just as long. [...]