Clara Miller: Using Play to Turn Money into Mission
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In this episode: One of our field’s leading voices shares lessons, laughs, and a few good books that have sustained her during her 50-year career as a changemaker. More interested in playful execution than serious (but hollow) pronouncements, Clara challenges us to “lose track of time” as we seek creative solutions to complex problems.
Listen in as Kristine and Clara discuss:
Reinventing what a foundation can be in the 21st century
What we can learn from kids, sports teams, and even a jazz band, about how to get everyone involved in getting to solutions
What she means, and why she loathes, “intention yodeling”
The difference between leading and managing
What two kids’ books most inspired her as a CEO
Key Takeaways:
Organizational morale rests in the hands of its leader, but not in the way you think
The difference between taking yourself seriously (try not to) and taking your work seriously (always)
Play is how we learn how to build communities
The best kind of play is playing with power
As CEO, you need to respond to field conditions and be comfortable with rules changing as the game goes on
"Having fun while doing this work sometimes feels like telling a joke in church, but we need to do it anyway." — Clara Miller
More about Clara Miller:
Connect with Clara Miller:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clara-miller-4b261614/
Impact Entrepreneur Articles by Clara: https://impactentrepreneur.com/author/clara-miller/
Nonprofit Quarterly Articles by Clara: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/author/miller749/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClaraGMiller
Clara Miller is President Emerita of the Heron Foundation, which she led from 2011–2017, and advises, writes, and speaks on investing and enterprise finance. Prior, Miller founded and was CEO of Nonprofit Finance Fund from 1984–2010. Miller is an advisor to/member of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, the US Impact Investing Alliance, the Song Cave, the Impact Management Project (IMP) and Open Road Alliance. Miller, as a Clinton appointee, chaired the US Treasury’s first Community Development Advisory Board and served on the Community Advisory Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
Sources from this episode:
Nonprofit Finance Fund: https://nff.org/
A Bargain for Frances by Russell & Lillian Hoban: https://www.amazon.com/Bargain-Frances-Can-Read-Level/dp/006444001X
