Guest blog post by: Emily Yu, director, Social Innovation, Case Foundation

What happens when you bring funders and grantees to the same table to talk about power dynamics in the public, private, and charitable sectors? Mike Goorhouse set out to address this very question during this "Connections" session the following quote:

“The giving/receiving process is fundamentally a relationship, one which deserves to be respected in its own right. Both giver and received must work to create the basis for mutual respect and appreciation.  If this is not true the whole thing is a shame.”

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Guest post by: Alvin Schexnider, director, Planning, Administration and Human Resources, Urban Ministries

Using John Kotter’s Leading Change book and “café” session format, this session was impactful both for its content as well as its format.

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Guest post by: Trish Tchume, director, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network

In Ai-jen's work, three core principles guide her:

1. Believe in the power of a story.
2. What feeling do you want people to walk away with?
3. Remember the importance of love.

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Guest post by Peter Drury. director of development of A Child's Right.

Here’s what happened over lunch today: Catalyze, Epiphany, Lead!

Catalyze
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel warmed up Sunday's luncheon crowd by addressing leadership that convenes and catalyzes government, business and philanthropy to work together to change our communities – rather than to ponder platitudes, to take our time, or to sabotage community success due to our collective log jams or impasses.

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Guest post by Tessie Guillermo, president and CEO, of ZeroDivide

Today I began my very first Independent Sector conference experience, by attending the Monday morning plenary, "Conversation with a Sector Leader", featuring Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President Risa Lavizzo-Mourey being interviewed by Stephanie Strom from the New York Times. In social sector circles, RWJF is considered one of the"heavies," so having Risa open the first full day was a good tone setting move. Stephanie suggested to Risa that she might be in for a "grilling" but the conversation was more collegial than hard-nosed.

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