Failure is an option, non-profit social media expert to tell community organisations in Auckland

Delegates at workshops being led by visiting non-profit social media expert Beth Kanter will be told it’s okay to fail.

“There is a real taboo around saying things didn’t work out, but it’s the best way to learn,” says Ms Kanter.

“People won't try out new ideas or approaches if failure is seen as a career-killer. But when it's treated like what it is — an opportunity to learn — it can be a fun and rewarding process.”

At the Nonprofit Technology Conference last week in Minneapolis Ms Kanter stood on stage and did a failure bow with her fellow panelists. The bow attracted a thunderous response from the 1500 conference goers. (See http://www.bethkanter.org/npfail-action/.)

“My message about taking small bets is only one of the lessons I’ll bring with me. Taking time to measure impact is at the core of my recent work,” Ms Kanter said.

Communities around the world are turning to social media to effect change. My aim is to help New Zealanders working in communities to use these new social spaces to engage people in their causes.”

The acclaimed master trainer and author is leading two workshops for New Zealand NGOs and community groups in May, both are in Auckland.

“I’ll definitely be telling participants, don’t worry if you screw up. We might even try a failure bow.”

Beth’s visit to New Zealand is being organised by niche community consultancy Common Knowledge, in conjunction with Mangere East Family Service Centre and Volunteering Auckland. The Tindall Foundation, Microsoft NZ, Auckland Council and Connecting Up are supporting the workshops Ms Kanter is leading.

Anyone hoping to learn from Ms Kanter needs to register ASAP

 

Contacts

Stephen Blyth, instigator/ roving advisor, Common Knowledge, ph 021 0325177
Also available for comment: Peter Sykes, CEO, Mangere East Family Service Centre; Cheryll Martin, General Manager, Volunteering Auckland.

Key facts about Ms Kanter (www.bethkanter.org):
• Author of "Measuring the Networked Nonprofit: Using Data to Change the World" (released October 2012) with KD Paine
• She runs one of the longest running nonpfofit blogs in the USA, and writes for other outlets including Huffington Post, Harvard Business Review blog
• In 2009 Beth was hailed by Fast Company Magazine as one of the most influential women in technology
• Adding up the years, Beth has worked with community organisations, NGOs, foundations and other good causes for over 33 years
• Since 2009 Beth has been a visiting scholar with the Packard Foundation
• As a master trainer, she has delivered training on every continent (except Antarctica) including in Pakistan, Tunisia and Brasil
• She tweets regularly to her 400,000 plus Twitter followers, and is hyper active on all major social networks.

Event details
Improving social networking practice with measurement workshop
Saturday 11 May, Makaurau Marae, Mangere
Be networked, use measurement and create change through social media workshop
1pm Monday 13 May, Fickling Centre, Three Kings