Michael Slaby

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@gilupstream Good question. I think broadly most things we do in politcs can be generalized but the time pressure of election day and the narrow data framework make a lot of the tactics particualrly the frequency of engagement unique. Additionally, because we work from and with a voter file, we have a ore specific understanding of our target communities than most social-imapct orgs have.

Gilad Salmon

@gilupstream · Software Developer, NationBuilder

@slaby Yeah, it seems like campaigns have a few significant advantages to social impact orgs when it comes to things like engagement and fundraising. You mentioned the voter file...that's huge. I also think having a real deadline (there will be a vote and someone will win) helps move money and incentivizes action.

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@gilupstream the power of the deadline to create focus but also to drive tactics is super significant.

Ravi Prakash

@ravi_prakash2

Hi Michael. What do you think are some of the biggest tech challenges that nonprofits today face?

4 share tweet・a year ago

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@ravi_prakash2 there are many -- and a lot of them center around being able to take advantage of opportunities presented by new platforms, new networks -- it's challenging to be ambitious and keep it all together. The single biggest challenge for most orgs I've spent time with is the difficulties around impact analytics. How do we measure our success in the context of the problem we're solving and not just the efforts of our inputs and outputs.

Literacy KC

@literacykc · Marketing Coordinator, Literacy KC

@slaby @ravi_prakash2 Absolutely agree. Measuring our success is something that can be difficult when dealing with issues with adult literacy, where progress takes lots of time and may not be clear right away

Hillary Boucher

@hillaryboucher · Director of Networks, TheCR

Hi Michael, What are the gaps technology vendors are missing in terms of building tools that make it easy to manage goal oriented online communities and networks?

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@hillaryboucher the big gap here is that for most orgs the tools for engagement and the tools for analytics are separate and not integrated so we often have to guess about the relationship between activity and impact or do that work by hand. Too often our engagement tools aren't really aware of our broader mission goals and are too narrowly focused on the transactions and conversions that we're hoping to drive and miss the larger picture of the relationships we're building.

Emily Hodgins

@ems_hodge · Community and Marketing, Product Hunt

What were your greatest challenges whilst working as Head of Technology for the Obama campaigns?

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@ems_hodge the toughest part of a campaign is the lack of time. You are defined as much by what you don't do as what you do do because of the incredible cost of wasting time. We were in a constant sprint for two year each time to bring as many people as possible into the process, to reduce the barriers to entry and participation, to get as many americans as possible into the democratic process. That means that every day we don't get something done is a voter left out. But that also means that everyday we figure out something new and every time we make an experience that much easier is another voter in.

Annicka Campbell-Dollaghan

@annicka_campbell_dollaghan

What are your thoughts on the perception that the social impact (or philanthropic) sector is in need of innovation? An example for reference: https://www.entrepreneur.com/art...

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@annicka_campbell_dollaghan i think every sector needs or can leverage innovation, and we've been too slow brining really world-class technology into this space. That said, we have to maintain our humility and honor the work that's been done of years and decades by the people working in this space -- the siliconvalley-itis of "step aside; we've got this" isn't the kind of thinking that is going to get innovation down to the ground level of most of these challenges and make the space more efficient and effective.

Pablo Quiroga

@pabloiquiroga · CEO, Fuelixir

Hi Michael! Throughout your career can you recall a recurring catalyst or pattern that drives company cultures to high levels of impact? Specifically, what drives the company culture @timshel ?

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@pabloiquiroga @timshel an essential pattern or maintaining culture is to talk about your values, to embrace your beliefs as a team with passion and intensity and not be shy or cautious with them. Too often we try to be all things to all people and while we treasure the diversity of our team and strive to be inclusive about our ideas and perspectives, we have strong opinions about what matters, about why we work, and what we're here to do. Everyone seeks meaning and we're trying to create a space where we can do world class work in service os something greater than the work itself.

Pablo Quiroga

@pabloiquiroga · CEO, Fuelixir

@slaby @timshel Thank you for sharing! Answering the what and why of a company with truth, honesty, and meaning. #companyculture #values #passion #cantstopwontstop

💖

Andrew Ettinger

@andrewett · Product Marketing, Twitter (ex-PH)

Knowing what you know about tech and Obama, you think he'd make a good VC?

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@andrewett he's exceptionally strategic and broad thinking about the potential impacts of new ideas so think he could make a great early stage VC where long-term vision and optimism is so key. I think you'd see him more in the impact investing space than a more traditional sand hill road firm.

Jake Crump

@jakecrump · Community Team with Product Hunt

If you had to pick, what technology do you believe will have the biggest impact on the next generation?

@slaby · Head of Mission, Timshel

@jakecrump technology is a force multiplier for the things we need to do well as a society -- when it comes to impact, novelty isn't an outcome so i think less about any one particular technology and more the mindset of leverage technology in our communities and in industries that aren't traditionally tech-empowered to achieve greater scale and efficiency.

Jacqueline von Tesmar

@jacqvon · Community, Product Hunt ✌️😻

What industries would you place your bets on in the next 10-20 years?