The nonprofit world has seen rapid change over the last five to ten years. On last week’s episode we talked about how change can be difficult and positive at the same time. This week, we are tackling change from the perspective of professionals and organizations who are searching for ways to not just keep up with changing trends and technology, but to stay ahead of the curve. The answer is professional development. A multi-pronged professional development strategy can help professionals achieve growth in their roles while staying sharp and current while also helping nonprofit leadership mitigate attrition and turnover. 

Today’s guest is Terry Vyas, Vice President of Education Services at Blackbaud. Terry leads Blackbaud University, the training arm of Blackbaud focused on helping nonprofit professionals not only stay up to speed on the technology they use on a daily basis, but also helps individuals develop their skills and build lasting careers in the social good community. Terry and I tackle the impact professional development can have on an organization, the types of professional development to be considered, as well as the best way to put a professional development program in place. 

Topics Discussed in this Episode: 

• Why professional development is particularly important to nonprofits
• How high-performing organizations are staying ahead of the curve with professional development
• How you should be investing in your team and how to justify it
• New and different types of professional development to be aware of
• How investing in professional development pays for itself in reduced turnover and productivity
• The importance of focusing on the right problems and examples of what those might be
• What kinds of classes are offered through Blackbaud University
• What makes Blackbaud University stand out in the education space 

Links and Resources: 

Terry Vyas

The Internet Archive

Blackbaud University

Blackbaud

Blackbaud - Twitter

Blackbaud - Facebook 

 

“Each of us as human beings, we have this inherent need to grow.”

 “I would argue that you need a multi-pronged strategy for your organizational development.”

 “I would say the mission’s obviously number one, but if you don’t have a staff that’s growing, that’s learning something, that’s developing their own skills, they’re not going to be as productive to help you drive that particular mission.”