"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." –Harriet Tubman

After an incredible 30+ years in nonprofit and government work, I was ready for something new. While my time at Safe Alliance domestic violence and sexual assault organization was extremely fulfilling, it was time to grow. Peers, friends, and family would ask, “What’s next?” My answer was that I wanted to step back and, as Toni Morrison recommends, “dream a little before you think.”

I love nonprofits and believe they’re a critical catalyst for positive change in today’s world. I also love to dream and imagine what the world could look like if we effectively address current social, economic, and environmental challenges. And I’ve always loved planning (yes, I was the kid who carried around the clipboard making lists and offering unsolicited instructions to help others organize their activities). Let’s choose to think of it not as nerdiness or bossiness but an emerging leadership skill.

Imagining and planning with others is the absolute best – sharing thoughts, experiences and ideas that shape us. This type of interaction builds connections that create a foundation for collective action. Imagining is also a privilege. When working with domestic violence survivors, I would sometimes ask them to share their dreams. Many could not. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to dream when living in crisis day in and day out. The same is often true for nonprofit staff and volunteers – when you’re focused on operations, budgets and caring for the people in front of you, little time or energy remains to dream or imagine.

In my favorite recent read, Imagination: A Manifesto, Ruha Benjamin shares her vision for new systems that cultivate creativity and curiosity. She describes an “imagination incubator” and offers specific and practical steps for confronting past disconnects and envisioning futures- possible, plausible, probable, and preferable. Benjamin also acknowledges that we must first reimagine ourselves to reimagine the world.

In reimagining myself post Safe Alliance, I knew I wanted to be in a creative space – an imagination incubator for nonprofits. This is what brought me to Armstrong McGuire. Here we partner with organizations across the Southeast – providing the framework to imagine and implement new strategies, fresh ways of leading, and innovative resource building. Our team has worked in the trenches and has a diverse and deep understanding of nonprofits coupled with high creativity and skills to operationalize great ideas. Here each day provides a new opportunity to dream what it is possible and take action to move communities forward together.

Imagine!

Karen Parker is a Senior Advisor with Armstrong McGuire who specializes in Interim Management, Strategic Planning, Organizational Design, Executive Search, Board Development, and Fundraising. Learn more about Karen in her bio.