By: Maddy Booth, CEO
This summer, I had the great honor and joy of participating in the Harvard Business School Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. For a full week alongside 164 people from 18 countries, we lived and breathed leadership theory, best practices, and shared wisdom.
From Sunday to Saturday, our days were packed with scheduled events from as early as 7 am to as late as 8 pm. The overwhelm of the materials, schedule, and expectations quickly shifted to awe – how lucky was I to be included in this remarkable group? Though their accomplishments are many, my peers’ willingness to share, listen, and engage made for a profoundly welcoming space.
The program pressed us to think about the narrative of our life path, share it with our living groups, and use that context to frame our learnings. Using the case study method, we were introduced to frameworks, theories, systems change, and other applicable tools and methods that could help us lead our organizations more strategically. Through this intensive experience, we engaged in authentic leadership in action as we navigated the context of institutional learning, power dynamics, and accountability.
Throughout the week’s sessions, we were encouraged to identify the answer to our organization’s “question zero” or, in other words, what is it that you’re trying to accomplish and why? Nutrition education through cooking is both our why and our how – because everyone deserves to have the improved health outcomes and joy that results from cooking at home.
I am grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to participate in the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program. In continuing to reflect on my time spent in Cambridge, I remain inspired by the humility, humor, and authenticity of my living group, discussion groups, dining companions, and everyone I interacted with in the hallways, break rooms, and across the bridge.
I want to extend the biggest thanks to the Harvard Business School Club of Philadelphia for making this possible, to Steven Wray for nominating me, to my Philly crew Keisha Jordan, Patricia Wilson Aden, Shirlana Dash, PhD for their community, to my living group Carolyn Jeppsen, Lakeisha Palmer, Brett Bernardini, Mick Geary, Lisa Gainer, Nicole Stewart, Michelle Naples, and to the whole team at Vetri Community Partnership for the space to be fully immersed for a full week.
I look forward to applying these lessons to strengthen Vetri Community Partnership as we continue our journey to nourish minds, bodies, and communities with nutrition education through cooking.
