And now, it’s time to be collaborative and collectively evaluate. At the first Team Meetings, the question we are asking ourselves is: Do we want to learn more?
At Impact100 Philadelphia, we honor deep and respectful discussions at Team Meetings. It’s a legacy from our early days that continues to this day. “We learn from each other. We want to make sure everyone has a chance to talk and that we finish on time,” notes Toby Gang, Grants Co-Chair. “Team Leaders have the responsibility of eliciting all points of view and keeping track of time,” she notes. “That can be a difficult balance to achieve, and it’s up to all team members to help.” One of Impact100 Philadelphia’s hallmarks is to “listen to others and stay flexible and open-minded. We’re trying collectively to come up with the best decision, on behalf of all members,” notes Grants Co-Chair Renee Applegate. She adds, “This not about ‘winning’ as we typically think of it. The goal is not to feel that you’ve won if your personal favorite organization is selected as a Focus Area finalist. The goal is that we all win, together, by listening to each other and making the best decision for all members, including those who can’t participate in the grant evaluation process. Impact100 Philadelphia members who are not participating in grant evaluation this year are counting on our Focus Area Committee members to be thorough, careful, and conscientious. We are invested in putting forward the best Focus Area candidates for all members to vote on, in person or by absentee ballot, at the Annual Meeting in June.”