In the last week, the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Phil Buchanan penned an Op Ed for the Chronicle of Philanthropy challenging the sector to consider the degree to which we’re all culpable for promoting and consuming the equivalent of research “fast food.” Suggesting that much of what is circulated as nonprofit research really isn’t research at all, Buchanan exposes the temptation to which many of us are susceptible: presenting (or accepting) an insight or observation supported by thin evidence as though it were knowledge.

My colleagues and I at La Piana Consulting circulated this article with great interest in the criticisms and cautions it offered. As a consulting firm that has always sought to prioritize research and publishing (despite our small size relative to competitors), we take these issues very much to heart. In our own work, we often grapple with what we mean by “research” and how we communicate what we do.

In part, we play the role of information gatherers for our clients, using methods such as literature and document review, stakeholder interviews, financial analysis, and competitor/collaborator profiles to inform individual organizations’ strategic discussions and decision making. This is part of our charge as consultants. However, we also undertake the kind of research Buchanan is talking about, the “thought leadership” articles and tools intended to inform not only our clients but a broader audience, possibly even the sector at large.

One reader comment on the Chronicle article notes that resource limitations can restrict the ability of small research teams and organizations to provide the rigor and depth that research topics facing the sector truly deserve. We agree that the practical question of how to finance research of a statistically-significant scope and scale is a challenge. At the same time, we acknowledge Buchanan’s admonitions that in the rush to stay ahead of the curve, consultants and research firms too often neglect to build on one another’s work to create deeper understanding of the issues we all care about.

This article reminds us that at the very least, we must be honest with ourselves and our audiences about the limitations of our research and the conclusions it promotes. Often, our aim is not to define the state of the sector, but to advance a conversation. We can do more to help readers understand the difference and to be smart information consumers in this age of data overload and the lure of new “discoveries.”

The takeaway: let’s all do better.

Rosalyn Allison-Jacobs is one of two consultants to join La Piana Consulting this month.  Rosalyn, who is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, and I chatted this week about her career, what inspires her, and her passion for the nonprofit sector.

When did you decide that you wanted to dedicate your career to the nonprofit sector?

It’s funny, I didn’t choose the nonprofit sector, it chose me.  I started my career in healthcare administration in Cleveland, Ohio and eventually moved into consulting.  I loved healthcare consulting, but it required a lot of travel and that was at conflict with my desire to be home and available to my family (I had young children at that time).  I began working locally in the public sector as a consultant with The Urban Institute at Cleveland State University.  When my husband was recruited to Charlotte, North Carolina, I was asked to fill an allocations team vacancy at United Way on an interim basis.  One thing led to another and my transition to the nonprofit sector became permanent.

Having said that, I can’t imagine not working with the nonprofit sector.  It feels so good to be doing work that matters.

You have an extensive background in evaluation. How can nonprofits benefit from assessment and measurement tools?

There’s so much power in evaluation because there is power in good information.  In my experience, evaluation can be a team builder, an empowerment tool, and an instrument of culture change.

More than anything, good evaluation data gives nonprofits the ability to communicate who they are and what they do well.  It can be a very powerful tool for marketplace competition because good program evaluation data differentiates programs that occupy the same service delivery space.  Programs may appear to be doing the same thing from the outside, but good data can convince stakeholders why one organization is worthy of their investment over another.

What excites you most about your new position on the La Piana Consulting team?

What I most want to bring to the work is my foundation in organization development (OD) and change.  OD theories and practices have been the common threads that transect all of my work, whether with board governance, program evaluation, organization assessments, or strategic restructuring.

What are your favorite types of challenges?

I like engagements that are made more complex by interpersonal dynamics.  I’m fascinated by the complexity of human relationships.  Tension and conflict really challenge and interest me.  I think this complexity can, when facilitated effectively, really help an organization grow.

What was the last book you read that really inspired you?

The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters by Peter Block.

It is a book that resonates with me because it challenges us to approach our avocations with our hearts as much as our heads.  It is a perfect synthesis of personal stewardship with professional endeavors.  It encourages the reader not to lose sight of what is important and what matters, especially in our chosen work.

We often allow the question of “how” to control what we do.  We need to focus on what is the right thing to do, regardless of how it is going to be done.

If you could have lunch with anyone, who would you choose?

This is going to seem odd, but it would be Vernon Jordan.  He is a lawyer, a business man, and a public servant.  He has served as a counselor to presidents.  He keeps a low profile, but is a great connector and influencer.  He doesn’t seek the limelight or demand recognition and praise.  He does what he does in a very quiet but effective way.  I have a deep admiration for his ability to lead from behind.