Praise for Working Hard–and Working Well
Praise for Working Hard–and Working Well
To read this book is to hope that all human services organizations, and those that fund them, would embrace its recommendations—and to wonder how many millions of people’s lives would be improved, even saved, if they did.
–Phil Buchanan
“The social sector would be vastly more productive if many more nonprofits [measured] their performance.” Two masterful books explain how: David Hunter’s Working Hard & Working Well, and Bob Penna’s The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox.”
“If Mr. Morino’s book is the passionate call to arms for the importance of performance assessment for nonprofits, Mr. Hunter’s is the battle plan. He walks nonprofit leaders step by step through what it takes to drive performance. It is a powerfully clarifying and helpful book—and makes clear just how difficult the work of ‘nonprofit performance management’ is.”
“The book provides us with the next steps and a picture of the path we have to take to become a performance measurement-managed non-profit organization… I appreciate that VPP is trying to get all non-profits to aspire to this level of performance. Our country and our sector needs this work!”
“[David Hunter’s] chapter on “How to Get Started: Four Days of Intense Introspection” using the framework of “a theory of change” is outstanding and gives you something tangible to work with… I think that the Hunter book makes a quantum leap beyond [Mario] Morino’s book to actually show you how to implement these principles. There is also an excellent summary that puts performance management in context, and shows how the federal government and others have been promoting these concepts for a number of years regarding federal government programs and non-profit programs and services.”
“David Hunter facilitated our board and staff through our own theory of change workshop, which resulted in a major strategic shift, as well as the institution of a performance management system for the foundation itself. We will soon be having him do theory of change workshops, like the ones described in his book Working Hard—and Working Well, for our newly selected grantees…. He has taught us that in the quest to produce measurable social value, no one should be off the hook, and that definitely includes funders.”
“David Hunter’s blueprint for linking accountability with sustainability is a must-read for leaders, mid-level managers, and front-line staff. Hunter’s philosophy on the ’theory of change’ can help social-sector organizations bridge the gap between idealism and strategy to operations and logistics.”
“David helped us get better at what we do so that we can be worthy of the young people we have the privilege of serving. Working Hard—and Working Well captures the passion and integrity of David’s approach. It will become an indispensable must-read resource in the social sector.”
“I regard David Hunter as one of the most serious and thoughtful people working to improve the social sector. His unique theory-of-change workshops have helped many organizations transform themselves into high-performing agencies that deliver outcomes to service recipients as intended—measurably, reliably, and sustainably.”
“David Hunter draws upon his extraordinary experience to present a thoughtful, compelling case for the importance of performance management as well as a practical guide for how to implement effective processes in real-life settings.”
“To read this book is to hope that all human services organizations, and those that fund them, would embrace its recommendations—and to wonder how many millions of people’s lives would be improved, even saved, if they did.”
Quotes From Leaders Like You
“Stories substituting for facts is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me!”
The Leap of Reason Update, our monthly newsletter, highlights stories of high-performing organizations and courageous leaders striving to produce greater impact, at a lower cost, for those they serve. Useful articles, coming events, and other resources that have informed our own learning are regular features.