Two Reviews that Made Us Leap
September 6, 2011
We had expected the last weeks of summer to be quiet, but they turned out to be anything but. In addition to endorsements from thought leaders Lucy Bernholz andBeth Kanter and a lot of requests for the book from organizations that are gearing up for fall planning sessions, Leap of Reason was reviewed in Businessweek.com and the respected UK-based publication Alliance.
The Businessweek review was written by Drucker Institute Executive Director Rick Wartzman. Given the stratospheric admiration we have for the late Peter Drucker, Wartzmans review was particularly meaningful for us. We wont soon forget such passages as It is the best thing on management Ive read all summer, It helped me sharpen some of what were trying to achieve at my own organization, the Drucker Institute, and Drucker would have liked this approach.
The Alliance review, a sharp encapsulation of the book, was written by Tris Lumley, Head of Development at New Philanthropy Capital. If youre a subscriber, you can get the review in full. For those who arent, here are a few excerpts:
- If you hadnt guessed already, I love this book. It says things that really need to be said if charities are to [fulfill] their promise and help tackle the problems society faces. It says them clearly, and with passion, conviction and insight based on deep experience.
- From time to time, I admit I have doubts about whether the increasing interest in measurement among charities and social enterprises is really translating into greater impact: more peoples lives being changed more significantly and deeply entrenched social issues getting solved. So Mario Morinos recent book Leap of Reason was a breath of fresh air to me as it addresses this worry head on.
- Part manifesto, part handbook, Leap of Reason attempts to redress the balance and encourages charities and funders to shift their efforts away from purely mechanistic efforts to measure impact towards ensuring that they achieve their aims.
Quotes From Leaders Like You

- Isaac Castillo, DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative

- Sam Cobbs, First Place for Youth

- Denise Zeman, Saint Luke’s Foundation

- Patrick Lawler, Youth Villages

- Lou Salza, Lawrence School

- Anne Goodman, Cleveland Foodbank

- Molly Baldwin, Roca, Inc.
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