The Plan and the Pivot

“When we experience mixed emotional reactions to things, it makes us more open to advice.”

To our community,

Recently, our Tangelo Tree Team spoke at a webinar hosted by Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ) called “The Power of Partnership: Protecting Communities and Essential Programming through Partnerships & Mergers.” This webinar focused on protecting our communities and using partnerships as a strategy to affect change through harnessing the power that our ecosystem holds.

In this 3-minute clip produced by NPQ, you can hear Michael Anderson, our founder, speak to the “Power of Ambivalence.” He states:

“Oftentimes, we resist ambivalence because we haven’t embraced the humility, or maybe the vulnerability, that ambivalence requires. And leaders see this as a risk, because they might be concerned about being perceived as less confident or not in control.”

However, he continues:

“When we experience mixed emotional reactions to things, it makes us more open to advice.”

He also makes the case for the power of ambivalence because “it makes us seek more information before coming to a conclusion.” It is scary to hold the feeling of ambivalence, and can feel that you are letting go of control, but it is exactly that – holding that feeling of letting go – that allows us to open up.

Thanks to Naomi Rothman for her research and writing on this topic, which was featured  in a Nov 2024 episode of Hidden Brain, The Benefits of Mixed Emotions.

If you're a nonprofit leader grappling with balancing planfulness and responsiveness on a regular basis, you are not alone, and there's potential power in the ambivalence you're experiencing. If you would like to talk to us further about the power of ambivalence, please visit our website.

With Care,

Tangelo Tree Consulting