We started Outside Angle with the fundamental belief that all organizations have to undertake change, and that building the capacity to effectively navigate change can make work a more positive and productive experience for teams.
When we launched, we asked a few intrepid leaders to come on a journey with us: to learn together what works best and to help us refine our approach to make the best use of their time and resources. We’re so grateful that they agreed, and that today we have a portfolio of collaborators that is diverse in terms of sector and size, but also in terms of the demographics and experiences of the leaders and teams we serve.
Our north star has been excellent service to organizations that have an important social mission and that need to undertake change to realize that mission. We have always believed that organizations that learn, change in positive ways that enable them to succeed and sustain in the long run. We apply this mindset to ourselves as well.
Part of being a learning organization is building in processes for progress monitoring and reflection. Every year we make it a point to reflect on our progress in relation to our commitments to impact and equity. By being transparent about our successes and challenges we hold ourselves accountable to aligning our words with our actions.
This is the second annual update of this nature. The format will continue to mature, and our metrics will evolve, but the longitudinal view will help us calibrate and adjust as we go.
We branched out into new sectors.
We started Outside Angle with the hypothesis that our approach is applicable to people and organizations of all shapes and sizes, regardless of sector, and our portfolio is already proving that out. Here is a summary of how our work has cut across sectors and industries since our inception:
In 2022 we continued expanding our scope into additional sectors and industries. In particular, we engaged in our second project in the healthcare industry and our first projects in public infrastructure and with a community-based religious institution, an organization working to build state-wide broadband connectivity and a synagogue working through a strategic transformation, respectively.
We took on projects that matter.
Highlights of our work in 2022 include helping to launch several new school programs, supporting a local synagogue as they re-envision their organizational structure and navigate several nationwide challenges including declining membership and a spike in antisemitism, providing thought partnership and guidance to a local non-profit as they double down on their commitment to positively impact educational and employment outcomes in their community, and helping our good friends at Zoobean continue to scale their incredible organizational culture while growing revenue and motivating more and more reading across schools, libraries, and communities. Some of the successes we’re proud to have shared with our clients in 2022 include:
- DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, in partnership with McKeesport Area School District, launched an innovative new school model;
- Zoobean increased the number of minutes read on the Beanstack platform by 26% year-over-year while maintaining their positive culture (94% employee satisfaction and 100% pride in company);
- WPS Institute engaged in a strategic refresh that led to a new pilot program focused on changing the middle experience at a Title I middle school in Massachusetts;
- The Maine Connectivity Authority successfully hit the ground running as a brand new organization, aligning as a new team and codifying its systems, processes and culture as it expands broadband access and affordability across the state of Maine;
- Skylight Digital empowered a new cohort of people-managers to lead their teams toward a shared goal of helping government work in a digital world.
We sought out and supported diverse leaders with compelling visions.
It matters who we choose to show up for and stand behind. We seek to support leaders of color, and efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive future. Since we started:
It matters who we choose to show up for and stand behind. We seek to support leaders of color, and efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive future. Since we started:
- 78% of our clients have been led by women or people of color; and
- 38% of our clients have been lead by Black or Latinx executives.
Three quarters of the clients with whom we worked in 2022 were women or people of color. While we’re proud to be serving such a diverse set of leaders, we also recognize that as we’ve grown that percentage has decreased. This is the power of looking longitudinally at metrics that reflect our organizational values so that we can continue to be intentional about them.
We prioritized diversity and inclusion in our decision making.
We continue to seek diverse talent and hire staff and collaborators with a track record of working toward justice, equity, and inclusion. We also seek out and prioritize vendors and businesses owned by BIPOC leaders.
In 2022, both of our two new hires were women or people of color. We’re starting 2023 with a staff that includes 80% (4/5) women or people of color and 20% (1/5) Black or Latinx team members, as well as a diverse set of collaborators. Our seven part-time collaborators are comprised of 86% (6/7) women or people of color and 29% (2/7) Black or Latinx.
As we grow, we know we can do more, and do better.
When we help our clients develop a process for progress monitoring, we work with them to not only take stock of where they are but also to get specific about the challenges and priorities they wish to focus on for the next cycle.
At Outside Angle, we are putting our own tools and recommendations into practice. Looking ahead to our next year, we see three priorities to hold front and center as we continue providing exceptional service to our clients:
- Expand into a greater variety of sectors and industries while still holding true to our values, including our commitment to working with organizations and leaders driven to lead positive change and challenge the status quo;
- Grow our team of staff and collaborators in a way that deepens the diversity of our team in a multitude of facets, from race and ethnicity, to professional and personal background, to specific skills and talents; and
- Continue to foster a learning culture that will enable us to maintain our nimble, high quality service no matter the project or the client.
As we set our sights on these priorities for the coming year, we remind ourselves of our organizational vision, as we encourage our clients to constantly do:
Our vision is that teams achieve the change they seek, for themselves and their teams, and in the world. As a result of our work, groups of people will succeed together, and be more satisfied and fulfilled in their day-to-day lives. Big ideas will come to life with force and fidelity, and positive new possibilities will emerge from even the most challenging change scenarios. Inspiring teams and leaders will succeed at making life more fun, fair, inclusive and sustainable.
To help achieve this vision, we will cultivate a team of passionate people whose diverse skill sets and relentless pursuit of a better world enable us to help people and organizations thrive. As we grow, we will focus on being a great place to work, to learn, and to connect for each one of the members of our team as well as a profitable and thriving business that shares the benefits of its success generously with its employees and community.
First, we will learn and iterate, understanding what change leaders need to succeed, and where our work has the highest impact. Then we will build out specific services that allow these solutions to reach more and more people and organizations. Finally, we will complement our services with the creation of scalable ideas, products, and services. Together, we will be known for expertise in change leadership, and become a relevant niche brand, known and sought out by change leaders across sectors within the next 10 years.