Digital Comfort Zone: A Super not Scary Technology Podcast

Content Note: This episode contains discussions of mental health and mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  In this episode of Digital Comfort Zone, hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce engage in a deep conversation with Canadian Olympian Silken Laumann. They explore resilience, mental health, and the transformative impact of technology. Silken shares her personal journey of overcoming a severe injury to win a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics, emphasizing the importance of physical intelligence and stress management. The episode delves into the pressures faced by leaders of charitable organizations, the significance of digital enablement, and the evolution of personal motivation and self-belief. Additionally, the conversation highlights the necessity of embracing multifaceted identities, especially in women, and discusses the role of technology in fostering human connections and delivering mental health support, particularly in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Silken also talks about her podcast, Inflection Time, and the potential of storytelling platforms like Unsinkable.   00:00 Introduction and Trigger Warning 00:47 Introducing Silken Laumann 02:50 Silken's Story of Resilience 06:45 The Athlete's Mindset 08:33 Stress and Mental Health 11:50 Personal Growth and Motivation 21:53 The Power of Vulnerability and Storytelling 23:54 The Birth of Unsinkable 25:06 Connecting Storytellers and Mental Health 26:08 Embracing Technology for Good 27:35 Hopeful and Helpful Stories 29:59 Navigating Technology and Social Media 37:42 Digital Skills in the Nonprofit Sector 39:48 Introducing Inflection Time Podcast Read the full transcript here Listen to Silken's new podcast: Inflection Time Learn more about her charity: Unsinkable  

Hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce discuss the complexities of failure within nonprofit organizations, particularly in the context of technology. Guest Ashley Good, founder of Fail Forward, centers the conversation on the inevitability of failure and how it can be a powerful learning tool. Ashley shares personal anecdotes, professional insights, and practical exercises for nonprofits to practice healthy reactions to failure and cultivate a supportive organizational culture. Key topics include reframing failure as learning, practicing debriefs on successes, and the importance of compassion in overcoming failure's emotional impact.   00:30 Getting Vulnerable: Personal Failures 03:33 Transforming Failure into Learning 05:37 Introducing Ashley Good: The Failure Expert 06:28 What is a Failure Consultancy? 08:31 Ashley Good's Journey to Embracing Failure 10:32 A Powerful Story of Redemption 14:24 The Emotional Weight of Failure 20:51 Practicing Failure in Organizations 27:26 Tackling Challenges Head-On 27:44 Balancing Easy and Hard Tasks 28:51 Individual vs. Organizational Failures 32:01 The Role of Compassion in Failure 34:59 Practical Techniques for Embracing Failure 36:25 Final Thoughts and Reflections 41:45 Season Finale and Future Plans   Read the full transcript here   Start your digital transformation today

In this episode, Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce are joined by Victor Cordon, Director of Social Impact at Okta, they discuss the challenges nonprofits face in securing ongoing funding for technology, the importance of technology governance, and the role of trust-based philanthropy in addressing these challenges. Victor emphasizes that technology is not just an administrative cost but essential to mission delivery while offering practical advice on how nonprofits can better articulate their tech needs to funders. The episode concludes with strategies on how to align tech investments with organizational goals and mission impact, making it a compelling discussion for anyone in the nonprofit sector looking to embrace digital transformation. 00:33 Challenges in Funding Digital Transformation 03:03 Introducing Victor Cordon from Okta 03:51 Okta's Approach to Philanthropy and Technology 06:24 Successful Tech Funding Strategies 09:15 The Importance of Technology in Nonprofits 15:36 Trust-Based Philanthropy and Technology 22:10 Encouraging Open Conversations About Tech Needs 26:05 Practical Tips for Nonprofits Seeking Tech Funding Read the full transcript here Start your digital transformation journey here

In this episode of the Digital Comfort Zone podcast, hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce break down how lessons from rock climbing can provide valuable insights into digital transformation. Aine shares her experiences as a climbing instructor, highlighting the importance of creating safe conditions, effective communication, and encouraging calculated risks. The episode emphasizes the role of leaders in setting up for their teams for success, drawing parallels between guiding climbers and navigating digital change in nonprofit organizations. 00:51 The Importance of Leadership in Digital Transformation 03:16 Connecting Leadership and Rock Climbing 05:15 Lessons from Climbing: Overcoming Fear 11:02 Guiding Teams Through Digital Transformation 18:00 The Role of Trust and Communication 25:22 Final Thoughts and Takeaways   Read the full transcript here Start your digital transformation journey here

In this episode of Digital Comfort Zone, hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce are joined by Alisa Simon, Executive Vice President at Kids Help Phone. In their conversation, they discuss how the organization adopted a mindset of possibility to radically shift how they support youth in crisis. They delve into distinguishing between invention and innovation, the effective use of digital tools and AI, and the necessity of a change-ready culture. The importance of leveraging data, involving the right leaders, and maintaining core mission values while exploring new technological avenues is also discussed.   01:24 Understanding Social Innovation 03:04 Case Study: Kids Help Phone 04:57 Possibility Thinking and Mindset Shifts 10:14 Implementing and Sustaining Innovation 17:42 The Role of Data and AI in Innovation  Read the full transcript here Read this case study done with Kids Help Phone

Description: In this episode of Digital Comfort Zone, hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce discuss how small technological changes can significantly impact small charities and nonprofits. They are joined by Chi Nguyen from Equal Voice and Amanda Munday from New Majority, who share insights on improving youth civic engagement and gender diversity in politics. This episode has two big takeaways How it's important to form sustainable habits in both political participation and digital transformation and; emphasizing that small actions can lead to substantial future benefits.  00:47 Addressing Common Tech Misconceptions in Small Charities 02:06 The Power of Small Digital Changes 04:13 Introducing Our Guests: Amanda Munday and Chi Nguyen 05:28 Insights on Civic Engagement and Political Participation 14:05 Challenges and Barriers to Voting 18:42 Motivations Behind Civic Actions 25:52 The Importance of Small Wins in Civic and Digital Engagement Read the full transcript here Start your digital transformation here

In this episode of 'Digital Comfort Zone,' hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce discuss the importance of maintaining a learning mindset in the age of digital transformation. Special guest Professor Nick Mount from the University of Toronto shares insights on fostering a learning culture, handling resistance to change, and the importance of new experiences in unlocking innovative thinking.  00:47 The Importance of a Learning Mindset 01:34 Personal Challenges with Learning 03:31 Research on Learning Behaviors 05:07 Interview with Professor Nick Mount 08:05 Teaching Strategies and Learning Environments 14:08 Adapting to New Learning Methods 26:13 Final Thoughts and Takeaways Read the full transcript here

In this episode of 'Digital Comfort Zone', hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce dive deep into the art of persuasion and obtaining buy-in for digital transformation within nonprofits. To help them do this, Philip Haid, CEO of Public Inc., brings his valuable insights including The role of emotions, trust, and authenticity in persuasion Emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are And building trust slowly 00:00 Introduction to Digital Comfort Zone 00:48 Persuasion and Buy-In: Real-Life Examples 04:25 Challenges in Digital Transformation 06:37 Interview with Philip Haid: Mastering Persuasion 17:48 Emotional vs. Logical Persuasion 24:09 Conflict and Ego in Persuasion 29:11 Trust and Buy-In: Building Authentic Relationships 33:12 Conclusion and Key Takeaways Read the full transcript here Start your digital transformation journey here

In this inaugural episode of Digital Comfort Zone, hosts Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce talk about how to overcome digital inertia within organizations. To better understand how to do that, they call on award-winning filmmaker Molly McGlynn to speak about How to manage complex projects like filmmaking.  How to break down overwhelming tasks The importance of planning and logistics And the necessity of starting anywhere to gain momentum.    00:00 Introduction to Digital Comfort Zone 01:17 Challenges in Digital Transformation 03:28 Starting Small and Taking First Steps 04:59 Interview with Filmmaker Molly McGlynn 13:51 Lessons from Filmmaking for Charities 24:39 Final Thoughts and Takeaways 28:39 Closing Remarks and Credits   To start your own digital transformation journey you can visit: https://charitygrowthacademy.org/  Read the full transcript here   Bio for Molly McGlynn:  Molly McGlynn is a Montreal-born writer and director based in Los Angeles Her first feature film, Mary Goes Round, starring Aya Cash and Sara Waisglass, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 and has screened at dozens of film festivals and won multiple awards, including the Panavision Independent Cinema Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the Vail Film Festival and Best Narrative Feature at the Annapolis Film Festival.    The film was nominated by the Directors' Guild of Canada for awards in Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film and Best Editing in a Feature Film and won the Jay Scott Emerging Artist Award from the Toronto Film Critics Association. Her second feature film, Fitting In, (fka Bloody Hell), starring Maddie Ziegler and Emily Hampshire, had its World Premiere at SXSW in the Narrative Spotlight section in March 2023. Its International Premiere was at the prestigious Deauville American Film Festival and had its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film also won Best Canadian Feature Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival and was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film by the Directors Guild of Canada. In addition to her feature work, Molly has directed over thirty episodes of television (Grace and Frankie, Grownish, The Wonder Years, The Big Door Prize) and was a producing director on Season 2 of Bless This Mess.

This is Digital Comfort Zone: a super not scary technology podcast. It's hosted by Aine McGlynn and Lizz Bryce, the two minds behind Charity Growth Academy, who have worked at the intersection of technology and the people who make charities work for more than two decades.    Every episode, Aine and Lizz will help calm your fears, validate your frustrations and answer your questions when it comes to leveraging tech for good - and ultimately make your life easier    You will come away with specific ways that you can improve how you and your organization use technology. And our advice will always better than that random cousin's who interned at a start-up in the 90's.   And, because Lizz and Aine aren't techies either, you will never be patronized or made to feel dumb.   Rate, review and subscribe