Does your mission-driven organization have a theory of change? Do you actually use it? Most mission-driven organizations that I have encountered don’t have a true theory of change, and if they do, they don’t see the power that their theory of change has in their day-to-day work. What if I told you that your theory of change could help you reach your goals? Well, it can.

We all make assumptions. Every day. It’s how our brain works. Our subconscious makes connections and shortcuts based on our background, experiences, identities, and contexts. Assumptions are ideas or beliefs about what is true or expectations of what will happen, often without proof and generally unspoken. Assumptions can be a powerful tool in your learning and evaluation work. We just aren’t used to articulating them in a way that makes them useful.