How One Small Charity Shifted from Fear to Growth with Evaluation

A small charity I worked with used to dread evaluation.
Every time feedback came in, the team braced themselves. They felt defensive, as if they were being judged.
Then they made a shift. Instead of asking “Did we pass or fail?”, they started asking:

• What worked well?
• What didn’t?
• What can we try differently next time?

The result?

• More openness.
• Less stress.
• Real improvements to services.

Takeaway: An evaluation mindset is the difference between fear and growth.