DORIS Research

05/26/2026

Leaders often cannot change the big constraints people are working under. School schedules. Parish commitments. Service demands. Budgets.

What they can change is how that time is used and how heavy it feels. That might mean simplifying a process, dropping a low‑value task, or being more realistic about what can happen in a day.

In one recent project, our team worked with staff to sort through what was on their plates and identify a few concrete changes leaders could actually make. The clock did not move, but the workday felt different.

What is one lever you do control that might ease the load?

05/21/2026

Some work comes with a tidy checklist.
Ongoing support for leaders…doesn’t.

As DORIS shifts more of our work into ongoing partnerships with clients, our team can’t just ask, “What’s on the task list today?” anymore. We have to ask, “What is the next right step for this client, in this moment?”

That means:
Sitting in the ambiguity instead of running from it
Owning our piece of the project instead of waiting for instructions
Making thoughtful choices, grounded in what we’re hearing from people on the ground

It’s a stretch, in the best way. The same way we ask our clients to move from “set it and forget it” plans to ongoing, people-centered decision-making, we’re leveling up how we work behind the scenes too.

If you’re someone who loves clear lists and isn’t afraid of a little uncertainty, you’d probably feel right at home here.
What helps you stay grounded when the path isn’t fully mapped out?

05/15/2026

Relational work is work! We took part in an Indianapolis tradition this afternoon and enjoyed Fast Friday at

05/13/2026

When cities, campuses, or communities plan a big change, there are always the “obvious” stakeholders—the ones who get invited to every meeting.

What interests us are the people whose days are shaped by those decisions but rarely named on the stakeholder list: the parent working a second shift who cannot make a Tuesday-night meeting, the volunteer juggling three roles, the student who feels like an outsider in every new space.

In our work with higher ed, municipal, and faith-based clients, some of the most important insights have come from those groups when we meet them where they are—at a library, on a phone survey, or in a 30-minute one-on-one conversation.

Who are the “hidden stakeholders” in your world right now the people you wish had more say in how things run?

05/07/2026

Most of what DORIS produces starts as a pile of raw material — hours of interviews, open-ended responses, patterns that aren't visible until someone has spent real time finding what connects.
At DORIS, that someone is Paula.

Paula dives into the research and brings findings back in a form that helps teams decide what matters most.

Who in your organization is doing the quiet, essential work that makes everything else possible?

05/05/2026

“If we could just get everyone back in the same room, our culture would come back.” Have you heard a leader say that? (Have you said it yourself?)

Sometimes, it’s true. But more often, our research shows something more nuanced.

People may already feel connected in the ways they need right now: quick check‑ins, shared jokes, quiet support during a tough week.

The gap shows up in perception: leaders remember a season when culture looked like potlucks and barbecues and assume anything different means “less.”

If you work in a city department, school, nonprofit, or healthcare organization, you are probably juggling multiple locations, hybrid schedules, and limited time together.

Before you invest in a big “fix,” it helps to ask: what are our people telling us about how connected they actually feel today?

04/14/2026

Most of us in mission-driven work have heard some version of "we all wear many hats here."

It's usually said with pride — and it should be. The people who keep nonprofits, agencies, and community organizations running are genuinely remarkable.

But there's a version of hat-wearing that gets in the way: when a leader walks into a strategy meeting still wearing their departmental hat. Still solving for their team's priorities. Still advocating for their vertical, even when the room needs everyone pulling for the whole organization.

It's not bad intent. It's just the wrong hat for the room.
This week's Brain Candy for Business — dropping Thursday — is all about how leaders name the hat they're wearing, and what it looks like to choose the organizational one on purpose.
If you're not subscribed yet, it’s a good week to start.
Link: https://dorisresearch.com/brain-candy-for-business/

04/07/2026

Most people see a smooth workday.

Katie sees the hundred tiny things that could go sideways—and fixes them before they do.

As DORIS’s administrative assistant and office manager, Katie keeps the office running smoothly so the rest of the team can focus on big-picture work. She anticipates problems and solves them before anyone notices, keeps us stocked with essentials (from Post-it notes and sharpies to Diet Coke), and helps keep Sam and Meghan on track.

Behind the scenes, she’s the one keeping the DORIS crew moving in the same direction, with steady care, operational savvy, and a sharp eye for spelling and grammar.

Guides like Katie make it possible for our research and client work to move forward the way it does.

03/31/2026

Here's a question worth taking to your next leadership meeting: if you asked each person at the table to define "accountability" out loud, would you get the same answer?

In our experience, usually not. And those gaps don't stay at the leadership table. They travel down into the organization and show up as silos, confusion, and uneven expectations.

This week's Brain Candy for Business newsletter walks through how to close that gap, plus a reflection from one of our own team members on what it means to find — and speak up for — the right seat.

Bite-sized, people-centered insights for leaders who like to think. Every two weeks, Brain Candy for Business drops a short, visual, thought-provoking treat in your inbox—designed to spark curiosity, not add to your to‑read pile.

03/24/2026

“Resistance to change” is often a story we tell about people instead of a signal we read from the system.​

If your organization has lived through repeated strategy shifts and half-finished initiatives, “we’ve always done it this way” can be a rational hedge against instability—not nostalgia for what once was.

Recognizing and acknowledging change fatigue gives executives a lever to work with. When you increase clarity and consistency in your decisions, you lower the cost of change and make it easier for people to bet on the next move.​

As you plan your next big decision, ask: How have previous big changes trained my people to respond to this one? How might engaging them in the decision-making process reduce resistance?