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Patton’s Picks: The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul
Leadership Resources for the Philanthropic Sector
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Your brain doesn’t do its best work alone.
In The Extended Mind, Annie Murphy Paul challenges the idea that thinking happens only in our heads. She shows how the environment, relationships, movement, and tools dramatically shape how well we lead and decide.
Why this is powerful for nonprofit leadership:
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Better thinking requires better conditions
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Collaboration isn’t a weakness - it’s a cognitive advantage
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Burnout often comes from isolating the work of leadership
This book validates what many leaders feel but rarely articulate: how you work matters as much as what you know.
Leadership takeaway: Design your meetings, teams, and routines to support thinking, not just productivity.
About Patton McDowell:
Dr. Patton McDowell, CFRE, MBA, is the creator of the innovative PMA Mastermind Leadership Program, a unique offering designed to elevate nonprofit leaders through comprehensive training and peer collaboration. He is also the author of the best-selling book, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and host of the weekly podcast with the same name, available here. Since founding PMA Nonprofit Leadership in 2009, Patton has strategically guided over 300 nonprofit organizations to achieve their fullest potential. A Certified Fundraising Executive and Master Trainer for AFP Global, he serves as Executive in Residence at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and as Director of the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership.
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