Shelter’s Edge

About Bert Troughton

Biography

Bert Troughton, MSW

Vice President of Pro Learning, ASPCA Community Outreach

I work with an incredible team of people focused on capacity building initiatives, including the ASPCAPro.org website for professionals, Meet Your Match® adoption programs and Shelter R&D.  From 1992 to 2001, I was CEO of Monadnock Humane Society, where I worked with another amazing team that turned our tired little shelter into a fun place to be – hence achieving an 89% adoption rate (i.e., adoptions divided by intake minus RtO) in ’98, one year ahead of our strategic plan.

I used to write the shelter management page for ASPCA/Petfinder, and I wrote a book with Caryn Ginsberg on business planning for shelters.  And before all this animal welfare work,

I used my clinical social work skills to help children, adolescents and families recover from abuse.

What gives me hope: Believe it or not – the public!  They love animals – all we have to do is harness that for good.

What gets my goat: Infighting.  It makes us look like whack jobs to the public and keeps us chasing our tails instead of achieving milestones.

Important idea I want to promote: Dialogue. When we work at understanding, everything works better!

You may have seen me at: New England Federation of Humane Societies annual conferences or teaching Dialogue Education for Global Learning Partners

Owned by: Three stray felines with no mercy for felt mice and one crippled but incurably happy ESP (English short-haired pointer)

Most Recent Posts by Bert Troughton

• 3 Ways to Boost RTO Rates, March 12th, 2013 in Saving Lives
• Gesundheit!, February 26th, 2013 in Saving Lives&Understanding People & Human Systems
• Get Into The Zone, February 5th, 2013 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Press the Pause Button, January 22nd, 2013 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Let’s Get Happy, January 8th, 2013 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Very Special Delivery, December 18th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• So You Say You Want A Revolution, November 27th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Congratulations On Your Engagement, November 15th, 2012 in $100K Challenge
• No Laughing Matter, October 30th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Peace Talks, October 16th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Get Ready to Say “No Thank You”, August 28th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Stuck In the Middle With You, August 14th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Live Long and Prosper, July 24th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• How Do You Get to Happily Ever After?, July 10th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• What Are Friends For?, June 19th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• I Hate To Burst Your Bubble, But…, June 5th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• 3 Secrets to Volunteer Success, May 8th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Returns Reframed, April 10th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Could You Be More Specific?, March 27th, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Try It, You’ll Like It, February 28th, 2012 in $100K Challenge
• Better and Stronger, February 14th, 2012 in $100K Challenge&Understanding People & Human Systems
• Prepare for Impact, February 3rd, 2012 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Breaking Our 4-Minute Mile, January 31st, 2012 in $100K Challenge&Understanding People & Human Systems
• Give Them a Job To Do, December 20th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• There Are Winners and There Are…, December 6th, 2011 in $100K Challenge&Understanding People & Human Systems
• With Apologies, November 18th, 2011 in Saving Lives
• Let’s Get It Done, November 8th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Failure IS an Option, October 18th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Understand and Deliver, September 27th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Squandering Resources, September 20th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Are You Suffering From OPD?, September 13th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• No Shortage of Big Ideas Here, August 23rd, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• If the Vikings Can Do It…, August 16th, 2011 in Print & Online Communications&Understanding People & Human Systems
• Where Do People Get These Ideas?, August 9th, 2011 in $100K Challenge&Understanding People & Human Systems
• Compassion Collapse, August 4th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• The Secret Power of “Rescue”, July 19th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Change?, July 12th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Identification: Not Just for Pets, June 21st, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Should We Use Words That Cut Both Ways?, June 14th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• The Chasm Between Belief & Reality, June 7th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Are We Getting There?, May 24th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• How Will You Know When You Get There?, May 17th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• C’mon, PEOPLE!, May 3rd, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Tell Me Why I Don’t Like Mondays, April 26th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Friends in High Places, April 12th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Must Love Dogs…But What About Kids?, April 5th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Genuine Leadership, March 29th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• Shelters Are Like Jenga, March 15th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• What’s Your Corporate DNA?, March 8th, 2011 in Understanding People & Human Systems
• The Time Is Now, March 1st, 2011 in $100K Challenge