Recently, I’ve made a lot of decisions that I expect might be found filed under “things not to do” in the bestselling business books. And I stand by each of these, however uncomfortable they may have been.

• I pulled out of a keynote speaking engagement (to support my family through an unexpected medical crisis).
• I withdrew a proposal during the final stages of contract negotiation (when it was clear the foundation of trust was not present).
• And I wrote about slowing down a timeline due to the upcoming US Presidential election in an RFP response (because I anticipate November may bring periods of unrest and uncertainty, regardless of the outcome).

Pretty sure talking about these decisions while running a business and actively seeking new clients is also not recommended in those bestsellers, but I’ve never been one to shy away from difficult conversations. When we hide or try to escape the realities of the world around us, we are doing a disservice to ourselves and others.

So much of evaluation, business, and life is figuring out how to stay true to our values, and then aligning our words and actions accordingly. On paper, that sounds easy. In real life, it’s an ongoing practice that requires time, space, community, and reflection.

You may have noticed that I included the reasoning for each of my decisions at the beginning of this email in parentheses. That was an intentional decision to remind each of us that those decisions were valid without the caveat. “No” is a complete sentence, and we are allowed to ask for what we need.

Contexts change, and sometimes we need to renegotiate our “yes.”

I believe that evaluation offers us the opportunity to facilitate and strengthen that practice. When I work with clients, I don’t promise flashy statistics or outcomes. Instead, I promise a collaborative experience that facilitates the time and space to learn and reflect together. Because when we bring our whole selves and our values into our work, we can co-create programs, policies, and systems that are meaningful, equitable, and sustainable.

We can be human.

As you reflect on your learning, evaluation, and strategy work, I encourage you to ponder these questions:

• How are your values showing up in your evaluation work?
• Where are you in alignment?
• Where might you practice or play?
• Where are there opportunities to renegotiate your yes?