Coming from the financial services space, I know well the sense of excitement and fear that technology brings — online banking, for example, has introduced a whole level of convenience but has set consumer expectations high and put some roles at risk.

Back in 2011, the Stanford Social Innovation Review released a series of articles and arguments championing Collective Impact. They argue that large problems need large solutions, but at the same time, they must be nimble and adaptive — scale cannot choke the solution from shifting over time. Collective Impact requires people first and foremost, especially their ability to manage networks and relationships and adapt to changes as they collectively learn.

More recently, HBR covered similar thinking in their article, Audacious Philanthropy. They find that large-scale social change (many championed by philanthropy) often requires the following:

  • Build a shared understanding of the problem and its ecosystem
  • Set “winnable milestones” and hone a compelling message
  • Design approaches that will work at massive scale
  • Drive (rather than assume) demand
  • Embrace course corrections

Answer those questions that will help you make your “someday” list a reality.

Read the full article by GrantBook about collective impact on Medium