From Lean Start-Up to Lean Collaboration

Unleashing Impactful Change

  The current political moment has attracted activists at unprecedented levels. For those who seek to convert initial engagement into meaningful social change, the question is how do we increase and sustain it? Read more about community philanthropy on Giving Compass Through our work in leading large-scale change efforts in health care and homelessness, our coaching for similar initiatives in other sectors, and our review of almost 50 examples of significant social change, we have noticed eight characteristics that are usually present when large numbers of people join together to make the world measurably better. Done together, these actions create a phenomenon we call “unleashing”—in this context, thousands, even millions, of people working with growing energy and creativity to carry forward a shared cause. Unleashing rests on the belief that we already have all we need to make great change, and that we can achieve it by intentionally and thoughtfully leveraging the untapped joy, imagination, skills, and wisdom that individuals, organizations, and communities hold. As famed union organizer Marshall Ganz asserts, successful leaders are clear on the values that call them to the work and skilled at communicating their motivations. Their conviction sustains them in their darkest moments. It also attracts others, inviting them to tap into their own values and the great energy stored therein. The most effective initiatives also clearly see the nature of the systems they seek to change, refusing to accept received wisdom about the status quo. Clear, quantifiable aims shift movements from broad visions to concrete actions, avoiding dissipation of energy. In addition, the most successful efforts we’ve observed have set goals so bold that they demand collaboration from many in order to succeed. Then they divide up the labor between participants to define exactly what everyone needs to contribute to achieve the goal—or “take the hill”—in question. Leaders then... [are] deploying active field operations that go out to learn from trouble spots and high performers in the field. These initiatives revere learning at the periphery. Though hardly magic, the ideas here can unleash groups of good people to exceed their own expectations and do very great things. Read the source article at Stanford Social Innovation Review Visit GivingCompass.org about impact philanthropy