Africa's Moment
Global Social Benefit Incubator
Global Social Benefit Incubator 2008
Exercise 1: Target Market Statement
GSBI 2008
GSBI 2008 Application
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Collaborative Leadership
Group Discussion on Surviving the Economic Downturn and how best to lead your organization
This session on Collaborative Leadership was more of an interactive group discussion then a panel discussion. The introduction and closing was made by Diana Wells the soft-spoken President of Ashoka with Charlie Brown Executive Director of Ashoka Changemakers leading the group conversation.
The following question was posed to the group: “Over the last two years, which organization has impressed you with increasing its social impact.” Participants responded, explaining the way their organization or another one they were familiar with, managed to make it through the economic crisis and maintain or increase their services rather than decrease or bring to a halt their programs. Networking and collaboration were reoccurring principles and many echoed the need to reexamine the driving forces or core competencies of their organizations. Wells said, “Social Entrepreneurs see opportunities where others see adversity.”
Four main overarching themes came out of the discussion: Vision and Story, Collaboration, Leadership and Teams, and Diversification. Participants were asked to break into four groups, each taking on one of the themes above and discussing the important factors and main points.
Some of the key ideas from the discussion were:
Vision and Story
- Personalize and humanize and then clearly tell what can be done to help
- Know your story but know your audience (internally and externally)
Collaborate
- Opportunity to increase organizational capacity and capabilities
- Are we willing to do it? Say no if doesn’t make sense
- No two organizations have same interest, find common area.
- Clarity of the responsibilities and the value each brings to the table and
Leadership and Teams
- Understand individual visions but bring in commonality-shared vision
- Ask at each step, does this support the vision?
- Founder should step back and allow the employees to step up
Diversification:
- Invest in your employees to see and understand all parts of organization
- Clear vision that all can be understand, refreshed by all. Strong accountability.
- How does founder transfer power to team
- How do you find local people
In closing, Wells emphasized the importance of shared vision and trust and highlighted the importance of building a team of entrepreneurs to ensure succession and the next generation of leaders in the organization.
