I just love this talk. It is perhaps one of the most important TED talks ever related to the field of ethics and doing good. Ernesto Sirolli's work as an enterprise facilitator is well known around the world. In this talk he shares both his early experiences in what doesn't work in Africa, as well…
Beyond economic growth: pluralism vs a non-profit world
I often get tired of the not-for-profit vs for-profit debate as it too often is simplistically argued. The other night I was at an event on social enterprise, and the keynote speaker starts by saying how much he hates not-for-profits. His background was in small business, and he seemed to think that this was the…
YOU are your business
A wise teacher said to me recently, "You are your business"; and seldom has a truer thing been said. We live in a world where we celebrate building things outside ourselves - companies, campaigns, architecture, change. Yet on some level these things are not outside of us, they are outward expressions of our inner lives.…
Why resistance is important
Despite my being a supporter of marriage equality, it is vitally important in the long run for there to be resistance to it. I would say that for any social change issue, we need to rethink our tolerance for resistance, because it is in the resistance itself that real change happens. A number of years…
Do the hokey-pokey, that’s what it’s all about!
You put your whole self in You put your whole self out You put your whole self in and you shake it all about You do the hokey-pokey and you turn around ...that's what it's all about! Yesterday I had the amazing good fortune of doing the Hokey-pokey with a group of consenting adults, inspired…
Systems diplomacy: is this the end of social entrepreneurship?
Last week I wrote a short post titled Now Hiring: Systems Diplomats and had a most surprising reaction. My niche little blog with its humble readership suddenly swelled, at least momentarily. There was something in this post that seemed to resonate for people very strongly. It might have been not much more than the first…
Walking the middle path – the limits of vulnerability
Vulnerability has been trending of late; a meme that has captured the minds and hearts of many people I know. Moreover, it seems to have changed their behaviour. I experience myself and others being more vulnerable with each other, deepening connection and building community. While vulnerability can create greater connection, empathy and understanding, I have…
Now hiring: Systems Diplomats
The world is seeking a team of curious, creative and humble diplomats to navigate complexity, choreograph systems and facilitate collaboration. Context and Purpose Communities, nations, sectors, industries and more are dealing with greater levels of complexity and diversity of participation. This complexity and diversity, and current collective lack of ability to deal with it, is…
Beyond ‘disadvantage’: rethinking how we talk
I have long been conscious of words, labels and how language can shape our reality. Initially my experience of labels was a personal one. Not just because of my sexuality, but indeed loads of experiences throughout my life have taught me the power and limitation of words. After some harrowing times, at fifteen I embarked…
Working across timescales: the future may never get here
Last week I read a cool tweet by @SimonLongstaff at the St. James Ethics Centre which read: "A proposal: that every regulation automatically lapse after a limited, fixed period - only being renewed if deemed essential" I thought this was a cool idea to change the default from what is most often permanent legislation, to…
How To Do Good 