On Courage
by Seth Godin
We fundamentally agree with Seth Godin’s new piece on the need for courage
from non-profits, and he agreed to let us promote it here:
sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/09/the-problem-with-non.html
On Leadership
by Mark Sarner
This is Manifest founder Mark Sarner’s well-read article about the
essentials of leadership from Fast Company:
fastcompany.com/articles/archive/msarner.html
25 things we’ve learned
Over our 25-plus years, Manifest has learned a lot about how social change happens, and we wanted to share a few thoughts that have stood the test of time. So bookmark us and come back every week or so for a new one, or follow our updates at twitter.com/manifestchange.
THING N° 4: SEEING IS BELIEVING
Far too often, social mission organizations get immersed in the provision of a social service or good, but neglect an important aspect of social change agency: making sure that the process and the outcomes are visible and promoted.
For example, if great strides get made in terms of providing affordable urban housing, it’s not enough that under-housed or homeless people become better housed and therefore empowered to live more safely, comfortably and affordably. Creating meaningful social change also requires sustained leadership and championship of the issue, so that a values and belief system about the issue is entrenched. This will ensure commitment by all stakeholders and publics to support and maintain the change. Society must become more attuned to the dynamics of an issue (knowledge), why it’s important (awareness and understanding), how it does or should or could relate to them (engagement), and what their belief in it says about them (values).
Social issues need profile in order to compete with the myriad social, political and commercial interests vying for attention
THING N° 3: HOW YOU SPEAK IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU SAY
You’ll attract more bees (and buzz) with honey.
Diabetes is a serious condition. Left undiagnosed and untreated, it causes grave complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and infections that can lead to amputation. Logically, the way to get attention is to strike a serious tone that will make people sit up and take notice. And time and time again social marketers addressing serious issues apply this logic.
What we’ve learned over time is quite the opposite: the tone of delivery need not necessarily reflect the serious tenor of the message. Often a light-hearted, even humourous tone will break through more readily when the message is serious. And people are more likely to pay attention, consider the message and even act differently if they feel engaged and rewarded rather than lectured to or threatened.
Commercial marketers have long known that a brand can sometimes be built around personality or image alone. As social issue marketing becomes commonplace, attention is flowing to those issues and causes that connect with our humanity with a sensibility that is surprising, entertaining, or at the very least, uniquely engaging.
THING N° 2: SOCIAL CHANGE TAKES TIME
Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness, disability and premature death in Canada. We’ve known this for almost 50 years, and over the last five decades Canada has launched many tobacco control initiatives. Yet it took almost 25 years to reduce our smoking rate from 45% in 1972 to 20% in 2005. And 5 million Canadians continue to smoke. So, tobacco control efforts continue.
Just because you tell people smoking is bad for them doesn’t mean that they’ll quit then and there. Social change requires the right dynamics to be at play, and a sustained commitment to addressing the issue is fundamental. But too often people get discouraged and frustrated by the lack of immediate results. Many give up or move on to other issues of interests before success can be realized.
Social change is a long-term, dynamic process. Change agents need to adjust their thinking and expectations accordingly. Realistic and measurable objectives need to be identified from the outset. Strategies and tactics must evolve with market realities and opportunities. The key is to remain focused, relentless, and importantly, patient.
THING N° 1: GOOD LEADERS ARE NEEDED
Causes need leaders who can make the case, cut through the clutter, and compel others to act.
By the time the AIDS crisis in Africa came to public attention, the disease was already an epidemic. It is only because certain people took public leadership on the issue that the UN and Western leaders have taken it on and helped ensure hope for Africa’s future.
Seventy percent of new HIV infections and 77 percent of deaths from AIDS worldwide occur in Africa. Yet there’s progress: HIV rates are declining among young people in some areas; testing and education are more prevalent; individual countries are doing more to contribute to the cause at home and worldwide.
Why? In large part, because of leaders who put their profile, credibility, and powers of persuasion to work. Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Stephen Lewis took up the fight against AIDS in Africa by relentlessly raising public awareness, pressuring global leaders, and providing public leadership for an otherwise abandoned cause.
Many obstacles stand in the way of change: political concerns, religious beliefs, societal norms, fear, misinformation, ignorance. Influential, skilled leadership can unite disparate groups, reassure skittish stakeholders, influence influencers, and rally support.