The future is bright: Megawatts of Social Energy

In the previous post, I offered an explanations of why  social goods are the bottom line for the public sector.   In order to create  social goods, social energy and organizational capital are necessary.  Organizational capital is the everyday “ making the donuts stuff” – staff, funds, etc.   But social energy, well it is:

• The mojo
• The special sauce
• The “secret” why did this turn out so well “ ingredient
• It is a part of the social change formula

Social energy has been the driving force that has made possible every advance made in society

~Leaders who make a Difference by Burt Nanus and Stephen Dobbs.

As leaders, you want to see it as an avenue and a way for you to move your causes forward.

How is it made

It is created through human relationships.   We connect to each other. Then we connect to causes.  Finally, we combine our relationships with our causes to move social  change forward.  If we believe in the cause enough; we will maximize all of our relationships to make change happen.

Right  now, we are so lucky to have many ways to build  human relationships.  There are numerous  points of entry ( Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn,  E-mail, and  IRL – in real life).  We can make friends and contacts through all of these avenues.  For many of us, we use these social media applications as a way of expanding people’s knowledge about our causes and also motivating them to join us.   They provide repeated chances to build a community.

Why should I care

Social energy measures the number of followers and level of participation of the commitment to the purpose of the organization and the leader’s vision.

~Leaders who make a Difference by Burt Nanus and Stephen Dobbs.

The future is bright: Megawatts of Social Energy

In the previous post, I offered an explanations of why  social goods are the bottom line for the public sector.   In order to create  social goods, social energy and organizational capital are necessary.  Organizational capital is the everyday “ making the donuts stuff” – staff, funds, etc.   But social energy, well it is:

• The mojo
• The special sauce
• The “secret” why did this turn out so well “ ingredient
• It is a part of the social change formula

Social energy has been the driving force that has made possible every advance made in society

~Leaders who make a Difference by Burt Nanus and Stephen Dobbs.

As leaders, you want to see it as an avenue and a way for you to move your causes forward.

How is it made

It is created through human relationships.   We connect to each other. Then we connect to causes.  Finally, we combine our relationships with our causes to move social  change forward.  If we believe in the cause enough; we will maximize all of our relationships to make change happen.

Right  now, we are so lucky to have many ways to build  human relationships.  There are numerous  points of entry ( Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn,  E-mail, and  IRL – in real life).  We can make friends and contacts through all of these avenues.  For many of us, we use these social media applications as a way of expanding people’s knowledge about our causes and also motivating them to join us.   They provide repeated chances to build a community.

Why should I care

Social energy measures the number of followers and level of participation of the commitment to the purpose of the organization and the leader’s vision.

~Leaders who make a Difference by Burt Nanus and Stephen Dobbs.

With leadership comes challenges: Three women I admire

I know some great women leaders doing great work. And they have leadership challenges.

These women are my friends and colleagues.  They are  smart, strategic, savvy women who have committed themselves to a variety of causes  that make the world a much better place to live in.

When we go out for lunch or dinner our conversation often turns to work .  Over appetizers,  we share the challenges that we face.  During the main entree, questions are asked . By dessert,  advice is being given.

Because,  I spend a good deal of time thinking about , reading, pondering  the subject of leadership ;  it should not surprise you that I tend to view most workplace challenges through that lens.

I wanted to share three of my friends challenges because I think that they are  commonplace and still in need of solutions.    And I love a good challenge.

Meet the ladies/ Read my mind

Lady Diva #1- Does my outside match the inside

She is second in command at her non profit and a member of the senior leadership team.  Her work links together many facets of activism: lobbying, education,  and coalition building.   She oversees a staff  of 3-5 employees and is committed to their growth and advancement.

Her challenge: She feels like she is hitting a soft wall in terms of advancement  because of her position as # 2 in the organization.  She wants to increase her  external leadership role and become more visible.

To see what happens click on the title above.

Why Social Change Diva is here

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks to change themselves”. – Tolstoy

My professional career has been based on the belief that you can do well by doing good. Now “well” is a relative term. I am not rich but I have been able to sustain a life doing good works. I have spent my professional career working in non-profit organizations that aligned with my causes. And I have been a dedicated worker to those causes: women’s issues, economic prosperity, social justice, and access to legal services for the poor, are just a few. Although a lawyer by training, I have done policy work, community relations work, and leadership development.

Early on in my career I realized that working for non-profits was actually a selfish thing to do. The altruism c an be quite intoxicating. When you tell people about the work that you do and they approve or say “that seems so cool”, you get to feel good about yourself and feel just a little bit higher on the food chain . It feeds your soul . Go non-profits!

What we life long do-gooders realize is that there is a pixie dust version of non-profits and the salt mine version. Pixie first.

Pixie Dust

• Filled with people who are committed to the cause, willing to work harder and longer
• Creative problem solvers who look at the world differently and search for solutions
• Outspoken and tireless advocates determined to make their part of the world (e.g. homelessness, cancer, internet privacy, juvenile justice) a better place for under-represented and unheard communities.

• Change agents, social activists, community organizers, and the “outside” forces making this world a better place.

Salt mine version

• People who are enthusiastic and excited (sometimes fanatical) about the cause
• As mission based organizations, employees may not be seen as partners in the cause but line workers who are doing what needs to get done.
• Even the biggest ones suffer infrastructure issues such as how they get their staff to progress up a career ladder.
• Employees can feel stuck in their jobs and burnout is high
• Staff don’t focus on themselves because the cause is the number one priority

But what I think is that while the cause is the number one priority, if people do not have the skills to do their jobs better, smarter, faster and more creatively, then advancing towards that all important goal is slower and painful and inefficient . And the win, when it happens, is blurred by exhaustion.

So with this blog *and whatever else comes from it* I hope to do just what Tolstoy said, My change in this world is going to be helping those who do the to change themselves.