How do we have positive impact?
📸 by Oleksandr P. on Pexels
I recently sat exploring this question with a board member of a large multinational non-profit humanitarian organisation.
Although we came from different contexts; I as a socially responsible entrepreneur and they working within a large humanitarian organisation - we connected over common values including having impact. We are both driven by the desire to use our personal finite resources of time, energy, skills and knowledge to make a difference.
We enjoyed talking about change and exploring the question lots of purpose driven founders and humanitarian leaders loop back to again and again: how to have the impact we are seeking?
My humanitarian companion and I found common ground and common frustrations in the stories and career journeys we shared. They likely resonate with many others driven by similar core values. We both had spent time trying to drive positive change from within large organisations. We both encountered points in this process where we started to question our capacity to have meaningful impact from within these large structures. Although we could simultaneously see the potential for impact rippling out from these bigger systems.
We’d also both spent time trying to have impact and create positive change in other ways. Working ‘outside the system’, but each doing this in different ways. This might mean anything from more activist approaches to create change, or it might mean working independently of organisational structures and systems to perhaps harness social change through other tools like ethical business models and practices.
The not entirely surprising conclusion to the question of ‘how do we have positive impact?’
...there is not one nice simple answer!
However, I've pulled out some components to keep in mind when this question shows up (which can sometimes be when you feel like you aren’t having impact):
Showing up and doing what you can, with integrity is much better than not taking action.
Giving a ****! is hard.
You have to prioritise actions to care for yourself, to then be able to sustain the care and compassion you wish to give to others (a hard lesson for many of us to learn).
It's ok to feel frustrated - that emotion tells you you care and this is important. But… It is not wise to make decisions or take actions driven by frustration. You have to notice the frustration, step back and make wise decisions that are based on a bigger picture.
It is ok to change your mind and your approach to what is important - flexibility while keeping your eye on the bigger picture can be a very powerful tool.
When working towards big goals it is very important to celebrate small wins and regularly. You might be climbing a mountain, but to keep motivated you need to regularly stop, take a breath, look back and recognise the journey you have gone on so far.
You often can’t control many components of outcomes from your decisions and actions, but if you do things that move you towards your core values, you are not likely to experience regret.
You have to prioritise care for yourself, to then be able to sustain the care and compassion you wish to give to others
I’m treating this list as a work in progress. I’d be really interested to hear if you have any core points to add to it?
I wanted to include something in my list about the power of collaboration and support. I know I do my best work when I collaborate. But it exists here as a separate point instead as it comes with some points to consider. My humanitarian companion shared an experience I remember well from when I was working within big organisations; there can be a tipping point when the number of collaborators gets too big, it brings complexity. Scale often slows down the process of impact. A great number of collaborators can have a greater impact - if the goal remains clear and agreed, but it can take a lot of time to get there and the goal can become diluted.
Whether you are a lone ranger, a small and nimble SME or a large organisation or business. The core to having a positive impact is around clarity of the goal you are working towards and that goal needs to be rooted in core values. The founders values and anyone else on the team. We don’t leave our values at the door when we go to work. Those values need to inform all that you do and how you do it to have the impact you are seeking. Our behaviours and actions must align with those values. Start there!