Just before Christmas I had the pleasure of meeting with a student studying social innovation. Social innovation is a hot topic and our discussion was wide-ranging as we shared insights and ideas. We agreed that social innovation was relevant to all sectors – from nonprofit to business to government. But one issue puzzled us both. While there were lots of social innovation activities – labs, meet-ups, hackathons, networking, conferences, social innovation spaces, research and dialogue – what seemed to be missing was widespread action.
Reflections From 2 Partnership Brokers Association Courses!
If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far, travel together”–African Proverb It can be said that partnering creates a whole that is significantly greater than the sum of the individual parts, and in the process builds greater value than any one partner could achieve on their own. But what does it take to make a partnership successful?
Profits + Purpose: Trico Homes - A Calgary Success Story
Is it possible for a company to achieve a social purpose while also delivering solid profits? Forward-looking organizations are already focusing on how to balance profit and purpose. Calgary-based Trico Homes is an excellent example of a business that has integrated a strong social purpose into its very core. Wayne Chiu and Trico Homes have redefined how they support community in a way that delivers value for the community and the business.
Collaborative Leadership for Value Creation
Collaborative leadership is critical to progress in today’s ever-changing society. A more collaborative model allows for greater social and business value creation and a better leveraging of resources. Creating shared value requires employees to develop new collaborative leadership skills that enable them to build innovative, deeper relationships.
Shared Value: Business at it's Best!
This year’s Shared Value Leadership Summit theme was acceleration - from Shared Value theory to action. Companies around the world are intentionally designing business models and strategies around shared value that create both business and social value. As a practitioner and member of the affiliated professional network of the Shared Value Initiative, I am pleased to share my top take-aways from this year’s conference, with more to come in subsequent blogs!
Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste - Collaborate!
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” – former President Obama chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, commenting during the 2008 financial crisis.As Canadians stare down $50/barrel oil prices, we begin to see the impact it has on our country’s economic and social health.
What Corporations Can Learn from Great Non-profit Brands
Spotting an exceptional brand is easy, but building one is one of the most important challenges every organization faces. So how do you build a brand that breaks through? And is there a difference from one sector or industry to the next? That was the challenge that I was presented when approached to write a chapter for the internationally published book “The Brand Challenge”. My biggest takeaway - business can learn a lot from great non-profits!
In a SINGLE day: Learn how to unlock the potential of partnerships
JS Daw & Associates is excited to announce that the Conference Board of Canada is offering a one-day course called “Maximizing Partnerships.” This course will be coming to Calgary on March 3, 2015. Jocelyne Daw and Senior Advisor Del Simon from JS Daw & Associates will be the co-trainers. This course has been developed in collaboration with the global Partnership Brokers Association, and will allow participants to:
Articulating a Social Purpose: The YMCA Calgary Takes a Stand to Help our City’s Kids
Every non-profit organization has a mission that is central to its operations. In today’s increasingly sophisticated non-profit sector, most organizations can articulate their mission and what they do bring it to life through programs and services. What many organizations can’t do is describe “why.” Why do they do what they do? What is their social purpose and the reason they exist? In the absence of having a clear purpose, non-profits leave significant value on the table.
An Interview: Why Partnership Brokering Matters
With Partnership Brokers Training Course right around the corner, who better to advocate for it than past participants? So JS Daw & Associates took a (virtual) trip across the pond and interviewed two graduates of the Partnership Brokers Training Course who are presently working in London, UK. Scroll down to see their interviews and find out what makes the Partnership Brokers Training Course so unique.Introducing Marieke Hounjet, Head of Development and Partnerships at Start Network, London, UK.JSD:Can you briefly explain your role at your organization?