Siegel Family Endowment’s Post

You social innovators, You policy architects, You ecosystem leaders, You scientific inventors, You community-centered organizers, You impact funders who want your grants and investments to solve complex social and environmental systemic issues… And me, too. I have been trying to reorient my practice from decoding and wielding business models as a force for change to ecosystems and the contributions that we try to make. Thoughts in progress, based on experiments tested on humans and human systems. #complexity #systemsdesign #strategicdesign https://lnkd.in/e6C_yut8

How can technology bridge the gap between business and community impact? Ryan Brosnahan, Chief Transformation Officer at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, speaking at #CIOEdge with Dr Peter Weill, Senior Research Scientist and Chairman at MIT CISR (MIT Center for Information Systems Research), illustrated how their tech-driven, community-focused approach differentiates them. Their commitment to understanding customer needs and community investment through technology not only enhances their service but also strengthens local ties. 🌍 Adopt tech solutions that reflect and support community values. 💡 Use your unique business model to stand out and drive positive change. 🤝 Forge deep connections with communities to transform tech investments into impactful social contributions. #TechForGood #CommunityImpact #SocialResponsibility #DigitalTransformation

My takeaways from #SIS24…

My first exposure to #systemsthinking was with Peter Senge’s '#TheFifthDiscipline' during my early days in organisation consulting. Senge’s insights were transformative, teaching me two critical lessons: 🌍#System: A system is a set of variables interacting over time under certain rules that establish patterns of behaviour. 🔄#Systemschange, then, is about shifting the conditions that sustain problems in these systems Upon my transition into the philanthropic sector 4 years ago, through my peers, I began to witness the growing importance of embracing #ecosystemlevelshift, a shift that is not only significant but also urgent for our the various issues that humanity is facing. So, to achieve meaningful impact, we must take action at three distinct levels, each crucial to our collective success. 🏗️ #StructuralChanges: Explicit changes in policies, practices, and resources that redefine the framework within which we operate. 🤝 #RelationalChanges: Semi-explicit shifts that enhance how entities within the system relate and cooperate towards mutual goals. 🧠 #TransformativeChanges: Implicit shifts in the mental models that shape stakeholders' perceptions and actions. From our analysis on better ways towards #ecosystemshift, I think there are two roles we can particularly play to achieve the above: #TheSystemsMapper: To identify and map out the elements and interactions within the system, clarifying where impactful interventions can occur. #TheCommunicator and #Orchestrator: Helping stakeholders distil complex information and transforming how they perceive and act upon data. What role have you been playing towards ecosystem shift and development? What are the effective tools for systems mapping that others are using? What are cases of ecosystem transformation you're facilitated? Please DM me would love to learn from your experience. #systemschange #ecosystemdevelopment #ecosystemmapping Credits: conditions of system change by John Kania and Mark Kramer Pic: Alyna Grubnayk

💡 The Power of Ideas in Shaping Communities 💡 At the Ekene C. Enemo Global Foundation, we’ve learned one crucial lesson: change begins with a single idea. Whether it’s a young student with a dream or an entrepreneur with a vision, we believe in nurturing ideas that lead to lasting transformation. This week, we’re launching our Innovation for Impact Program, where we bring together visionary thinkers from different walks of life to tackle challenges in education, healthcare, and economic growth. Our focus isn’t just on what we can do today—but what ideas we can help flourish to ensure a brighter tomorrow. The future of innovation lies in empowering minds. Are you ready to be part of it? Let’s shape the world together! 🌱 #InnovateForImpact #FutureMinds #EmpowerCommunities #TransformTomorrow #EkeneCEnemoGlobalFoundation

Systems change is about a recognition that given a complex challenge there are no simple solutions and no one individual or organization can get the results they desire without working collaboratively with others, as such systems change is about building these collaborative ecosystems. This change in paradigm is nicely illustrated by John Cawley of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation when he says “We realized after spending millions over the years that we were not having the system's impact we needed, and wanted, due to the complexity and size of the issues… So we redefined our role; we are curators or stewards of the ecosystem around an issue … We can be the connective tissue between parts of the ecosystem.” In this article I give an introduction to what we mean by "ecosystem approaches" and why we need them if we are serious about systems-level innovation: https://lnkd.in/emcUaGb3

"How can public innovators help unlock public debate, reopen options? Perhaps first by recognizing the intrinsically political nature of public innovation, the fact that there is no single way to transform the public sector, and that we need to make explicit the values and theories of change we intend to carry forward collectively. If we fail to exploit existing margins for manoeuvre (even when they are narrow), we run the risk of participating in this depoliticization. Even when points of view are very far apart, we shouldn’t be afraid of them, but rather find an interest in them! As far upstream as possible, we need to try and set up controversies, use the power of history, remind people of collective responsibility, talk about responsibilities, geopolitics and current power structures. The aim is to hold up a mirror to the organization, to show it the concrete effects of the paradigms in place." 👏 👏 👏 #repoliticization

The profitability of numerous investments driving climate transformation contrasts with their struggle to attract adequate capital. Bridging this gap between solutions and funding is imperative for advancing sustainable development objectives.

Today’s advice from Grant Cardone: #BreakTraditionalIdeas. That old line, “Well, we’ve always done it this way,” is a red flag. Anytime I hear it, I stop and ask—why? Why have we always done it this way? And why haven’t we tried other approaches? Now, I’m not saying we need to reinvent the wheel every time, but there are moments when things feel stagnant, or they’re simply not delivering the results they used to. In times like these, #InnovationBecomesCritical. We need to be #OpenToBringingNewIdeasToTheTable, trying different strategies, and evolving with the times. What’s key here is having a system to #MeasureTheEffectivenessOfThoseNewIdeas. When we try something new, we need metrics to see if it’s truly better than what came before. It’s not about discarding the old ways but about exploring if there are ways that can adapt better to current realities. The market changes, needs evolve, and technology advances—and so should our approach. What worked in the past was good, but what if there’s an even better way? What if a new perspective could bring more value, greater efficiency, or stronger impact? This is why breaking traditional ideas is essential. By being open to change and fostering a culture of innovation, we don’t just keep up with the market—we set ourselves up to lead. Thanks for checking this out. Get out there, do great things, inspire folks, and be kind.

As many are coming to realize these past few years, the pace of change and urgency needed to mitigate the negative impact of climate change impacts all of us while we still run the risk of leaving quite a few people behind as we pursue progress. Successfully combatting climate change means we are all on this journey together, enabled and empowered to participate.  That’s why I’m excited about the Autodesk Foundation’s Inclusive Climate Innovation Initiative as part of our work in the climate technology space. In collaboration with organizations like Browning the Green Space, we can work together to support climate tech founders—especially women and minority led founders—who face greater barriers to accessing capital and resources for their climate solutions. Throughout my career, I’ve done a lot of community organizing within marginalized communities to help them actualize on their inherent strengths, leverage the power of their history, and find pathways to a healthier community. Sustainability naturally came up in this work, but not without challenges. Local residents often faced barriers of access and affordability, while sustainability professionals struggled to build trust or deeply understand the communities and their cultural gifts.  I look forward to sharing more about this work as we continue to live up to our mission of designing and making a better world, for all 🌍 🌳 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gtTwPi2X #InclusiveInnovation #ClimateTech #DiversityInTech #VentureCapital #Autodesk 🖖