Too much of the conversation about social change is wrapped in the language of policy and finance. While these are important considerations they are limited in describing and realizing the world we want. We need a different language. I propose … Read More
Yearly Archives: 2015
Social Innovation – a Definition of Opportunity
When asked recently to define social innovation I replied rather off handedly it’s a combination of the old, the new and the surprising. It’s not much of a definition but then again the ambiguity might be useful. Definitions all too … Read More
The Spark That Ignites the Social Innovator’s Journey
Then, when he had flown a while longer, Something brightened toward the north, It caught his eye, they say. And then he flew right up against it. He pushed his mind through And pulled his body after. … Read More
US Embargo on Intellectual Property Shakes Up Canadian Change-Makers
The Canadian social change community is slowly reacting to the latest American border restrictions. It’s hard to believe but the Americans intend to restrict the free use of US intellectual property (including social change concepts and practices) outside their borders. … Read More
Cherry Blossoms & the Social Innovation ‘Terroir’ of Canada
Have you ever wondered what cherry blossoms in Vancouver taste like? I didn’t have the imagination to even conceive of such a question let alone answer it until I attended a dinner hosted by Elementa a collective of young culinary … Read More
Steve Nash and Acting Your Age
Steve Nash’s decision to retire from basketball is a reminder that boomers like me also have a hard time letting go of our roles and responsibilities. The professional sports world is full of stories of athletes who stayed on past … Read More
Setting the Heather on Fire – The Antigonish Movement
I fell in love with Nova Scotia in the 1970’s. It started in Antigonish – green rolling hills, sea bound coast, hundreds of fiddlers performing under the summer stars, John Allen Cameron singing at a local club, caber tossing, and … Read More
Dating Concepts
I fall a little in love with new ideas, methods and concepts. It happens all the time. We date. Everything is rosy. They are perfect. There is nothing they can’t do. I’ve found the one. This has happened with social … Read More
Resurrecting the Ordinary
The Quakers of the seventeenth century thought of themselves as “God’s ordinaries.” They meant ordinary in the sense that extraordinary acts are not reserved for the special few. They believed that we are all born with the capacity to be … Read More
Stepping Out
Dear Reader, I’m excited to be back blogging! For more than 2 years I’ve been immersed in writing a new book, Impact: Six Patterns to Spread Your Social Innovation. (More details very soon!) Writing a book in my case meant … Read More