Tips for Solutions Based Advocacy

Chicago is to community organizing as New York is to apples. Big!  The birth of modern community organizing goes back to the days of Saul Alinsky and his Back of the Yards movement. His agressive strategies and tactics taught many … Read More

When Paul Pholeros or his HealthHabitat team visit indigenous Australian communities to survey improvements to their housing the first thing they do is offer to replace fuses, repair toilets or shower heads.  Paul understands one of the basic rules of … Read More

The boldest, grandest and most desirable objective for people who want to change the world is to get their principles, ideas, approaches, solutions into the 'water supply.'  By that I mean their social or environmental innovation becomes so common place, … Read More

Social entrepreneurs and dear friends Richard and Shelli Steckel are doing it again.  Their Milestones Project is changing the world one tongue at a time. The Milestones project has the rather majestic goal of banishing hatred.  They want to tackle … Read More

In my last post, Part One of Ducks and Icebergs, I summarized some of the challenges public servants and of course, the rest of us are facing in the next 15 years.  Here are five trends public servants are exploring … Read More

Ducks and icebergs have a lot in common.  To get a complete picture you have to look beneath the surface.  Ducks, calmly gliding through the surface of the water, while busily paddling underneath.  Icebergs, massive enough as they float, revealing … Read More

I was asked by a young parent recently, what is the most common mistake made by advocates. My reply was immediate.  Not following the money trail in Government. Or, as was the case in this circumstance (he was advocating for … Read More

Summertime and the living is easy.  Except for cyclists in the grandest sporting event of the summer, Le Tour de France.  And perhaps solution focused advocates.  It may be the perfect time to maintain momentum – the secret of successful … Read More

Not sure why some non profit leaders, advocates and academics dismiss the growing social finance developments so readily and without serious consideration. This lack of curiosity is irresponsible. We can learn a lot from successful social, economic and environmental justice … Read More

Imagine performing for extraordinary long hours every day of the week, in an arena full of people whose predisposition is to boo your every move.  Every weakness, every imperfection, every mistake is magnified. You can't hide.  Your friends are suspect.  … Read More