Do More: Post #6--Practice #2--Blend Profit with Purpose

Practice #2: Blend Profit with Purpose. Previously, at the high end, businesses established a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. While CSR programs deserve kudos for effort, they don’t help their businesses or their causes as well as they could. However, companies like GE and some others have figured out how to make the blend work. Entrepreneurs, as well, are figuring out how to have a double bottom line—financial gain and contribution to the social condition.

Do More--Post #5--Practice #1--Advocate for Change

Practice #1: Advocate for Change. Advocacy for many nonprofits and donors is a dirty
word. Many feel restricted by laws governing lobbying and the difference between advocacy and lobbying. Others want to keep arms-length from the sticky business of change, especially at the boots-on-the-ground level.  However, no system-wide change happens without the public and politicians. The author uses several examples, especially how the Tow Foundation changed the Connecticut juvenile system from appalling to applauded.

Do More: Post #4--Commit

Commit to Your Cause: Much like any strategic planning process, by focusing on the vision of what they want to accomplish (their cause), these catalytic donors hone in on what they need to do and what they need to stop doing. It’s like anyone starting a business. Ultimately, you have to figure out your purpose and direction. Once they’ve honed in, these donors exhibit very specific practices. Next, see The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World.

Do More: Post#3--Common vs Catalytic

Common vs. Catalytic Donor Mindset: Previously, the most “common” approach to giving involved donors first selecting a cause that resonated with them. Next, they gave a donation or grant to help the organization accomplish what they promised to do. Finally, donors got a report about what the non-profit had done. The cycle continued taking small bites out of the problem—donation by donation. These authors offer a different way. They see collaborations among donors—business, government, individuals and nonprofits—like a set of gears enmeshed, all working in concert with each other in synergy.

Do Moore--Post#2--Catalytic Philanthropy

Catalytic Philanthropy: Rather than simply writing a check, catalytic
donors cause real action to take place. They take action across the boundaries of society from advocacy, to business, to government, and to nonprofits. They are not willing to be passive funders, rather to be catalysts who collaborate, activate and participate in the process of change. They use their “…clout, connections, business know-how, and political savvy…” to advance their causes in the community. These catalytic donors shift from being merely passive donors to community activists and community problems solvers.

Do More: Post#1--Overview

Overview: Traditional philanthropy works, but not at the level it could. The authors walk
us through the traditional model of giving money, reviewing proposals, and getting status reports that we may or may not ever read. They also describe a more engaged donor—the catalytic donor—who engages actively with the entire ecosystem of philanthropy to make system-wide changes that really matter. The authors outline six critical practices of these catalytic donors who change the world: 1. Advocate for change; 2. Blend profit with purpose; 3. Forge nonprofit peer networks; 4. Empower the people; 5. Lead adaptively; 6. Learn in order to change.
Do More Than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World (Jossey-Bass, 2011) by Leslie Crutchfield, et al., reviewed by Steve Gladis

Social: Post #8--Social & Happiness

Social & Happiness: Increasing social connection is a strong predictor of happiness; increasing wealth is not. But we value the pursuit of wealth over happiness, at the expense of social networks, spending more time at work than at home or with friends. Strengthening social powers will help our children do better in the world as they grow into adulthood.

Social: Post #7--Social & Leadership

Social Brain and Leadership: A leader, who has an analytical approach only, has less chance for being successful. However, if s/he has social skills as well, the chances of being perceived as a great leader skyrocket. Social skills are a big multiplier. Note: Giving praise has the same effect as giving money.

Social: Post #6--Social & Teaching

Social Brain and Teaching: If you learn to teach someone else, you learn better and faster than if you’re just prepping for a test. Ask teachers, who will tell you they never knew a subject well until they taught it. But our educational philosophy in most classes is to just listen to the teacher—not to teach, which would allow kids to learn much deeper and faster.

Social: Post #5--Two Brains

Two Brains: We have an analytical brain that works on solving problems—draws concepts from around the brain like a systems integrator to solve focused problems. We also have this social mind (mentalizing) that allows us to use our primal need for social thinking to consider what others are thinking, which helps us appropriately to react to others, socialize, and harmonize better. The brain’s default is social thinking.