This world needs Advocates - What is your role?
It's embarrassing to me how selfish I was for 45 years. Or naive. Or both. I had little part to play in leaving this world a better place than how I inherited it...Indifference.
Embarrassing.
The people I hang with now probably wouldn't have liked the old Hans much. Maybe I wasn't all indifferent but certainly not spurred to action, to play a part in being the difference.
Our generation has probably done more to damage this planet and to ignore the poverty, suffering and misery that exists than any other generation. And I've been part of that for a long time. Privileged, working towards my success and the happiness and safekeeping of those around me.
Even now, the little I do is so inadequate. But I do believe that one person can make a difference. In action for sure, but also in spurring in others the realization that not to act is damning...to us, to our children and the planet.
Facts that make me ill:
There are 27 million people in slavery today. More than any time in history
More than a billion people live on less than $1 per day
925 million people do not have enough to eat
Two thirds of the worlds hungry live in 7 countries
Every 5 seconds a child dies of hunger
22,000 children die each day due to conditions of poverty
1.7 billion people lack access to clean water
12% of the population uses 85% of it's water
90% of the big fish in the ocean are gone
40 % of all organisms are endangered
Enough plastic is produced in the united states each year to shrink-wrap Texas
Forests used to cover over half of the earth's landmass. Now they cover one tenth.
And those of us in leadership positions know that we can sway and influence. Our job is to motivate people to work together to create better results. And I've learned in the past few years that those skills can just as easily be applied to a passion of social change. As leaders we have an obligation to create positive impact, not only for our shareholders, but for our employees, our communities, our planet...and to the next generation. The business leaders of the world influence more people than any other group. We lead. And our leadership obligation extends to social profit. And when we focus on social profit, when we care, its not at the expense of financial returns; it is by understanding that what we do for a living can add value to the bottom of the pyramid, the disenfranchised - we can make a difference, improve conditions and at the same time serve a market for our products and services. That is true leadership.
Some of the material that has helped shaped my thinking:
The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
The War of Art - Stephen Pressfieldd
Endgame - Derrick Jensen
A Language Older than Words - Derrick Jensen
How to Change the World - David Bornstein
Questions of Character - Badaracco
Half the Sky - Kristoff/WuDunn
Conscious Capitalism - Mackey/Sisodia
How will you Measure your Life - Clayton Christensen
Earthlings (Video)
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl
The Art of Happiness - Dalai Lama
Some of the amazing people I've met who have influenced me
Navroze
Navroze Mehta is the guy who introduced me to social entrepreneurship. A YPO forum member, he convinced me to join Ashoka and help him seed the concept of social enterprise in our chapter. He has an amazing passion for changing things for the better, a passion for everyone and everything. He has been a very important person in making me see the things that need to be done and how we can make a difference. He introduced me to Ashoka. I have invested, joined boards and helped him found a company, Mela Artisans, which creates a market for Indian artisans's work with a mission to help secure dignified, self sustaining livelihoods and save their artisan work from extinction .
Bill
Bill Drayton is the founder of Ashoka, an organization that funds and supports thousands of Social Entrepreneurs around the world, each of them addressing systemic social change. Bill is a true modern day hero, shining a light on the importance of creating a world of Changemakers.
Vera
Vera is an amazing Ashoka fellow. Vera and her team have saved so many lives, improved the livelihood of so many people in the Brazilian Favelas. A doctor, she has created a model where poor families with critically sick kids can get help across all dimensions to improve their lives: medical, legal, career, kids. Her model is now accepted social doctrine in cities in Brazil. Vera and her staff at Saude Crianca are contagious in their passion and enthusiasm for change. I have the honor to work with Vera and her team.
Catherine
Catherine Hoke-Rohr founded a company, Defy Ventures, which provides carefully selected, ambitious men and women who have criminal histories with life-changing entrepreneurship, leadership and career opportunities. Cat has a passion to create second chances for the previously incarcerated and won't stop until a very broken system is fixed!
Felipe
Felipe Vergara, the founder of Lumni Inc, a company who's business model allows people to invest in human capital. Lumni takes investors funds, and funds young adults' higher education and they pay back a percentage of their first years' salaries. The better kids the young adults do, the better the return. Started in Colombia, this company has helped educate and change the lives of many kids and allowed investors to invest in the human capital that will eventually change this world
Eduardo
Eduardo Balarezo, another YPO colleague started a company called Lonesome George. Lonesome George was the last surviving turtle of it's species on the Galapagos and was the brand and symbol to fuel Eduardo's passion for change and his company. Eduardo is creating a brand around social consciousness and accountablity for change through a Lonesome George branded apparel line. His Mind-Shift-Impact model sponsors Academies of Agents of Change, helping young adults develop the skills to be social entrepreneurs
This world needs advocates. There are many people doing amazing work every day, with their hearts played out, no self interest. Working with the underprivileged, finding amazing new ways to eradicate poverty and raise standards of living through health, education, social change.
And yet we need so many more of those people. They fight an uphill battle where 95% of the world needs help, and 98% of the 5 that don't, don't care enough.
We all need to be Changemakers.
Once you decide that social change requires a personal commitment and passion, then the doors open up on all fronts.
How we dedicate our time, how we invest, the conversations we have with others, The lifestyle decisions we make. The leadership choice we make. They all change.
I talk to anyone I can about these things. That's easy because It's so critically important.
more than I've ever done, and I know it matters.
And I'm committed.
Trying to catch up for 45 years.
Embarrassing.
The people I hang with now probably wouldn't have liked the old Hans much. Maybe I wasn't all indifferent but certainly not spurred to action, to play a part in being the difference.
Our generation has probably done more to damage this planet and to ignore the poverty, suffering and misery that exists than any other generation. And I've been part of that for a long time. Privileged, working towards my success and the happiness and safekeeping of those around me.
Even now, the little I do is so inadequate. But I do believe that one person can make a difference. In action for sure, but also in spurring in others the realization that not to act is damning...to us, to our children and the planet.
Facts that make me ill:
There are 27 million people in slavery today. More than any time in history
More than a billion people live on less than $1 per day
925 million people do not have enough to eat
Two thirds of the worlds hungry live in 7 countries
Every 5 seconds a child dies of hunger
22,000 children die each day due to conditions of poverty
1.7 billion people lack access to clean water
12% of the population uses 85% of it's water
90% of the big fish in the ocean are gone
40 % of all organisms are endangered
Enough plastic is produced in the united states each year to shrink-wrap Texas
Forests used to cover over half of the earth's landmass. Now they cover one tenth.
And those of us in leadership positions know that we can sway and influence. Our job is to motivate people to work together to create better results. And I've learned in the past few years that those skills can just as easily be applied to a passion of social change. As leaders we have an obligation to create positive impact, not only for our shareholders, but for our employees, our communities, our planet...and to the next generation. The business leaders of the world influence more people than any other group. We lead. And our leadership obligation extends to social profit. And when we focus on social profit, when we care, its not at the expense of financial returns; it is by understanding that what we do for a living can add value to the bottom of the pyramid, the disenfranchised - we can make a difference, improve conditions and at the same time serve a market for our products and services. That is true leadership.
Some of the material that has helped shaped my thinking:
The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
The War of Art - Stephen Pressfieldd
Endgame - Derrick Jensen
A Language Older than Words - Derrick Jensen
How to Change the World - David Bornstein
Questions of Character - Badaracco
Half the Sky - Kristoff/WuDunn
Conscious Capitalism - Mackey/Sisodia
How will you Measure your Life - Clayton Christensen
Earthlings (Video)
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl
The Art of Happiness - Dalai Lama
Some of the amazing people I've met who have influenced me
Navroze
Navroze Mehta is the guy who introduced me to social entrepreneurship. A YPO forum member, he convinced me to join Ashoka and help him seed the concept of social enterprise in our chapter. He has an amazing passion for changing things for the better, a passion for everyone and everything. He has been a very important person in making me see the things that need to be done and how we can make a difference. He introduced me to Ashoka. I have invested, joined boards and helped him found a company, Mela Artisans, which creates a market for Indian artisans's work with a mission to help secure dignified, self sustaining livelihoods and save their artisan work from extinction .
Bill
Bill Drayton is the founder of Ashoka, an organization that funds and supports thousands of Social Entrepreneurs around the world, each of them addressing systemic social change. Bill is a true modern day hero, shining a light on the importance of creating a world of Changemakers.
Vera
Vera is an amazing Ashoka fellow. Vera and her team have saved so many lives, improved the livelihood of so many people in the Brazilian Favelas. A doctor, she has created a model where poor families with critically sick kids can get help across all dimensions to improve their lives: medical, legal, career, kids. Her model is now accepted social doctrine in cities in Brazil. Vera and her staff at Saude Crianca are contagious in their passion and enthusiasm for change. I have the honor to work with Vera and her team.
Catherine
Catherine Hoke-Rohr founded a company, Defy Ventures, which provides carefully selected, ambitious men and women who have criminal histories with life-changing entrepreneurship, leadership and career opportunities. Cat has a passion to create second chances for the previously incarcerated and won't stop until a very broken system is fixed!
Felipe
Felipe Vergara, the founder of Lumni Inc, a company who's business model allows people to invest in human capital. Lumni takes investors funds, and funds young adults' higher education and they pay back a percentage of their first years' salaries. The better kids the young adults do, the better the return. Started in Colombia, this company has helped educate and change the lives of many kids and allowed investors to invest in the human capital that will eventually change this world
Eduardo
Eduardo Balarezo, another YPO colleague started a company called Lonesome George. Lonesome George was the last surviving turtle of it's species on the Galapagos and was the brand and symbol to fuel Eduardo's passion for change and his company. Eduardo is creating a brand around social consciousness and accountablity for change through a Lonesome George branded apparel line. His Mind-Shift-Impact model sponsors Academies of Agents of Change, helping young adults develop the skills to be social entrepreneurs
This world needs advocates. There are many people doing amazing work every day, with their hearts played out, no self interest. Working with the underprivileged, finding amazing new ways to eradicate poverty and raise standards of living through health, education, social change.
And yet we need so many more of those people. They fight an uphill battle where 95% of the world needs help, and 98% of the 5 that don't, don't care enough.
We all need to be Changemakers.
Once you decide that social change requires a personal commitment and passion, then the doors open up on all fronts.
How we dedicate our time, how we invest, the conversations we have with others, The lifestyle decisions we make. The leadership choice we make. They all change.
I talk to anyone I can about these things. That's easy because It's so critically important.
more than I've ever done, and I know it matters.
And I'm committed.
Trying to catch up for 45 years.
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