Grand Challenges address socially intractable problems. Wicked problems. Problems that have so many moving parts, it’s difficult to wrap your mind around them – like climate change. I’ve had the opportunity to help conceive, design, and execute, five grand challenges. I’ve spent the last few weeks discussing the varied processes, tools, and models key to […]
Strategic Foresight in 5 Steps Read More »
I am event-driven. I believe bringing people together has the most potential for creating the capability and building the bonds that enable social movements – critical to successful Grand Challenges – to take place. Despite this potential, many corporate events and conferences miss the mark, offering carnival-like atmospheres when you need a profoundly moving and
Touchstone Events: 7 Steps to Impact Grand Challenges Read More »
I’ve spent the last few months focused on Grand Challenges, using Visionary Talk to highlight models, frameworks, and pertinent case studies that would benefit any large-scale change initiative. Remember, a Grand Challenge is a big, bold goal that takes on a socially intractable problem by building alliances of organizations and activists who can attack
Grand Challenge Design Studio Read More »
I’ve been talking a lot about elements of a Grand Challenge and the frameworks and models I draw on to create success in dealing with intractable societal problems. I haven’t touched on the extraordinary experience of engaging in an initiative that calls out your best to walk in Integrity with your world. Awe is an
Grand Challenges: Awe-some Work Read More »
The Design Summit is the second major event in every Grand Challenge. Unlike the Design Studio – which galvanizes leadership and precedes it – the focus of the Design Summit is to launch the movement that will carry your Grand Challenge forward. There are three primary agendas in the Design Summit: Establish the context Launch
The Design Summit: Moving Grand Challenges Forward Read More »
Big, bold initiatives that tackle some of society’s wickedest problems are called Grand Challenges. Successful Grand Challenges rely on several elements, the most impactful being a large and diverse network of allies – an ecosystem. The key to leading a large-scale change initiative is the ability to align players from multiple dimensions simultaneously around a
Activating an Ecosystem for Grand Challenge Success Read More »
Many elements are involved in tackling Grand Challenges – big, bold initiatives that take on some of the wickedest problems that society is facing. In my work on Grand Challenges and significant change initiatives, I draw on several models (both my own and those developed by others). To help organize each of those critical elements,
Grand Challenge Upward Spiral Read More »
In 2001, a research team led by Dr. Christina Economos studied four movements that created a flip in societal thinking: Breastfeeding Smoking Cessation Seat Belt Use Recycling Through that research, the team identified 10 Key Elements to Creating a Social Movement – critical to the success of any Grand Challenge or internal change work. I’ve
Implement the Plan Read More »
In the last two issues of Visionary Talk, we’ve explored the 10 Key Elements to Creating a Social Movement. The elements were identified in 2001 by a research team led by Dr. Christina Economos. The team studied four major social movements that created a 180-degree flip in societal thinking: Breastfeeding Smoking Cessation Seat Belt
Creating a social movement is critical to the success of a Grand Challenge and other change initiatives. In previous issues of Visionary Talk, we’ve explored the 10 Key Elements of Creating a Social Movement, as identified by a research team led by Dr. Christina Economos. Click here to learn more about Dr. Economos’s work studying
Frame and Build the Case Read More »
