Category Archives: Social Change

Conscious Capitalism in the SF Bay Area: what is it and where is it going?

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conscious capitalism logoI recently sat down for a conversation with Margaret Ryan and Anna McGrath, co-directors of the Bay Area Conscious Capitalism chapter, a new part of the global movement of businesses with a triple bottom line: people, planet, and profits.

Margaret and Anna outlined some of the fundamentals of the international conscious capitalism movement and highlighted their plans to further the work via the Bay Area chapter. You can listen to the full 30-minute interview HERE.

For starters, Anna and Margaret offered clear and compelling explanations of how conscious capitalism focuses on running a business that embodies a deep commitment to the purpose of positively and holistically impacting all of the people (stakeholders) involved in the work, as well as the planet itself. These ideas of a “purpose-driven organization” expressed through “stakeholder integration” comprise the first two tenets of the movement. The other two are:

 1)  “Conscious leadership” that is authentic and collaborative on a daily basis in recognition that every employee is leading his or her role

and

2)      “Conscious culture and management” with decision-making by everyone in the organization’s structure and operating systems, in a way that moves beyond the outdated centralized systems of the industrial age

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Change the World with Transmedia Storytelling

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multimedia[Dalya’s Note: This blog post was originally published  by Nedra Weinreich who is a social marketing consultant, author, and speaker at Weinreich Communications.]

We live in a transmedia world. Information, stories, marketing come at us from all sides — from the radio news waking you up in the morning to your box of cereal describing the plight of the puffin; emails, texts and tweets with the latest updates from family, friends and co-workers; the billboards you see on the way to work; in-person meetings with your colleagues using the inevitable PowerPoint slides; your favorite TV show… We are bombarded with data that we constantly process on the fly to create a coherent picture of our world.

Why does this matter for nonprofits, public agencies and others who are working to change people’s lives for the better? Because the people you are trying to reach also live in this transmedia world. We need to reach people where they are, and where they are is practically everywhere! Of course, your particular audience is more likely to spend their time in certain places than others, but don’t assume that reaching them on one platform is enough to make an impression. (I know the term “audience” is not the most appropriate when we’re talking about a more participatory model, but I don’t have a better word yet for “the people whose behavior you are trying to change.”)

Read the full article: HERE.

Describe how your work embodies your deepest values and guiding principles

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principles[Dalya’s Note: This is an excerpt from my award-winning book, Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact.]

Back away from the practical specifics, and take a bit of a philosophical approach.

Ask_yourselfAsk yourself: What fundamental values or concerns have led your readers to your organization and its mission?

For instance, you and your readers might particularly value the physical and emotional health of young women; the dignity of refugees; the artistic expression of senior citizens; the conservation of wildlife in your region; the science education of middle school students; or waterways free of pollution.

Because of your shared values, you can make some basic assumptions about what your readers understand and agree on. In your written pieces, build on those assumptions about what works, what does not work, and what important beliefs should be upheld. You will naturally hit on the core thoughts and feelings your readers harbor, as they pertain to your mission and activities.

Ask_yourselfAsk yourself: How would your organization complete this sentence to clarify shared assumptions about the world, how it works, and what is important?

“Our organization focuses on ______ and we value ________________ . We believe our work is important in the world because ______________ .”

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Creating Inspiring Documentaries: Writing, Editing, & More

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film scenes[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by Robert Bell.]

Creating a memorable and inspiring documentary requires more than just an interesting topic. A strong documentary can inspire changes in society, and it can help people to understand how the other side truly lives. An inspiring documentary will bring people closer together, and it will help to broaden minds in all areas. From politics to art, documentaries can truly help to change the world. While making a classic documentary requires dedication and skill, it doesn’t require a large budget. By following this guide, you will learn how to make an inspiring documentary on any budget!

What Makes a Documentary Great?

An interesting subject is only the starting point for an interesting documentary. While an interesting and engaging subject is vital, there needs to be a balance in perspectives, interviews, and even in editing. If an interesting subject is surrounded by bland interviews, cheesy editing, and subpar music, then the documentary will be a failure. Even a seemingly ordinary subject can become sublime under the proper care.

Quality Interviews

Quality interviews are essential, and even one poor interview can break an otherwise strong film. A weak documentary will have subjects mumbling or providing nonsensical answers, while a strong documentary will have experts and other insightful people giving interesting and intelligent interviews. This goes for both the interviewer and the subject, as one can help or hinder the other.

Professionally Recreating Events

TV documentaries have the bad habit of recreating events by shaking the camera, digitally lowering the resolution, and adding dramatic music. This does nothing but give the viewer a headache, and it only serves to discredit the original scenario. To make a documentary truly matter, you should only use archival footage or just have an expert speak on the event’s behalf. Unless this “retro” technique is done for irony or other stylistic purposes it should be avoided, as it does nothing to enhance the drama of a scene. Make sure to watch as many independent films as possible before getting started, so you can study how other experienced directors executed certain techniques. Consider sources such as these Directtv packages, which will let you pick up as many channels as possible that cover independent films (National Geographic, Discovery, etc.). Continue reading →

Gettysburg Address Anniversary Reminds Us: Keep it Short & Sweet to be Memorable

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abraham lincolnNovember 19, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s historic Gettysburg Address. In one of the greatest speeches in American history, Lincoln used only 2 minutes to summarize the Declaration of Independence and explain how the Civil War was to preserve the Union for “a new birth of freedom.”

Most U.S. students know at least part of his first sentence:

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

The two-hour, 13,607-word featured oration that preceded Lincoln that day is all but forgotten. But his 10 sentences are memorialized. Why?

Lincoln knew the secret of simplicity and conciseness.

A full 70% of the words he used in his iconic speech had only one syllable. You don’t have to be a history buff to get that message.

Most people will take a pass rather than spend much time or energy trying to sort out your words. In fact, the more you can use meaningful sound bites the more effective you will be.

One of my favorite phrases about writing is rather Orwellian: Less is more.

But it is not doublespeak. It’s true. Concise statements are powerful. Accessible words and phrases get read. Your readers are on the go, grabbing a few nuggets of data or insight along the way.

You, the writer, are responsible for mining, filtering, and delivering that gold in an eye-catching package. Your challenge is to keep your piece as brief as possible, without compromising your meaning. See how tight you can write. Continue reading →