Economic development and mobility, financial inclusion and wellness, social enterprise and community building all imply innovation and fundamental changes to how a community and society operate — how resources are distributed, how investments are made, how costs and benefits are shared. Fundamentally, this means transformation.

Forgive the tired clichés that “change is hard” and “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” I don't buy into either. Even when things aren't broken, they can often be made better — sometimes far better.

The need is everywhere — in industry, in government, in our communities, and in our own lives. Yet few organizations, let alone societies, are good at it. It requires challenging strongly-held convictions, overcoming narrow self-interest, building collaboration across diverse groups, and establishing a strong sense of common purpose.

The alternative is chaotic and uncertain: hundreds of millions spent year over year with slow, uncertain progress; thousands of people and organizations working independently — sometimes redundantly, sometimes in conflict — unsure how they contribute to the larger goal.

Transformation is doable

It has prerequisites and basic steps:

• A clear vision of what to transform to — led by people committed to a fair, equitable society, where gain comes from helping others succeed, not from architecting their failure.
• A clear definition and measure of success — with the transparency and accountability to gauge progress, make better decisions, and course-correct.
• Engaged communities of interest — because when people see the benefit of change and collaboration, they engage.
• A transformational strategy and pragmatic plan — structured, adaptive, results-oriented, with a clear eye to social return on investment.

Transformation is never easy, but there's a smart and practical way to take it on. It doesn't require absolute consensus, or a national initiative. It requires people impatient with the status quo who are willing to take on its rigors — to strengthen our society. We look forward to advancing it with you.