Building and sustaining Impact
Organizations to nurture
innovation and positive change
Presentation given at ESADE, September 2012
@ChrisSandbox
Esteem Needs
Emotional Needs
Safety Needs
Material Needs
Self-ActualizationMaslow’s
Hierarchy of
Needs →
Our Definition: “An impact
organization creates social and
financial impact via a process of co-
creation. Governed by a logic of
lateral accountability, it reconciles the
inherent tension between social and
financial aims.”
An Impact
Organization KPIs /
Incentives
Genuine
Values
Lateral
Account-
ability
Enlightened
Leadership
Impact
Mission
Enlightened
Leadership
KPIs /
Incentives
“Accelerate young leaders
and help them have a
global impact before they
become 30.”
Impact
mission
Enlightened
Leadership
KPIs /
Incentives
Impact
mission
How can you create/sustain it?
•Answer the “why?”
•Hire committed & aligned people:
(Pay off the others – see Zappos)
•Co-create with stakeholders wherever possible
Genuine
Values
Impact
Mission
Enlightened
Leadership
How can you create it?
•Flatten your hierarchy/build leadership teams
•Embody the key values of organization
•Reward talent/success with opportunity, rather
than only money
•Allow Karma- and reputational capital- building
Lateral
Account-
ability
Enlightened
Leadership
Genuine
Values
How can you create it?
• Create framework of trust
• Write pledges
• Write an organisational manifesto
(See HOLSTEE.com)
• Make your values tangible
(See IfWeRanTheWorld.com)
• Create shared experiences
KPIs /
Incentives
Genuine
Values
Lateral
Account-
ability
How can you create it?
•Democratize your workplace and processes (see Worldblu.com)
•Co-create products/services (see Quirky.com)
•Set-up a fun/informal Twitter leaderboard and co-
tweets (e.g. Zappos)
Technology
Curated
diversity
Lateral
account-
ability
How can you create it?
• Combine standardization with contextualization
• Empower locals
• Institutionalize ambassadors/local curators
Impact
Mission
Lateral
Account-
ability
KPIs /
Incentives
How can you create it?
•Non-Monetary Measures of Success
(See Aravind Eye Care)
•Pet Projects for Team
(See Google’s 20% Rule)
•Be Flexible with time & location
Leveraging technology
- Understand tech as platform, not as solution
- Complementing, not substituting, offline
interaction
- Accountability frames (as above)
SO WHAT ? …
☐ Increased innovativeness
☐ Improved employee motivation
☐ Increased credibility
☐ Increased responsiveness/flexibility