With ImpactInstitute’s 3rd Annual Social Impact Summit just around the corner, courage is on the agenda. Paula Cowan dives into our theme and why it matters for social impact leaders.
Anyone fond of the vintage television series Yes Minister will remember a sublimely unnerving line delivered by departmental secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby to his political counterpart: “That would be a courageous decision, Minister.”
The blood quickly drains from Minister Jim Hacker’s face as he second-guesses his bravery. It’s not courage, but fear, that causes him to falter.
When we look at our own experiences, real courage differs from fearlessness. Courage implies you know what’s at stake, and that it’s right to pause before acting.
This year, Social Impact Summit is forming around the nucleus of courage. We’re taking our cue from those who’ve heard the call, weighed the consequences, summoned the resources, and risen to the challenge.
Many faces of courage
Consider all the examples of courage that shape our world.
Courage can be quiet and patient, like the fortitude shown by keynote speaker Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who withstood 804 days of imprisonment in Iran and has gone on to advocate for those falsely imprisoned in foreign prisons.
It can be subtle, like the courage shown by diplomats who negotiated for Dr Moore-Gilbert’s release.
Courage can be vocal and provocative, like Grace Tame’s stance on protecting the vulnerable in our society and calling out hypocrisy and inadequacy of response.
Or articulate and well-researched, like the courage shown by investigative journalists and whistleblowers who’ve catalysed societal change – with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange as a controversial example.
Meanwhile, courage can also be adventurous, fun, rousing, inspiring – think of the explorers, comedians, debaters, artists, and spoken word poets who challenge norms.
Then there are public servants and politicians who instigate Royal Commissions into issues of national significance, and people with disability and their families who deliver testimonies that drive structural reform and push for greater inclusion.
All these people are at once ordinary and exceptional. Just like each of us.
The courage of our convictions
The times we’re facing require the courage of our convictions. We hear daily about emboldened bullies, climate crisis, cost of living pressures, system collapse – the list goes on.
At the same time, kindness persists, regeneration is better understood, the energy transition is underway, and shared value initiatives are driving new ways of operating. Social impact measures show us where the bright spots exist. We are the ones who can see and imagine something different – and better – and are developing the skills, knowledge, and connections to build it.
We need the courage to try new solutions to old problems, be creative in our thinking, hold challenging conversations, and lead organisations in new directions. Social impact leaders must be comfortable navigating uncertainty and ambiguity, because complex problems rarely have straightforward solutions.
Our societal issues are so complex that we need a network of solvers to positively impact systems. And these solvers need to be willing to join our courageous mission.
We’ve heard from previous years’ attendees that significant partnerships have been formed at Social Impact Summit around solving jointly understood problems. It’s not about a shared ideology – it’s about a shared focus on the issue and the ability to work together for good.
That’s why we invite you – and social impact leaders like you – to join us again to be inspired, learn practical impact skills, connect needs with offers, and critically, to encourage each other to act with courage.
An invitation to reflect
Before you attend Social Impact Summit, ask yourself: What’s the issue that should no longer be ignored? What change are you seeking? What’s at stake? And who do you need on your side?
Oh – and if someone implied you were making a courageous decision, could you hold your nerve?
By Paula Cowan, Managing Director, ImpactInstitute