Originally posted in Luminare Group's Blog, To What End in February of 2010.
First, I want to say thanks for all the positive feedback on my first post. In particular, I want to express appreciation to Paul Hudnut who tweeted about it last week. In reading the comments and reflecting on the chord my blog title struck, I want to talk further about why I pose the question.
For me, the question of “to what end” is at its core about making one’s motivations and intentions transparent, if only to oneself. This sentiment is expressed well by the African proverb:“If you want to know the end, look at the beginning.”
Over the past couple months a lot has been written about the importance of having impact. The discussion has revealed our limitations in seeking to identify reasonable benchmarks and methodologies to measure and track impact, as well as our reluctance to disseminate our findings, both positive and negative. The emergences of social innovation as a framework and of networks as both a strategy and as their own entities have pushed us to be more critical of our efforts to date. Excellent points in this regard have been made by Mario Marino, Hiddy Gotlieb, IISD and Dr. Paul Duignan (original posts no longer exist). Note: Read more about what that word impact has come to convey over the past 10+ years and the invitation to reflect on intentions and actions differently.
However, at the root there is a more fundamental question:
What is the motivation behind our efforts?
As a consultant who works across sectors, I know the answer to that question is complex. In short, it is: “It depends.”
Here are some ways this question of “to what end?” shapes my work and approach, and the decisions I make.
It influences:
The clients jdcPartnerships seeks and the clients we take
The proposals we submit and the approach we present
The places we chose to be seen and the places we opt not to be present
Whether or not I agree to be the “diversity” on a colleague’s consultant team (yes, it still happens even in the Bay Area)
The amount of “influence” we think we might be able to have with a client partner, particularly in the early stages of their work
Ask yourself a question about your intention and motivation. What can you learn or make more transparent about yourself and your work? Share.
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