Reflecting
on Bold Leaders
By
Cheryl Dorsey, President & CEO, Echoing Green Foundation
Next-generation leadership has become an increasingly
common topic of conversation in the nonprofit sector as we prepare
for a wave (perhaps tsunami is a more appropriate term) of
retirements among baby boomers. Issues of recruitment and retention
loom large as we ponder the replacement of so many from this
generation who have fueled, shaped, and led our sector for the past
40 years. Our attention is turning to the “Millennial Generation,”
the first wave of whom graduated from high school at the turn of the
21st century and who, in total, number 80 million!
Far more than simply a numbers game, this demographic shift forces
us to think hard about how we view young people in society. I am a
strong proponent of the view of youth as people and citizens in
their own right, rather than merely adults-in-training. Their
youthful energy and optimism can be catalytic and provoke great
change. In addition, their ability to see what is and what can be is
perhaps one of the most important roles young people play in any
society.
To foster learning about the full potential of youth leadership, my
colleague, Lara Galinsky, and I set out to profile the work of young
leaders in Be Bold, a new publication from Echoing Green. Delving
into the inspiring stories of 12 Echoing Green social
entrepreneurs—from Wendy Kopp of Teach for America to Katie Redford
of EarthRights International—Be Bold explores what it means for
young people to stand up as agents of change in their own
communities.
Part career guide, part social-change manifesto, Be Bold, outlines
four core elements that help young people define boldness in their
careers as well as in their lives:
* Moment of Obligation. Committing to what means the most to you and
accepting responsibility for your dreams.
* Gall to Think Big. Having a clear vision for the way the world could
be and building movements to see that vision through (believing you can
take on the world or not understanding why you can’t).
* New and Untested. Questioning the status quo and asking yourself if
the way things are is good enough.
* Seeing Possibilities. Honoring your imagination and having hope that
your vision for change will be achieved (even if you don't know exactly
when or how it might happen).
It is our hope that not only will thousands of young people across the
country use Be Bold as a guide, a workbook, and a plan for change but
also that Be Bold will help unleash the leadership potential of young
people. For more information, please visit our interactive new Web site,
www.bebold.org. There you can get a free preview of Be Bold, connect
with a new generation of nonprofit leaders, and order your own copy of
the book.
I have to believe that it is meaningful that Be Bold is being published
in 2006, not only as Echoing Green marches toward its 20th anniversary
but also in the 20th year since the death of Ella Baker, one of the most
important figures of the civil rights struggle and one of the most
important youth organizers of all time. Ms. Baker believed that social
transformation cannot happen if those who wish to be agents of change do
not also change themselves. She realized that those who heeded the call
for change would have to rethink and redefine their deepest, most
personal relationships as well as their own identities. Be Bold is a
willing companion for this most personal of journeys and seeks to bring
a level of reflection and self-awareness to young people embarking on
the next phase of their professional and personal lives.
 Cheryl Dorsey
is the president of Echoing Green, an organization that provides
first-stage funding and support to visionary leaders with bold ideas for
social change. She is the first Echoing Green Fellow to lead the social
venture fund, which has awarded nearly $25 million in start-up capital
to more than 400 social entrepreneurs worldwide since 1987. Cheryl can
be reached at cheryl@echoinggreen.org.
»
BACK TO FRONT PAGE |
