Changing the World Isn't Cheap--Nor Should You Expect It To Be

The purpose of a nonprofit service organization is to better the world, to ignite social change or serve people who are left or disempowered. And yet, we hold these organizations to inexplicably high standards of frugality and bottom-line spending, making things like compensation and marketing budgets moral issues instead of rewarding big goals and success in achieving them. In short, we're missing the point, and it's hurting progress.

Dan Pallotta's eloquent TED talk will change the way you think about nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, and our potential to change the world.



P.s. I recently wrote a piece for Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In site, in which I describe my take on nonprofit career paths: Among many misconceptions about a career in nonprofits is that it caters to people who are lazy or unqualified for corporate jobs. I approach my job seriously, applying the same rigor that I would to a corporate position.

As social businesses and conscious capitalism become more mainstream, our thinking about these types of careers will adjust as well, and instead of an either/or situation, we will be able to decide what kind of change we want to make in the world.