Provocation, as I heard from a Rotary Club member after my presentation, was something very negative to him. He was fed up by the polarization in our politics and culture, those that always demanding something and always looking for ways to tell someone should reform or else global destruction is at hand, instead of just aiming for common good. 

While I recognize the current woke and cancel culture climate which we operate, I digress that positive provocation is more about not pushing, but encouraging, not forcing someone to change their views even with the word Provocateur or Provocation. Provocation means you're not settled with the status quo, however long it has served your purpose. It's always for positive growth, more relevance for the upliftment of all. It's about challenging norms that are no longer useful, thus, we can take some lessons learned from others, and adapt accordingly.

The woke culture of today denigrates everyone who is not in conformity, kills dissension and creative expression, and polices everyone's thoughts and feelings, making one feel ashamed and guilty of one's roots and privileges. Hitler's campaign was successful because it tackled the identity of German culture and ascribed a higher sense of importance over other races, ethnicities, and identities and loyalties of the German people. 

Positive provocation is an antidote to the complacency in many organized systems around the world. Innovation, as Schumpeter defined is about 'creative destruction.' Taken in extreme literal way robs it of its substance. Innovation is doing and making things differently, whether it's a product, service, system, network, or process. 

Positive provocation in the world of charity, development, humanitarian, and philanthropy requires a healthy dose of passion,  purpose, provision, practice, and the right paradigm  (5Ps). That to me is the philosophy of being a provocateur or a positive instigator. 

I have always tried to champion taking a closer look at many definitions we find our ourselves and our organizations in constant encounter. As a rule, as a leader, define this very well internally, because the danger lies in the unexamined, ill-suited paradigms like oversized coats that do not fit well with perceived reality.


Disruption- what does disruption mean to your social business, on-purpose organization, or cause-based advocacy? 
Innovation- what does innovation look like, feel like at your level of operation? 
Effectiveness- what drives effectiveness? is this a long-term purposive aim or an operational value?
Impact- whose impact are we talking about here? do they know that you're contributing to that pie? is this measured across the organization? 
Sustainability- what sustainability lens do you subscribe to? are your actions guided by global, local, and community goals?
Success- what success brings about? is this a desirable path or a mini-breakthroughs would be enough? 


Seek out clarity and intentional discussion on these issues on a regular basis. Meanings change as people change and institutions grow.  Your past reviews may not hold more weight now than 5 years ago. It could look very different as you move forward with your short-term plans. 

Today, I harvested 3 tomatoes from my pots. With lots of sunshine, lots of rain for August, and constant watering in-between, the plants are growing like a weed. Two weeks ago, we raided the Saskatoon berry bush in our yard.  We can easily fill 5 gallons of bucket in one go.  I have nothing to complain.

Anything that you focus on, magnifies in importance.

If you give attention to items that are irrelevant,  your effort and the time you put in diminish in value.
If these are your priorities, the outcomes will be highly satisfying.
If you focus on the negative aspect, you will easily get discouraged and frustrated.
But if you focus on things that are working well, the protective factors, know that it will generate more positive things in return.

In business, in organizations, and in life, this principle holds true. You are perfectly capable of focusing on the good, the virtuous, admirable, in others and thing around you.

Make it habit. 

We all know that success doesn't come from improving your weakness but by working on your strengths. 

Your organization should know exactly where you're good at, where you're mediocre at, and where you are failing miserably. 

As mission-based, mandate-driven organizations, your whole DNA is predisposed towards your mission, supported by your values systems.  This should be immune to the latest fads, trends, dogmas, and presentism. 

I have known an organization who started working on many areas in their programming apart from their core service: climate mitigation, disaster risks reduction, violence against women, microfinance, sustainable livelihoods, forestry, fair trade ventures, among other things. They found out that none of these  make sense if their core service needs are not fully met. In the end, they focused on what they're good at and their main reason for being: poverty reduction and education for women and girls. 

Do not allow other people to tell you what to do, simply because the rest of your peers started doing it. Simply put, if knitting is your thing, stay knitting happy! 

To continue on the "big idea" discussion.... 

Big ideas generated from design schools and labs are great. They're ideas.

Everything we have right now, these tangibles were products of someone's imagination. 

Some are dreamers, some are designers, some are investors of dreams, some are implementors. Some are borrowers, refiners, and even auditors of dreams and ideas. 

From conceiving to implementing, many processes and actors will be needed.

Which one are you? What position will you take in this continuum? Where is your default position?

I have been receiving requests for partnership and as always, I ask: "Where's the beef?"

Collaboration for on-purpose organizations takes more than you and the other party. Because you're in the business of purpose, your metrics are totally different. You can enlarge the pie for the sector if it becomes a system-generating activity than just for mere propagation of your programs, projects, or products. In a systems- approach to collaboration, 1+5 is not 6 but 60. To leverage the vast benefits of collaboration with the eye to a larger social good is really about: 

1) Showing others (your peers, your stakeholders, your audience/customers, and policy-makers) the way towards better practices, mindsets, and tools for success;
2) Benefiting the ecosystem where you operate, the collaboration has public value and could be supported at scale;
3) Creating innovation at a smaller scale than can be replicated with enough infrastructure and technology and leveraged outcomes; 
4) Doing the 'impossible' in the sector by having the 'no-regrets policy.'

Do you see collaboration as a means to pursue your strategic ends as an organization? Or there is more to  it than what gets approved in the annual cycle of budgets and operational plans? If yes, to collaboration, when the benefits outweigh the risks and challenges, why not get the biggest sectoral obstacle and induce solutions through a collaborative arrangement where all the actors can be involved. 

The question then on 'where's the beef?' becomes moot and academic. 

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