Kate_NFG
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Companies4Good
We at Network for Good are excited to embark on a new innovation challenge on our partner site with actor and musician Kevin Bacon SixDegrees.org. The 1O Challenge: Stanford Edition launched on April 7th in partnership with Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service and AOL and seeks the next big idea for SixDegrees.org. Stanford students and their social networks were asked to submit ideas that promote social networking for social good and one finalist will have the opportunity to launch his/her innovation on SixDegrees.org with Kevin Bacon and the Six Degrees team. The winner will be announced at an upcoming event Social Networking for Social Good with Kevin Bacon and professor Jennifer Aaker at Stanford University next week on May 11th.
In anticipation of the event, I’ve been reading The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith. This is a must read for anyone looking to make a difference in this small world. Below is a visual representation of The Dragon Fly Effect Model and the book and companion website provide thoughtful, concrete and inspiring examples of how to put the model into action for your social impact goal – no matter how small or how big.
On example Aaker and Smith cite in the section Wing 4: Take Action is particularly relevant for companies looking to engage employees in creating positive social change. Nike launched the Nike WE Portal in July 2009 to empower its global workforce to influence the company’s CSR programs and direct about 40% of Nike’s philanthropic investments. The internal social network allows employees to connect with causes and donate time, voice, money or talent to a project that speaks to them. The social network platform is a critical component of the program: it is flexible, responsive and visible across the company. The WE Portal demonstrates how the right mix of thoughtful design, appropriate tools and meaningful incentives and create and reinforce a culture of social change.
This example provides just a taste of the rich content in The Dragonfly Effect. I encourage you to check out the book and companion website for many more great insights.
