Written by: Vickie Sullivan | April 13, 2021
Big Opportunities Can Come from Small Places
This year’s TED meeting to vote on possible speakers for 2021 reminds me why I attend every year – virtual or in person. I get to hear about cool people doing great things. The big surprise: I also learned a new way to spot opportunities.
Climate change activist (and high school senior) Sophia Kianni is a great example of someone who is turning practical problems into fabulous opportunities. The back story: Kianni faced resistance from her Iranian family, who didn’t understand why climate change is a big deal. When she drilled down on why they didn’t take action, she made a surprising discovery: a language problem. Most content was in English and wasn’t translating well. Opportunity alert!
Listen: Why We Miss Opportunities on the Ground
As a result, the non-profit organization Climate Cardinals was born. It now has more than 18,000 student volunteers translating environmental information. Plus, it allows those students to earn community service hours accepted by institutions such as the National Honor Society. (This Forbes article outlines Kianni’s work and the impact it is having.)
The moral of the story for us thought leaders: A lot of us look at how people react to our ideas and stop there. Instead, drill down a level and figure out the why behind their response. That’s where you will find practical opportunities that can change hearts and minds.
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