It’s been six months since I had the honor to be chosen to lead ideas42. I want to share what I’ve learned from stakeholders, the ideas42 team, and our board and give you a preview of what’s to come. I hope you’ll follow us on our journey to build on the success of our first 15 years and have even more impact.
What I’ve learned
We’ve already improved tens of millions of lives—and that’s just the beginning. ideas42 uses the science of human behavior to develop tools and programs that work for real people in the real world. ideas42 established this field of applied behavioral science and drove the standard for excellence in this work that has since spread far and wide.
This attention to people aligns perfectly with my decades of working to ensure everyone can thrive regardless of their background. Some of my favorite ideas42 work has…
- Made people healthier. Giving birth can be dangerous for mothers, who too often don’t get the kind of care that can keep them safe. As a mother myself, this resonates strongly with me. Among many other health projects, ideas42 has designed various ways for providers to keep more mothers—and their growing families—healthy.
- Introduced more effective tools to combat poverty. From my own life, I know we are surrounded by narratives about why some people have less than others. Many of these myths make getting people the resources they need to thrive harder. The paradigm-shifting work ideas42 engages in energizes me to replace those harmful narratives with healing narratives and interrupt cycles of poverty.
- Supported people to flourish on their terms. A core tenet of our work is that we don’t dictate choices we think people should make but rather make it easier for everyone to make choices that are right for them. From making the legal system more accessible to navigate to helping more people achieve their goal of getting an education to many other domains, our work is about lowering barriers that take away people’s ability to lead lives of their choosing.
- Developed tools to promote civic engagement. Democracy offers excellent opportunities for people to use their voices, but that promise is fragile. We have developed tools to support election workers in the United States so that everyone is represented.
Opportunities to take us to the next level
Telling our own story more effectively. Partners respect the care, rigor, and nuance we bring to our work. But it’s also become clear that even though we’re doing extraordinary work, people aren’t always seeing the full extent of our impact. Our vital work hasn’t spread as far as it should. That means we can create a more profound and lasting impact by clearly and widely telling our story.
Applying behavioral science to workforce development. Having spent years strengthening workforce development, I see straightforward ways that ideas42 can make it even more effective. I aim to incorporate behavioral science into strategy, program design, implementation, and delivery to build a more inclusive and accessible workforce.
Changing my approach to leadership. In all my professional roles, my fundamental leadership values have been the same: be people-focused and transparent, develop internal talent, and support the actual human beings I work with. But I’ve learned that to accomplish those goals as a CEO, I need to adjust my tactics.
Over my first six months at ideas42, I’ve had to move much slower. This organization established the field of applied behavioral science and has developed solutions that help millions of people, so it’s a case of building upon a solid foundation rather than saving a sinking ship. I wanted to make sure to take the time to build rapport and trust with the ideas42 team, partners, and stakeholders. Change is complex, and as CEO, it has been critical to make sure that change is purposeful aligning with our mission, vision, and values.
Fifteen years ago, ideas42 created the space to make work like this possible. We set the tone for the field. I now understand how we must reimagine our vision for the next 15 years: highlighting the lives we’re changing, telling our stories about social impact differently, and building an even longer track record of successful, sustainable work.
What gives me so much optimism is the talented, selfless, and dedicated people on this team and, second, the respect we’ve garnered in the field thanks to the stellar projects that have supported our partners and the people who use them. I am proud to stack hands with my team, partners, and communities to continue the excellent work that will have extraordinary social impact for the next 15 years and beyond.
We are poised to push our partners and our field forward. This is how we will demonstrate the full power of behavioral science to improve lives. Look out for more and follow along on our journey.
