must actively seek out opportunities for cooperation, we
must stop seeing our world as competitive and start seeking
out collaboration.”
“Just look at Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Two of the richest
and most successful men in the world choose to combine
their philanthropic efforts in service of a focused approach
that delivers the maximum value for the money they are
spending. Appropriately directed ego is the fuel that brings
about results. Ego in service of ego is self-limiting and
ultimately self-defeating.”
Marc goes onto describe a possible solution based upon the
creation of a single overarching authority, given the
mandate and the authority to enforce cooperation and
ensure delivery. At first glance it sounds like yet more
administration and another layer of bureaucracy. Indeed, it
could end up being a bloated 'department of homeland
security' – often perceived as being more in service of its
own survival than the stated mission.
Marc has already initiated discussions with the heads of
government, some of the big corporate donors and with the
national lottery fund. He's aware of our current failure and is
determined to do something about it.
But one thing is clear - we cannot, or at least we should
not, continue to do what we are doing right now. One of
the definitions of madness is doing the same thing
repeatedly and expecting different results. So perhaps what
is needed is a focused, driven and determined partnership
between government, funders and corporate South Africa;
all in service of need.
“Let's stop looking at causes and
individual needs and start looking at the
geography of need.
Give the right people the responsibly and the authority to
affect real change and they will change the world. Give them
a big enough lever (and a place to stand) and they can
MOVE the world.
For instance, take a look at somewhere like Alex, or
Gugulethu, or Umlazi and do a holistic needs analysis.
Let's ask ourselves what we would like it to look like in five
years' time – when we've addressed the needs – and then
work back from that vision of a better future.”
Give a busy man a job and then
get out of his way so that
he can do it.
“If we can work together in a coordinated and a united way
then we can actually achieve what we each individually
want to achieve. But we've got to get out of our own way long
enough to let the need determine the agenda and let the
people who are best able to address each individual need
do what they do best.”
8
COR PORATE SOCIAL REVIEW