Be Fearless One page
TO BE FEARLESS
To tackle today's big and ever-changing social challenges, we have to take risks, be bold, and fail forward. We have to Be Fearless. Below, find five key elements of a Fearless approach, from the Case Foundation's "To Be Fearless" report.
Learn MoreThose of us charged with finding or funding solutions to social challenges — philanthropists, government, nonprofits — seem to be moving too slowly and often operating with the same set of tools, concepts, and caution of the generations before us. If we're going to keep up with the rapid pace of change and the daunting complexities of these challenges, we must rethink traditional models. It's time for us to be bold, act with urgency, and resist the tendency to let caution be our guide. It's time for us to Be Fearless. So what does it mean to Be Fearless? Inspired by the Case Foundation's "To Be Fearless" report, below are five key elements of a fearless approach.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | READ ON SCRIBDThe World Needs Us To Be Fearless
Jean Case declares the Case Foundation’s intention to Be Fearless in 2012 and beyond.
Learn More
MAKE BIG BETS.
Many organizations have a natural caution leading them to make incremental changes. They look at what seemed to work in the past, and try to do more of it. But taking the easy road can cause us to take small steps that lead to insignificant gains. Given the enormous and complex challenges facing people around the world, those of us with the luxury to take risks should match those challenges with the audacity of our ideas. There is a time and place for incremental, safe moves, but there is also a clear need for us to make big bets for big change. Read more about making big bets in the full report.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | READ ON SCRIBDRay Chambers
Hear from Ray Chambers, the UN’s Special Envoy for Malaria, about some of the audacious goals he has set. Learn More
EXPERIMENT EARLY AND OFTEN.
The world moves more quickly today than ever, and our responses have to keep up. We also have to be prepared to take a leap and to go first, knowing that even if we fail, we will learn from the experience. Those of us in the social sector can also learn something from our private sector counterparts, which often release new products still in beta, allowing not only for quicker adoption but for user feedback that allows them to more quickly integrate upgrades. Every new great idea feels as if it may be the last one. But experience shows us that we need to keep looking around the corner for what's next. Read more about experimenting early and often in the full report.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | View on ScribdWater For People’s FLOW
An experiment with open data becomes the platform for real time monitoring and reporting.
Learn More
MAKE FAILURE MATTER.
With innovation and big bets comes the risk of failure. Every great innovator has experienced moments of failure, but the truly great among them wear those failures as badges of honor. When the philanthropy and social sectors are fearful, they increase the danger of depriving themselves and others of needed lessons. As innovators in the social good space, sometimes it's easier to back away when it looks as if things aren't going as planned. But it's important to have faith and fail forward–to stay the course and to pivot when it's needed. It's the way you respond to failure, and not the failure itself, that matters. Read more about making failure matter in the full report.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | READ ON SCRIBDFailing Forward
Philanthropy expert Lucy Bernholz encourages “failing fast” and learning from our missteps.
Learn More
REACH BEYOND YOUR BUBBLE.
It's comfortable to go it alone. But innovation happens at intersections.
Learn MoreREACH BEYOND YOUR BUBBLE.
Sticking with the tried and true may help us sleep better at night, but it stifles innovation and makes it hard to make the big bets necessary to move the needle. Collaboration provides new ideas and innovations, and it also provides air cover when organizations share the risk. And while it does require giving up some measure of control, a fearless approach embraces unlikely partnerships that cross sectors and geographies. Reaching beyond your bubble is not collaboration for its own sake. It is a fundamental part of being fearless. It spreads risk, but more importantly, it spreads knowledge and deepens impact. Read more about reaching beyond your bubble in the full report.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | READ ON SCRIBDA Billion + Change
Pro bono skills-based service is becoming the new normal.
Learn More
LET URGENCY CONQUER FEAR.
Fear can be paralyzing, and in the social sector we often get caught in the familiar "paralysis of analysis." But the very things we're afraid of can also spur us to action. A sense of urgency is the magic ingredient that can push us forward in the face of resistance. It also provides the will to take on challenges that are so tough no one wants to acknowledge them. And it can help to call others to action, instead of just to discussion. An attitude of urgency does not mean being headstrong. It means adopting a bias for action. There is just too much work to be done to hesitate. Read more about letting urgency conquer fear in the full report.
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
DOWNLOAD | READ ON SCRIBDAccelerate Brain Cancer Cure
“You don’t waste lives. You don’t waste time. You attack the problem.” –Max Wallace, CEO of ABC2
Learn More
MORE
BE FEARLESS
The World Needs Us
To Be Fearless
Jean Case declares the Case Foundation’s intention to Be Fearless in 2012 and beyond. Learn More
What It Means To Be Fearless
We take a look at some of the most fearless moments in our history. Watch Now
DOWNLOAD THE 'TO BE FEARLESS' REPORT
What does it take to Be Fearless? Find out more and download the report.
The Case Foundation, created by Steve Case and Jean Case in 1997, invests in people and ideas that can change the world. We create and support initiatives that leverage new technologies and entrepreneurial approaches to drive innovation in the social sector and encourage individuals to get involved with the communities and causes they care about.
