What do you do if your social impact initiatives face unexpected obstacles?

if your social impact initiatives face unexpected obstacles, one can do the following: 1. Run a deep analysis of your strategy and KRA. Reflect deeply on your strengths and weaknesses and solve the gaps 2. Seek feedback from managers, colleagues, and stakeholders to understand where you're lacking and how they would do things differently. 3. Seek a third party or expert advise to reinvent

I think before assessing the impact, there is another consideration, namely, why did it happen? Was the obstacle due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. more people showed up than planned for and therefore there were too few sandwiches) Or was it due to unplanned circumstances (e.g. we miscalculated the interest in the initiative and too few people showed-up). Or was it because we forgot to consider something in our planning (e.g. the distance to travel, the associated costs, the right people at the event). In conclusion then - WHY did we meet with an unexpected obstacle.

Siempre mantengo la misma idea en cada proyecto. Si todos estamos alineados en el PARA QUE y el QUE, el COMO puede presentar obstáculos inesperados que se pueden reconducir. Es decir, con una buena planificación teniendo todas las partes interesados el camino a seguir y que debe hacer cada uno, antes cualquier obstáculo que se presente seremos "resiliente" y podremos dar continuidad al proyecto. Debemos comprender y evaluar el impacto que puden presentar estos obstáculos y tomar decisiones para poder dar viabilidad la proyecto y sostenibilidad económica, social y/o ambiental

You probably heard that famous quote 'The only constant in life is change'. That applies to every single well laid out plan, business and impact initiative. The best way to prepare to create change is to be ready for change. You have to adopt a growth mindset - always be ready to learn, adapt, refine, experiment, and do it again.

I think between assessing the impact and adapting the plans there is also an opportunity for risk assessment. For example size of risk (e.g. big risk - potentially a big impact on the anticipated results, little risk potentially little impact on anticipated results). Therefore, whilst the obstacle may look insurmountable considering the type and depth and size of the risk will help to inform how the plans need to be adapted.

Ya presentados los obtaculos y haber evaluado sus posibles impactos toca rehacer el plan, ser flexibles en modificar o "pivotar" el rumbo del proyecto respecto a los recursos existentes La buena noticia, es que los proyectos de impacto social tienen una "intencionalidad" muy clara de resolver un problema social que permite modificar una estrategia pero no el propósito inicial a conseguir con el proyecto

The importance of engaging as many stakeholders as possible cannot be overemphasized as this can be the key to resolving unexpected obstacles to social impact initiatives. I learned this lesson at a beach clean-up event I led. A few days before a beach clean-up event at the coastal community, a sudden obstacle arose. As the event day approached, I got to know that the community chief who was to grant us access to the beach was unexpectedly unavailable. I immediately had to reach out to the other community leaders. After a series of tense negotiations and heartfelt pleas, the chiefs finally relented, agreeing to grant us access to the beach for the duration of the cleanup event. I later wished I had involved them in the initial planning.

I think it is also important that learning be documented. The reason being, we operate in such a fluid and flexible space/sector, not documenting insights and learnings means the learning disappears over time. The result is new team members don't have the insight to avoid similar obstacles or mistakes in the future. One can even consider it as part of the evaluation phase to ensure a balanced report. Or, one can make it part of the impact assessment phase and document it as potentially negative or unintended impact. This means every obstacle becomes an opportunity for learning.

Como dice @Leo Gutson, no hay obstáculo que no sea salvable. Todo obstáculo es una oportunidad de mejora y avance. No me quiero poner romántico ni idealista, los obstáculos y los problemas son frragosos, no dejan dormir y a menudo complican el dia a dia y el camino estratégico. Pero en general, los lideres y las organizaciones con propósito de impactar no se arredran ante nada y contnúan pesa a quien pese y a pesar de los pesares. Como dijo alguien alguna vez "mas vale pedir perdon que pedir permiso"

Cada obstaculo, es un aprendizaje para todas las personas involucradas en el proyecto directamente. Se trata de tener la oportunidad de equivocarse rápido y ser flexible en encontrar el rumbo del proyecto En la vida (laboral y personal) me he caído 10 veces y me levante 11!

Quando o processo estiver difícil, se lembre do propósito. Independente de quão inesperados e grandes sejam os obstáculos, quem se dedica por uma causa faz brilhar em si uma chama que não se apaga. Reforçar o motivo pelo qual você faz o que faz, e ajudar também o seu time e as pessoas a sua volta a fazerem o mesmo, ajuda a manter a resiliência em dia para continuar superando as adversidades.

Networking é muito mais que rede de negócios, pode ser também rede de suporte, quem vai te dar a mão e ajudar a enfrentar desafios. É incrível ver quantas oportunidades de desdobram a partir do momento que assumimos a nossa vulnerabilidade e pedimos ajuda. Os desafios no setor de impacto são muito maiores do que a capacidade de cada um individualmente, por isso nessa área precisamos especialmente da força do coletivo. São assim que nascem as coalizões e tantos outros grupos de apoio e construção conjunta.

If any initiative face a setback then there is no one solution but whatever process mentioned above needs to be engaged as all of the above process will make sure that the initiative will meet the desired output. Like engaging with stakeholders along with assessing the initiative. Adapt to changes can be merged with amend the process. That's how one can tackle the setbacks or challenges while persuing a movement.