Driving Communities Forward with Danielle Holly

I’m thrilled to kick off this series with a spotlight on Danielle Holly , the associate director of leadership programs at the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program .?Danielle recently stepped down from a ten-year run as the CEO of Common Impact , an organization that works to alleviate inequality by connecting the talents and superpowers of individuals, companies and social change organizations together to create meaningful change. Danielle was also recognized in BuzzFeed for one of the "30 Big Ideas that Can Change the World." Aside from her work, Danielle is a frequent writer and speaker on the importance of civic engagement, and transforming service into a strategic resource for our communities.?

What gets you up in the morning, and what's a typical day in your role?

I’ve been working at the intersection of business and social impact for more than two decades, and it has been in just the past few years that when I get out of bed in the morning, and I’m scrolling through the news, that I see the ways in which the way we think about our society is truly changing.? That’s what gets me going.? I’m seeing the ways companies are “taking a stand” on various social issues, and are working at remodeling their own less equitable systems.??

There’s still a long way to go – but the fact that these conversations are in the mainstream is a real sign of progress in my mind. In some ways, even the #ESG backlash that we’re seeing in headlines now is a signal that the movement is maturing.?

My typical day starts with a large cup of coffee while I cart my three young kids off to school.? When I finally land at my desk, I divide my day between supporting individual leaders who are trying to implement new sustainable business models, designing seminars and convenings where they all come together, and distilling the news headlines into potential programming.?

Who inspires you?

My oldest son Caleb just turned five, and I’ve been so inspired seeing the world through his new eyes. The understanding, empathy and forgiveness that we’re all born with tarnishes so quickly – but I’ve been able to channel that purity back through him.??

?I spilled my coffee (again, a very large cup!) the other day because I was trying to do too many things at once, and I scolded myself. He turned to me and said, “Don’t worry, mom.? We all make mistakes, and you’re actually doing a lot of things and getting a lot of good stuff done.”?It was so sweet, simple and true – and a good reminder to focus on the good that is happening instead of being distracted and frustrated by the parts that go wrong.?

What do you wish people knew about your field??

I wish more people could see the incredible work that’s being done inside companies to transform (or perhaps restore…) capitalism to a system that works for everyone.??

One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to see up close how driven individuals within big systems can truly influence change. I see innovation teams design new products that solve enduring challenges for underreached populations. I see the heads of supply chain fundamentally redesign flows to reduce environmental impact. I see new chief diversity officers infiltrate equity into all dimensions of the business.??

I don’t mean to make it sound easy or perfect – it’s far from both – but there’s genuine effort and passion in these individual efforts that can often get lost or misrepresented when companies tell their story at the macro level.?

What is your vision for the future of philanthropy and social impact?

Business-side social impact – the fundamental change of products, services, operations and culture – is increasingly lifted up as the way to transform our society into one that’s more sustainable.? And, while I believe (lowercase “s”) sustainable business is fundamental to the change we want to see, I also believe that not every social challenge is going to have a business case – or is going to have a product or service as its solution.??

My hope for the future of philanthropy is that it works in partnership with business, and brings to bear its community knowledge and partnerships to ensure that the individuals whose lives we’re trying to make better are leading the design of the solutions.

How can we all support your work?

Keep an open mind as you’re working with individuals and partners across sectors. We all hold so many stereotypes that we can barely recognize because they’ve been with us for so long.?My enduring hope is that we’re able to recognize and move past those in order to support the innovation and change we all want to see.? One way I’ve tested myself is to ask myself as I’m entering a conversation, “What am I bringing with me that might not be serving me today?”??

And more tangibly, my team at The Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Program is always eager to connect to the innovators and intrapreneurs across sectors that are trying to address larger than life challenges and need a little support.??If you know someone like that, send them our way.? And, in the meantime, please follow and offer your suggestions on our work. Here are our networks if any of this sounds interesting to you:? My LinkedIn and Twitter , and Aspen BSP’s LinkedIn and Twitter .

#socialimpact #leadership #philanthropy #sustainablebusiness