The heart of the matter in the small size

A year ago, as we were on the brink of launching a new program we conceptualised, doubts remained whether we were wise when we decided to work with a set of 18 who we felt so strongly convinced about. I did what anyone would do and asked an individual of the highest reputation in the ecosystem, known for his wisdom and expertise. I knew instantly that we were doing the right thing. To work with one organisation at a time was hard enough; to work at 18 was another matter. We brought them together like the threads of a fabric woven together; each strand bringing its own uniqueness and yet blending in together.?

As we journeyed with them, we understood them a bit better; how tough it was on some days for the founders to attend a master class because they had to be in 3 places at the same time, or the time when they requested extra time for an assignment simply because there was no internet connectivity for them to attend a live session. And yet, not one of them requested for a bonus or a repeat session but diligently went on to go through the recordings.The sense of a shy pride when they presented their assignments in breakout rooms on Zoom or shared some of the harder moments during the leadership exchange sessions. As we moved to the end of the program, we felt elation at having pulled off what was difficult and a deep sense of gratitude to each of these leaders who were through each session in the last 10 months as we did place demands on their time and attention and the efforts they had to put in.

Small is indeed beautiful; often overlooked as not at a size and scale that merits significant grants, or too few resources to demonstrate growth mindsets and achieving them, the size of the community or the program not large enough to invest or didn’t demonstrate any of the fulfillment metrics for large capital infusion. But Small went where larger organisations could not, they carried a deep understanding of the communities they served, the lay of the land that they knew like no one else and the social conditions of the disenfranchised communities they served.?

Small sized organisations offer a unique opportunity to work where leadership and ground reality conditions converge daily. An opportunity to work at close range whether it is in sharpening their stories which carries the voice of belief and conviction, the constant self-doubts and the excitement of a new skill they learnt. Where leaders and founders became the student if only for the time they spent on the program with us. Capacity building for small organisations require us to understand truly the best type of skills that can be imparted for them to apply. The focus needs to be largely on application as opposed to the constant awareness building of the world of tools and frameworks.?

We didn’t set out to transform any of these organisations, what we hoped and aimed to do was to drive small and significant measures of strengthening critical elements of key organisation functions that enabled them to have a better state of preparedness. In doing so, we hoped that the learnings applied allowed for an improved presentation of their work, be it through the stories they told and the way they presented it to the world.?

Through the exchanges with each other, we fostered a shared understanding that they were not alone and the same questioning was something that most founders resonated with.?We were elated as we ended and felt we were ready to take this to a new set this year as we continue to stay connected with the first 18 who will continue to be special to us. We continue to track their journeys and progress beyond our program.

As we begin the countdown to identify our Super 30, we hope to continue with our mission of driving change towards resilience building as these small, powered organisations move towards their mission fulfillment in the communities and causes they serve.

The author is the CEO and Managing Director at toolbox INDIA and Founding Partner at Social Lens Consulting.? The toolbox Value Circle which is a tailored capacity building program for small sized organisations? which commences in June 2023 is now open for applications.