Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Innovation Is Not That Innovative-Erin Porter

Several weeks back we discussed "Mastering the Art of Innovation". This is a topic which really stuck with me. Everybody who works for or with a non-profit is looking for an edge, they want to create the next big thing. The more I think about innovation, the more I am convinced that true innovations is bred out of our expertise.

A couple of weeks ago my husband told me about an organization discussed in one of his law classes. The organization is called The Legal Grind and it "seeks to provide legal assistance to middle class people with ordinary problems. The founder of the organization, Jeff Hughes, recognized that poor people have access to legal aid organizations and rich people are able to afford the best attorney their money could buy.

The Legal Grind boasts a legal resource center, self-help books, document preparation, notary service, lawyer referral service, and a coffee bar. Local lawyer are hand-picked to volunteer their time and expertise. A schedule of attorneys and their expertise are posted daily and clients can sign up for a "coffee and counsel" to receive specific advice.

In 2001 The Legal Grind received an award from the American Bar Association for assisting "people in the resolution of their legal problems in innovative ways". I found this article to be especially inspiring. So often I find myself trying to dream up ways to raise money for Global Samaritans and create a buzz around the organization and what we are doing. However, this article taught me that innovation is not that innovative. I need to take a hard look at what I am good at and find a way to put a new twist on my expertise and combine it with a way to help Global Samaritans.

It is a simple as, "justice served daily".

Erin Porter

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3 comments:

  1. Social Entrepreneurial DawgsNovember 29, 2009 at 7:16 PM

    I think that sometimes the most innovative thing you can do is to choose to match your expertise with a group of people who do not have access to your services - and, you have to have the right timing. What better time for this type of service for middle class america than during a major recession?

    As Dees points out in our textbook even serving a new target group can be considered innovation.

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  2. Social Entrepreneurial DawgsNovember 29, 2009 at 7:17 PM

    That comment at 7:16 PM was from Will Richardson.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 11, 2009 at 10:23 PM

    "Embrace and celebrate failure. 50 to 70 per cent of all new product innovations fail at even the most successful companies. Successful CEO and entreprenurs share their view on innovations.
    ''The YES Movie'' www.TheYESmovie.comproduced by Louis Lautman"

    ReplyDelete

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