Go Groups: Session Six
Love People. How to love right.
Philip Harding
Session overview
In the final session in this module, our focus is on understanding how to make a positive impact in communities and in the world. The book "Toxic Charity" is discussed, which emphasizes being wise about showing love and not just having good intentions. We could be part of the problem if we are not careful when trying to help others.
Love is defined as commitment, and it's essential to listen closely to those being served. Empathy interviews and mapping have been done, leading to a backlog of ideas for testing solutions while staying rooted in love. The aim is always sustainable outcomes that empower people rather than just providing temporary aid or handouts.
The discussion is about the importance of empowering people and giving them the tools to improve their lives and communities. Don’t just give fish, or only teach to fish, but invest in a community by helping them buy a lake, start fish restaurants, sell fishing licenses, and replenish the lake with a fish hatchery.
In the next module, we will launch experiments and design sprints to test ideas with real people and gather data for further improvement.
The focus has been on empathy work and collaboration among team members. The next step is taking action towards implementing these ideas.
Module 2 Experiments
Empathy Interviews (iterate based on feedback and reflection)
Go interview and observe the people you are called to serve.
Empathy Mapping (iterate based on feedback and reflection)
Complete at least two empathy maps from your interviews.
Feedback and Reflection 🫰🏼🫰🏼
Get feedback / input from other people and reflect on your experiments. 250 words for each.
Action items:
We are discussing how to show love to people when trying to make an impact in communities and the world.
The next module will build on this module with a focus on taking actions and building on the learning from the empathy work to understand the needs and people being served.
You have developed a backlog of ideas to test and try.
You will be launching experiments, including a design sprint, to test ideas with real people and gather data.
You will focus on empowering and investing in the people you are serving, rather than just giving handouts.
You are subordinating self-interests to the needs of those being served, and listening closely to them to understand their needs and pain points.
You are striving to empower the poor through employment, lending, and investing, and using grants sparingly to reinforce achievements.
You are following a love, listen, learn process to understand the people you are serving and their needs.
You will be starting with a very specific experiment and gathering data to do it again and again, in order to achieve sustainable outcomes for the future.
Notes:
Module two is wrapping up, focusing on understanding challenges and showing love to people.
Next module will focus on taking action and building on what was learned in the empathy phase.
There are podcast episodes available as resources for the next module. Learning how to do impact the right way is a long process.
Jesus gave a new commandment to love one another as he loved them. The goal is to show love through action, not just talk.
The book "When Helping Hurts" provides guidelines for compassionate service.
Guidelines include not doing for the poor what they can do for themselves, limiting one-way giving to emergency situations, empowering the poor through employment and investing, listening closely to those being served, and doing no harm.
Following the process of understanding needs and strengths, observing behavior, and being open to learning leads to better outcomes.
Impact Junkie is focused on empowering and investing in people to create sustainable outcomes.
The next module includes launching experiments and running tests with real people. Feedback and sharing empathy maps is important.
The focus is now on taking action the right way.