Has It Really Been Six Weeks?

What have I learned from my internship experience? Where do I begin?

First, I’ve learned what Ashoka is and what it is not. After an interview for a potential fellow the other day, Nir asked me, “So, is she Ashoka material or not?” Now I’m always one to weigh the pros and cons, to give detailed analyses, to say “one the one hand…but on the other…” and continue like this for some time before making up my mind. But Nir pressed me. “I want a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’” At heart, I had been impressed by her passion but not her creativity. The idea she presented was nothing new, but rather the first time an Israeli environmental organization sat down with key energy stakeholders (like Israel Electric Corporation – IEC) to try to collaborate on smarter energy policy. The idea of energy efficiency and lobbying to influence policymakers is pretty standard, though nevertheless extremely important. Nir cut to the chase: “She’s not for Ashoka because she doesn’t really have a new idea. Her work is about influencing business leaders and policy makers, but Ashoka’s mission is to fund innovation for the social good. If there’s no innovation, Ashoka can’t fund a fellow no matter how important their work is. That’s our niche and our mission.”

And I respect that because, though other organizations have now taken up the cause of social entrepreneuring, none is as experienced, thorough, or successful as Ashoka. Most organizations stick with the tried-and-true since they lack Ashoka’s method of discerning which ideas will work and which are mere pipe dreams.

Telling me to go with my gut was an important lesson Nir taught me. Sometimes more information, research and analysis can’t replace your own instinct and intuition. Ashoka is all about individuals and relationships. But it’s also about widespread, systemic change. But how can one person change a system? It happens, of course. But we are taught that it happens very rarely and only then in specific situations. Ashoka challenges such conventional wisdom (indeed, Ashoka is all about challenges conventions).

Instead of relying on governments, businesses, and bureaucracies that operate at such a high level individuals are affected but remain untouched, Ashoka turns the equation on its head. Individuals can affect systems, but it depends on the kind of individual. Ashoka’s “social entrepreneur” is someone who possesses unique capabilities – passionate, creative, conscientious, systematic, dogged, ethical. They are open-minded but also relentless in their pursuit of a dream, but more importantly in its realization, implementation and replication. Ashoka doesn’t really care about application forms or impeccable résumés. What matters more are detailed action plans, financial records, references asserting moral fiber. You will never bore an Ashoka representative by giving specifics. Rather, specifics are constantly being sought, more specific specifics asked for.

My job this summer has been to compile a number of profiles for the first cadre of Ashoka Israel’s potential fellows. Each profile must contain the following information (in addition to basics like name, country of origin, organization, sector, target population, etc.): (1) an analysis of the new idea – is it practical? who else is doing something similar? what makes this approach unique? does it change or build upon other work in the field? etc. (2) an analysis of the problem to be addressed – why have others failed to solve this problem? how widespread is it? whom does it effect? what is its political, social, cultural, economic background? etc. (3) an analysis of the entrepreneur’s strategy – how are resources being mobilized? is there a vision for national impact? how does the project progress from its pilot stage to its institutionalization? who are the other major players? does the strategy deal with causes or mere symptoms of the problem? etc. (4) an analysis of the person – what is their family, educational, and professional background? what other activities/achievements show an inbuilt entrepreneurial nature? what struggles has he/she overcome and how? etc. Of course, there are many more questions each profile must answer, but this gives you the gist.

For a while, I wasn’t quite sure how important these profiles would be. I mean, am I just collating a lot of interesting but easily-accessible facts (via websites, interviews, etc.)? Nir put that concern to rest quickly by presenting me with an Ashoka handbook detailing the search and selection process of potential fellows. It consists of six very rigorous steps: (1) nomination; (2) preliminary screening and interview; (3) profile writing; (4) second opinion review; (5) selection panel; (6) international board approval.

Nir is, in many ways, a one-man show, spearheading steps 1, 2, 4 and 5 (3 is for me). Of course, he has an extensive network of nominators within Israel – business leaders, professors, friends, entrepreneurs, health professionals, environmental activists, artists, teachers, etc. – all of whom flag potential candidates. It is then Nir’s job, as Ashoka Israel’s country representative, to interview the person. If he feels both instinctually and informationally convinced, he continues the interview process. Once he is relatively sure of a candidate’s success before the selection panel (coming up in August), the task is turned over to me. Not only do I gather information for the profile, but I have to analyze the information in light of Ashoka’s rigorous standards.

Two judgment calls are particularly tough. First, is this new idea really new? To find that out, I must study the playing field, determine if other Ashoka fellows have attempted something similar elsewhere, or if another NGO is pursuing a parallel course. Second, if the idea is indeed new, how viable is it? This is much harder to discern sometimes, especially if the candidate is working in a field of which I has little direct knowledge. Usually, the more detailed the candidate’s plan of action and the more past results they have documented both qualitatively and quantitatively, the more viable their strategy seems.

I still didn’t realize the importance of a well-researched, well-written profile, however, until Nir told me that the profile is the only thing the Board will have to go on since they will not be able to actually interview the candidate. At this point, I felt a bit like I was writing someone’s college entrance essay for them. Then, the Ashoka handbook Nir gave me had this to say on the subject of profiles:

“Everyone who has ever worked at Ashoka can agree on two basic issues. The first is that, in order to elect Fellows of the highest quality, we must be able to gather all relevant information and impressions about the person and their project, then present this material in a compelling and comprehensive manner in their profile. The second point of consensus is that profile-writing has proven to be a very difficult, expensive and time-consuming process for the institution, causing frustration at every level from country representatives to Board members...”

Nice, I thought. I’m helping Nir with a task that is necessary to elect fellows of the “highest quality.” Profiles should be “comprehensive and compelling,” but such a requirement has proven “difficult, expensive, and time-consuming.” Difficult and time-consuming I can definitely attest to. Expensive? Well, fortunately for Nir, my services are gratis.

At the same time as I am learning the intricacies of a well-crafted profile, I am also learning about Nir’s job. Since he does not have an official Ashoka office yet (though he plans to rent one soon), he, like me, is reliant on his own motivation, his contacts, his computer, and his ability to wear several hats at once. Despite his lack of colleagues (except me!), Nir meets a lot of people. Not only does he travel the country meeting potential candidates, he strengthens and expands his network constantly. All the events I’ve attended with Nir have been places to network, to meet and greet and possibly connect with someone whose professional services or, in the case of donors, monetary resources coincide with compatible interests.

In the short time I’ve been in Israel, Nir has been to London, New York, and DC in a constant process of outreach and interaction. Within Israel, he has traveled to the Negev, Nazareth, Be’er Sheva, and Jerusalem (as far as I know), all to meet and interview candidates, see their organizations – in sum, to ascertain from the mind, heart, and gut whether a person is certifiable “changemaker” or not (Product plug! But it’s free and a new website you really should check out. Ashoka’s new “Changemakers” platform: http://www.changemakers.com).

On the personal front, I don’t know how much I’ve actually learned, since I knew before I came to Israel that I work best on my own, that I appreciate the flexibility of making my own schedule, that I am always most productive when treated as an equal rather than as a corporate nonentity (as most interns are viewed). While Nir clearly is the one giving the orders, he always emphasizes the collegial aspect of our association (for instance, he introduces me as his “summer associate”). It’s a good policy in general (not to mention making business relations far more comfortable and fun), since it raises my stake in Ashoka Israel, making me feel personally invested in its upcoming launch.

Today I think I’m going to meet one of our most successful candidates – a man named Shai Reshef whose “new idea” is to create the first free online university. Here’s a link to a New York Times article about him http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/education/26university.html and an ABC news clip: http://76.12.20.118/abc/abc.html.

In sum, I have not yet been disillusioned by Ashoka. And that, more than anything, was a learning experience well worth having.