Table 10

1. Table 10 What can we teach the social change agent? Oana Branzei Richard Ivey School of Business obranzei@ivey.uwo.ca http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty/directory/oana-branzei/ Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

2. How can we bring/keep alive positive values such as transcendence, humanity, hope, love, optimism, gratitude and persistence through our courses? Courses on social change, social innovation and social enterprise suggest how we can (re)organize for a better world, but rarely discuss whether or how the social change agents learn to better themselves in the process. This workshop explores social change work in its making by focusing on its character-building consequences. The workshop aims to enable those teaching social change to actively build character by offering scenic tours through the range of curricula, pedagogies and materials available. Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

3. We illustrate what we can teach the social change agent by introducing a series of mini-cases, first-person narratives of character-building, titled ‘I am the change’. These mini-cases are designed to role-model the centrality of such values in the daily work of social change. Then we discuss the benefits of multi-media, pluri-sensorial cases using a forthcoming multi-part case on Craig Kielburger, who founded Free the Children in 1995 at only 12 years of age. Craig has since created and scaled multiple global movements for social change: his initial organization has worked in 45 countries and built more than 650 schools and school rooms in developing regions, providing education to more than 55,000 children every day. However, Craig’s his real work is enabling social agents in both the developed and developing world to reach their full potential as social change agents. We look at how Craig does it, and discuss how we can do the same in our classroom and beyond. Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

4. RESOURCESFramework Teaching Plan Course Syllabi (Sustainability in Action, Social Enterprise, Social Innovation) Certificate Program, http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/sustainability/students/sustainability-certificate/ Craig Kielburger Cases & Video, available from Ivey Publishing Teaching Note – instructors only, available from Ivey Publishing Ivey Business Journal article, February 2012 http://www.iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/leadership/developing-leadership-character Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

5. GOAL Social change agency involves the whole person as they mature and grow over time – and one’s ability to see what change is needed and respond constructively evolve over time. Many students may be too early on that curve (lacking the courage to get started) or too late on that curve (having tried and failed, or succeeded and burned out). Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

6. APPROACH Social change agent ‘become’ – as they encounter specific events they respond in ways that may create new relationships, new ventures, new capabilities, and new strengths. An experiential learning approach introduces and prepares students to become social change agents by appreciating that this is a continuous journey – not a one-time decision. Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

7. CONTEXT The social aspects of social change require careful attention – change is not only socially-embedded but also pro-social in function and implementation; thus developing the social agent requires attention to how one interrelates – and the quality of the relationships one draws upon and offers back to society. Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

8. CHARACTER Social change work tests and builds one’s character – even when one does not plan to become a social change agent, important lessons apply more broadly to character building for leadership and entrepreneurship. The teaching note for the Ivey Publishing case series develops this point; the recommended Feb.2012 IBJ article provides additional details. Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

9. CALLING Many social change agents have found their calling; by exploring the journeys of those that came before them, students can search for their own calling, and invest in developing their own calling by trying on different views, approaches and contexts for social change work until one fits. Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle

10. TAKEAWAYS Even if you are not and don’t even want to become a social change agent, chances are you know one. You can learn how to best support others who are trying to make their mark by making a difference in the world. Table 10 - What can we teach the social change agent? His Holiness the Dalai Lama takes a moment to speak to youth attending We Day in Vancouver, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. Teaching to Make a Difference: Nourishing our Students (and Ourselves) Through Using a Positive Organizational Scholarship Perspective AOM 2012, Hosts Jane Dutton and Karen Golden-Biddle