How to get beyond blah blah blah leadership?

How to lead for positive impact while the world burns.

Last week in Melbourne we were treated to two keynote presentations by Professor Mariana Mazzucato.

Several times the words blah blah blah were mentioned to reflect lofty visions and empty promises made by leaders. The world is burning and the world needs more proactive leadership.

How do leaders go beyond blah blah blah?

Key recommendations from Professor Mazzucato’s research and worldwide implementation of projects are below. These draw from the professors most recent book; ‘Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism.’

1. Collective Value Creation and Sharing:

Collaboration and mission orientation should focus on collectively creating value and sharing the rewards and burdens. This approach necessitates inclusivity, recognising and integrating marginalised voices, and working towards an economy that is both inclusive and sustainable.

2. New Economic Thinking and Practice:

Leaders must embrace new economic frameworks that encourage experimentation, risk-taking, and the development of dynamic capabilities within public institutions. This involves moving beyond traditional models of market failure to actively shape markets in a way that addresses societal challenges.

3. Mission-Oriented Policy Design:

Policies should be designed to address specific missions, transforming broad societal challenges into concrete objectives. This requires a redesign of tools and institutions, such as public funds and procurement processes, to be outcomes-oriented and to foster innovation towards achieving these missions.

4. Partnership and Participation:

Effective partnerships across public, private, and civil sectors are crucial for collective intelligence and achieving shared goals. Embedding the idea of collective intelligence into the fabric of these partnerships is essential for meaningful progress. Additionally, ensuring wide participation and giving voice to diverse groups is vital for the legitimacy and effectiveness of these initiatives.

5. Institutional and Organisational Design:

There’s a need for institutions and organisations to be designed or redesigned to support mission-oriented approaches. This includes developing capacities for strategic management, decision-making, and embracing a culture of learning and flexibility to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

It was a refreshing discourse in Australia.

Mariana highlighted the lack of complexity in the Australian economy and the urgent need to adopt broader thinking and action.

Are you tired of saying or hearing the same old blah blah blah? I am…

There’s more to the world than what we see. This includes ambitious leaders with the agency to affect positive change in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.