Better results for less money!

When I worked for the World Bank I managed the gift of small grants to Community Service Organisations (CSOs). When I was doing this work, people did not see me as someone who had something to share; rather they see me as someone who can bring them sponsorship. In short, people saw me as a source of money.

The expectation of the public that I am interacting with depends on my identity. And if the first thing that I do when I meet someone is to present myself as someone who works for a particular organisation, then my identity is tied to that organisation. When they see me, the first thing that they see is the relationship that they expect from that organisation. And in the case of the World Bank, what they expect is money.

Money becomes a barrier to progress. They see ‘my’ money as the solution to their challenge. And that defines the conversation. In that sense, money can indeed be a barrier to the exchange. So we have to understand the impact that money has on the result that we wish to have.

In the Constellation, my interaction does not depend on my organisation, my qualifications or my position. It depends on the fact that I am a human being who has some experiences to share and has the will to learn. We interact on that common base. There is no money between us.

In my work today, I am looking to have an interaction with people. I talk to them about what they want to achieve; I help them to understand their strengths and to work towards their dream. I can see that these things are very important for them and they are motivated to continue the work that they are doing. They are very proud of what they are doing.

When I was seen as a provider of money, I ran a programme that with around one million dollars reached 4,000 people. Now with 100,000 dollars, I can reach 20,000 young people.

What I have learned is that with less money, it is possible to apply CLCP and have great results.