Trust is born out of something bigger than ourselves.

In the last week I’ve had at least three meetings with leaders of organizations working for social good.  If we were in a different industry, our discussions probably would have been a lot less frank and a lot less transparent.

I highly doubt that Larry Page and Mark Zuckerburg call each other up and swap stories on their strategy, approach and recent discoveries.  It just doesn’t happen.

Strictly for-profit businesses are focused on delivering growth to their bottom line, whereas social businesses are also focused on delivering the most impact.  Leaders of the for-profit social sector need to balance making money with making a difference.

Of course this doesn’t mean turning over your books and exact strategy to anyone that asks; you do have to protect your financial interests after all, but it does mean that you will be open for thought sharing, discussion and potential partnerships.

Perhaps it is obvious, but the reason that traditional businesses are guarded from each other is a lack of trust—a lack of alignment with a common goal.  Trust is often born out of something bigger than ourselves—a deeper meaning or a shared interest.

Leaders of the for-profit social enterprise (FPSE) world find themselves in a very unique group; they are often competitors on paper, but their shared values unite them in a trust that other for-profit businesses cannot benefit from.

Trust opens the door for deep collaboration and becomes a source of value unique to this industry.  Collectively, for-profit social enterprises are competing with an incredibly strong status-quo.

Alliances and partnerships born out of trust are, and will continue to be, the most critical FPSE competitive differentiation.

Together we are strong.

-          Bryan