Summer Spotlight: Innovation…where you least expect it

Jessica Lupo is a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Michigan, where she focuses on international economic development. Most recently, Jessica worked at The Associated Press as Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant Editor. Previously, she was a Media Development Manager for a venture capital network in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has also consulted with various nonprofits on strategic communications. Jessica received a BS in Communications Studies and Sociology from Northwestern University.

With diligence being done, deals being made, communities engaged and the problem of global poverty grappled with, every day in the New York office is exciting.

Knowledge & Communications, where I work, is a growing part of the organization. The department is working to build a community and share knowledge with the aim of extending Acumen Fund’s impact beyond that of its portfolio. Acumen Fund acknowledges that even if its goals are met—$100 million in investments, touching 50 million lives— 98% of the poor will be unaffected by its work. This makes Knowledge & Communications an essential part of the Acumen Fund goal: changing the way we think and talk about poverty.

In truth, however, I’m only part associate. I’m also part human sponge, trying to absorb every last piece of information about growing an enterprise that I can. My first week on the job, I slipped stealthily into conference calls and meetings, blending in best I could.

I found myself in an all-staff Norms meeting on my second day. I couldn’t imagine what could possibly be “normal” about this wonderfully abnormal office, where it seems half the staff is always away in far-off countries working with entrepreneurs and experienced investors choose to invest in companies serving a customer base whom both the governments and the typical private company have deemed too difficult to reach.

“Okay, let’s talk about the kitchen,” was Director of Talent Harry Dellane’s opening. I looked up to see large sheets of white paper covered in what seemed to be a laundry list of rules dictating office behavior.

A rousing conversation began about best practices and lessons learned. It was Refrigerator Management 101! “Wow, these people are really into a tidy kitchen,” was my first thought upon realizing how engaged and articulate everyone was on the subject.

“How do you feel about this norm?” Harry probed. As the conversation continued and the staff hotly debated the best way to keep the sink clean, I smiled and let a brief laugh escape. At my previous offices, there wasn’t a chance in corporate hell that this conversation would have occurred – and even if it did everyone knew just to smile and nod.

What I realized, as the meeting progressed from cell phone use to greening the office, was that this was innovation at its best. Building a truly innovative environment starts with the everyday. By encouraging staff to speak up and share information across departments, you help avoid the “yes, sir,” groupthink culture that can grow within any organization and prevent the best ideas from coming forth.

Innovation is simply a necessity in social enterprises, which seem to ignore the traditional business wisdom by incorporating social returns into their bottom lines. It is particularly important to build this environment in developing countries where entrepreneurship and innovation may be stunted by years of distortionary aid.

This pro-innovation environment is seen in all aspects of Acumen Fund, making working here all the more exciting.  Staffers are encouraged to share knowledge and resources, to develop new ideas and frameworks, to challenge each other and the traditional business wisdom. I didn’t expect to learn a business lesson when I walked into the Norms discussion, but I learned a great one: bottom-up approaches are as important to innovation as they are to poverty alleviation. At Acumen Fund, the culture begins and ends with innovation – from portfolio management to kitchen management.