Work on Purpose

James Wu manages brand creative direction at Acumen Fund. We asked James to describe a typical Tuesday in his own words. Read more.

Whether you are looking for an internship or if you are farther along in your career, this month’s social impact job list includes exciting global opportunities from an array of organizations that we think drive positive change into the world.

Echoing Green Fellow Elizabeth Scharpf found that emotion is a common language that everyone relates to—as she is building her team, understanding what drives people to do what they do, what makes them feel good about themselves is critical to finding the right people for SHE. Their success will be determined not just by a strong infrastructure and solid operations, but “by their ability to align people’s interests and passions with their roles.”

In many ways, the space in which you work pre-determines how you work. It affects our happiness, our productivity, our creativity, and our ability to drive innovation and success. The layout of your work place is also a reflection of the culture your organization is trying to create.

If you are looking for a workplace that aligns with your purpose, take a look below. This month’s social impact job list includes exciting global opportunities from an array of organizations that I think drive positive change into the world, including two positions within Echoing Green's Fellowship and Alumni Team.

As so many of us resolve what we will do this year, some of us at Echoing Green have challenged ourselves to create something we’ve heard a few people talking about—our not to do lists. Now, this isn’t an invitation to simply flip your resolutions, to say “I will not drink too much soda” instead of “I will drink less soda or more healthy beverages.” So what are we talking about here? That’s where it gets interesting. Because each of us interpreted it differently.

A few weeks ago we asked you to name your personal theme song. The response was overwhelming. Some of you told us the tracks you relied on during dark hours, others the song that exemplified your path, and others the MP3s that made a long journey just fly by. We were so impressed with your input that we wanted to share some of our favorite responses. Take a listen and be sure to add the title track on the soundtrack of your life in the comments.

You can tell you’re going to have “one of those days” pretty early on. Before 9 AM, I had forgotten to bring shorts to the gym (so I worked out in pants), forgotten my cell phone charger (and my phone ran out of battery as soon as I got to work) and as I got ready to make my morning coffee, I spilled the grounds all over the kitchen (when that all happens before 9 AM, you should probably go home and start over).

Roya Elghanian’s career path has taken her from the music industry through entrepreneurial ventures and to her current work as founder of a Pilates studio and Worldwide Helpers, a nonprofit connecting volunteers to volunteer opportunities internationally. Read Roya’s real-life story as she finds her Work on Purpose.

It is my fear that many of our very talented young—and even their leaders—have begun to conflate leading with starting something new. Which is a problem, as not everyone is—or should be—a social entrepreneur, and a world full of leaders who strive to be social entrepreneurs creates waste, duplication, and much worse.