FOR THOSE WORKING ON COMPLEX PROBLEMS WITH NO CLEAR SOLUTIONS

Building a more inclusive economy that serves the poor is risky work. It means disappointing those who benefit from the status quo, experimenting in areas most people ignore and failing more often than you succeed. Naturally, not everyone chooses to do this work.

THIS PROGRAM IS FOR THOSE TRYING DESPITE THE ODDS

Acumen has been changing the way the world tackles poverty for more than 20 years. Over that time we’ve gathered valuable insights that we’ve taught and field tested through our various leadership programs. We have synthesised and made these lessons available for leaders in Southeast Asia through this 10-week leadership accelerator.

This program facilitates deep introspection, cohort building, and an exploration of leadership concepts that are especially useful for those trying to tackle the complex problems of poverty and inequality.

You’ll learn how to see a problem more clearly, understand how to engage powerful stakeholders, explore your personal philosophy on what it takes to build a good society and more.

The experience is further enriched through a diverse cohort. Change will require leadership from all areas of our economy. You'll join leaders from the social enterprise, nonprofit, corporate and public sectors to explore what it takes to build a more inclusive economy for your community and all of Southeast Asia.

GRADUATE INTO THE ACUMEN FOUNDRY

Upon completing the 10-week program, participants are admitted to The Foundry, an invite-only community designed to accompany entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world by connecting them with the social capital (resources and relationships) to amplify their work in building a just, inclusive and sustainable world.

Foundry members have exclusive access to:

• Events to learn and connect with fellow foundry members
• Professional development opportunities that may include pro-bono consulting services and professional leadership coaching
• Experts within the Acumen Ecosystem for mentorship or advisory sessions
• Referrals to affiliated leadership programs and platforms
• Access to funding / grants offered ad hoc by other organisations or through referrals within the Acumen network

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Participants come from all walks of life. They are building radical new solutions that ensure economic prosperity is shared by all. Solutions range across new business models that serve the poor, corporate initiatives to disrupt traditional industries, innovative public sector programs and nonprofit livelihood solutions for the poor.

Collectively, participants are creating a more inclusive economy in Southeast Asia.

Participants are typically on one of the following paths:

• Social Entrepreneur. Scaling innovative business models that use market-based solutions to tackle poverty and inequality
• Public Sector Leader. Leveraging the government machinery to create a more inclusive economy
• Nonprofit Leader. Building solutions to ensure those most in need are equitably included in the economy
• Corporate Intrapreneur. Driving initiatives within large corporations to create inclusive and sustainable corporations

To be eligible for this program, you should:

• Currently live in one of the following SEA countries: Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Timor-Leste or Brunei
• Demonstrate a long term commitment to tackling issues related to poverty and economic inequality including more than 4 years of work
  experience in the sector
• Be in a position of leadership where you work, meaning you have the capacity to influence change
• Demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to challenge yourself to grow as a leader
• Live in a place with telephone and internet coverage so that you can actively participate in an online learning environment
• Have the ability to read and write texts of medium complexity in English and basic handling of social platforms (e.g. Whatsapp)
• Note: There are no specific academic requirements. Some participants have no formal education, others have degrees from global institutions
• Note: There is neither a minimum age requirement, nor a maximum age cut off

Eligibility Assessment

Take a quick eligibility assessment to know if this program is right for you.

Click here

10-WEEK SCHEDULE

Module 1: Who’s in This Journey with Me?

• Examine your identities, values, and choices that have shaped your journeys till now.
• Connect with peers and begin to build trust and togetherness for the journey ahead.

Module 2: How do we Move Beyond an ‘Either/Or’?

• Diagnose and identify moments when values are in tension.
• Learn to engage in difficult conversations and manage systems of values in tension using tools and frameworks.

Module 3: What is Leadership?

• Understand the concept of "getting on the balcony" and how it relates to the exercise of adaptive leadership.
• Bring your live challenge to the group.
• Expand and apply your understanding of leadership, authority, and intervention.

Module 4: What’s the Actual Work?

• Distinguish between technical and adaptive work when leading change.
• Identify and examine your own leadership challenge.

Module 5: Are You Mobilizing the Right People Around the ‘Right’ Problem?

• Understand why people support, resist, benefit, or lose when you lead adaptive change.
• Define stakeholders and factions critical to your adaptive challenge.

Module 6: How Do We Put Humanity at the Center of Our Work?

• Think deeply and ask critical questions about the ideas of humanity and universal dignity

Module 7: Our role in the system we seek to change

• Examine how you are complicit in the system you seek to change

Module 8: What are the Values we Hold in Tension to Build a Just Society?

• Deliberate on the nature of humanity and the systems needed for humans to flourish.

Module 9: Why is Understanding Identity Essential for Leadership Today?

• Understand the role of identities in having conversations across lines of difference.

Module 10: So, Are We Ready to Lead?

• Renew and recommit to your responsibility in a more building a just and inclusive world.

FAQs

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY

THE LAM NGUYEN-PHUONG FAMILY