How can you deliver big impact with only a small team?
The smaller the team, the bigger a challenge can seem. But with a bit of clever thinking, you can create a big impact no matter how limited your resources.
Penny Mordaunt, the UK Minister for Disabled People and The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) gave us this very challenge. They wanted to make a difference. But, like many organisations, businesses and teams, the challenge is big and they’re small.
The secret: you’re not alone.
If you can find a great cause, you’ll likely find great people who can help you get things done.
For this challenge, we created OpenLab: an action-driven network of influencers, steered by the team at the Office for Disability Issues. Their ambition is to put people before problems and uncover opportunity for all through inclusive design, clever thinking and great business.
OpenLab intends to show the world the power of change from the seeds of small, but impactful collaborations.
Our development of OpenLab has been grounded in understanding of the strengths and values of the Office for Disability Issues. They are a small team, but with big ambition that channeled in the right way, will build momentum, driving change and progress that makes thousands of people’s lives better.
With this in mind we’ve worked with the ODI team to develop a strategy for enabling the extraordinary community that surrounds them — entrepreneurs, FTSE 100 companies, disabled people, technology stars, campaigners, investors, and creatives. We’ve built clear objectives and frameworks that aim to empower the team to get things done fast, but in a way that always creates value for the long-term.
The team will connect, experiment and amplify (see below) — supporting and enabling their community of change-makers.
We have met some truly remarkable people along the way who are now coming together through their belief that inclusivity and universal participation will create a better world for all.
You can find events, reviews, interviews and insightful blog posts on the OpenLab website. Current features include blog posts and interviews with community members:
- Sinead Daly, Innovation Manager at UKActive,
- Fiona Jarvis, founder of Blue Badge Style,
- Gavin Neate, the entrepreneur behind the Neatebox revolution,
- Niall El-Assaad, founder of FuelService
- William Britton, CEO of AutonoMe,
We are proud to be active members of the OpenLab community — please join us!
Interested in chatting about OpenLab, or about how you and your team can create the most long-term value from the resource you have available? Drop me a message — imo@thinkplanthrive.com.
We’re Think Plan Thrive, a London Based Innovation company that helps organisations to build and thrive from strong foundations.
Visit us at www.thinkplanthrive.com
