Episode 5: Listening to Local Communities

Guest Bio

Dr. Ernesto Sirolli is one of the world’ s leading consultants on the topic of economic development. He started working in the field of International Aid in Africa in 1971 and has since worked in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Latin America and Asia in projects that promote local entrepreneurship and local self determination. Dr. Sirolli resides in California, USA where he was invited to establish the Sirolli Institute, a social enterprise that teaches:

– civic leaders to capture the passion energy and imagination of their own citizens
– corporations to empower local entrepreneurs to create local wealth
– entrepreneurs to form passionate teams capable to transform dreams into viable enterprises.

Recap & Takeaways

• [0:24] Ernesto’s personal and business background
• [1:37] The enterprise facilitator
• [5:45] The trinity of management methodology
• [10:01] Ernesto talks about his early life in the field of development in Africa
• [14:42] Why tell the boss they had it wrong when you’re getting the paycheck
• [18:30] Listening to local people, that’s what’s fashionable now
• [21:21] Looking for gold in communities, hiring for passion intelligence belief, purpose and heart
• [23:32] The team at an ethanol plant
• [27:20] The first enterprise facilitator in Minnesota, and the potential for this methodology with governments and corporations
• [31:09] A ripple becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy
• [35:10] Working with these groups to talk about education and outreach
• [39:39] Embracing the future of work and looking at parallel economies
• [45:43] The cheapest possible corporate social responsibility strategy