“Changemakers enter 2023 at a moment of profound challenge and change,” writes Vinod Rajasekaran, publisher and CEO of Future of Good. It’s how he starts his list of 23 predictions for the social impact world to expect through the year ahead. “While it is the best time in the history of humanity to be alive and working, the systems humans designed decades ago continue to create and exacerbate societal problems all around us, from how we work to how we govern to how we care to how we give.”

In 2023, Vinod predicts, many of these systems will break and some will stay status quo. Others still will be disrupted by growing movements of social change. Many social impact teams and organizations will be woefully unprepared for what’s on the horizon, he warns. But you don’t have to be.

Read the story here, referring to this conversation guide as you go.

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The conversation guide

Changemakers use Future of Good’s journalism and analysis to start discussions all the time — between board members, with colleagues, funders, partners, clients and community members, even with friends and family. We believe this is how social change happens: through informed conversations with people who can take action.

This guide suggests questions you could use to facilitate a conversation about Vinod’s predictions. They’re by no means the only questions you can ask — you know your colleagues or community best — but they might prompt your group to examine the predictions from different angles.

But first, here are some principles we use for conversations at Future of Good: 

• Reflect on how much time you need for this conversation. This is not a conversation to be rushed. It’s not a 30 minute meeting. We suggest a minimum of 1 hour, depending on the size of your team.
• Set expectations when it comes to preparation. Request that your conversation participants take 15 minutes or so to read the predictions report before the conversation so everyone is prepared and is able to meaningfully participate. You may also wish to split up the preparations to have certain teams or groups of people read certain predictions.
• Cut the jargon and avoid empty buzzwords. Use plain language and real-life examples. This makes sure everyone can follow the conversation and contribute meaningfully.
• Think about who should be included in these conversations, who should be thoughtfully excluded, and who gets to decide that.
• Be open to changing your mind and worldview — or at least hearing each other out. Safe, respectful debate is key to understanding complex problems and topics.
• Be present and human. Prepared talking points and slide decks (arguably) have their time and place, but meaningful conversation isn’t it.
• Capturing insights is key. Have a plan for how you intend to capture the reflections and perspectives in the discussions. If it’s taking place in-person, how will you take notes, where will that be stored, and who will share it? If it’s taking place online, what tools will you use for collective reflection?
• Having one conversation is most likely insufficient. Signals are all around us and always emerging and changing, so think of this guide to support a series of discussions throughout the year that inform your work.
• Respect people’s boundaries. Whenever possible, give people a heads-up before the conversation if you’ll be bringing up something potentially triggering or traumatic, and set the expectation that it’s okay to sit out or leave the conversation if needed.
• What happens after the conversation? Iron out next steps with ample time before the meeting ends so your colleagues are aware of where this discussion is going next and the implications for the team.

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The questions 

1. Vinod writes, “In the context of social change, signals are useful for changemakers working in non-profits, charities, community groups, philanthropic organizations, corporate social impact teams, impact investing, social ventures, academia and governments who are trying to navigate an uncertain and complex future. Signals tend to reveal emergent phenomena sooner so that changemakers can turn their attention to possible opportunities, disruptions, innovations and developments that affect their missions, programs and work.”
2. What’s a signal you’ve noticed and wish your colleagues or team would pay more attention to in 2023? Whether it shows up in Vinod’s list of predictions or not.
3. Vinod predicts quite a bit of inaction from the social impact world — on the Sustainable Development Goals, on reconciliation, on emergency preparedness, on salary transparency, and more. 
4. How does this make you and your team feel? Do you agree?
5. 2023 will be the year of reckoning for some sectors, Vinod predicts. From ESG to trust-based funding, he foresees hollow promises and incremental progress won’t fly anymore. 
6. What’s your sector reckoning with this year? What lip service are you no longer accepting this year?
7. There are under-the-radar (to some) movements that Vinod predicts will gain steam this year — intergenerational justice, data ethics, support for long-COVID survivors, emerging technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence, and alternative social media. 
8. Which does your team feel prepared for? Which do you feel unprepared for?
9. How important to you and your work is foresight? Do you practice it often, or do you mostly focus on the day-to-day? How do you feel about the future of your work?
   
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   Future of Good’s coverage and analysis

   Future of Good is the only Canadian publication covering the social purpose world in all its nuance and complexity — from philanthropy and non-profit work to social finance and social enterprise, grassroots activism, social policy, and more. Our team of journalists report on the trends, disruptions, and stories shaping the social impact world work changemakers (like you) do every day. In 2022, we covered stories like the heated, ongoing debate on the disbursement quota (the amount of money a philanthropic foundation is required to give to charities each year), criticism of the federal government’s first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, the launch of a national organization to help non-profits adapt to a digital-first future, and much more.