Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) showcased the most impactful speeches at their 2019 AVPN Conference with this piece on the five best quotes they heard. Lever for Change CEO Cecilia Conrad’s keynote speech, which included an insightful quote from her mother-in-law, is among the five listed.
“'You may have a Ph.D., but you don’t know everything' – Cecilia Conrad
Cecilia Conrad, Managing Director of the Fellows program at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and CEO of Lever for Change, shared this quote from her mother-in-law, referring to an exchange in which the two women argued over the best way to treat a child’s fever. Cecilia found that the phrase stuck with her, offering an important insight for her work. Cecilia’s mother-in-law’s sentiment, that even formal training doesn’t equip you to handle every problem, is echoed in the mission of the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change program. By using an open competition to fund innovative solutions from change agents outside their network, 100&Change acknowledges that MacArthur does not know everything. For philanthropists, understanding this lesson, that even expertise and experience may leave out invaluable insights, is instrumental to success. Incorporating diverse perspectives from outside your network can unlock deeper impact."