The M.I.C.™
Transformational change is possible when we work together across lines of difference.
Our futures are intertwined but we’re all working in isolation.
We put a ceiling on what is possible when we segment ourselves and our efforts. But when we come together, we expand the realm of possibilities. We find partners and collaborators with different kinds of expertise, lived experience, and resources. When we unite across a set of shared values and aspirations, we generate innovations with the power to transform the systems and structures around us. And by connecting across historical and contemporary lines of difference, we usher in a model for repairing the fabric of our multigroup society.
The M.I.C.™ is a proven method for systems change.
There is a common thread woven throughout the major social movements of our past. Whether it was the civil rights, marriage equality, or women’s suffrage movements in America, success hinged on people from all walks of life creating ways to walk together. These movements leveraged the power of multiracial, intergenerational, cross-sector (M.I.C.) coalitions to create lasting change.
We also see M.I.C.-centric coalitions if we look closer to home. Community-level efforts offer rich examples of people coming together not only within groups, but across groups. Tenant associations, cooperative stores, and parent and student organizations demonstrate not only the power of the M.I.C. as a method for creating change but also its prevalence in our society.
At New Profit, we recognize and practice interdependence.
The M.I.C. is not a singular entity. It is an approach to creating transformational impact. If we are to benefit from the abundant talent that already exists within our society, to recognize genius in unfamiliar packages, to generate solutions that match the scale of the issues we face and the aspirations we hold—we must develop the ability to collaborate with people who don’t look like us, live like us, or think like us. The most powerful solutions come from cooperation, coordination, and collaboration.
M.I.C.-centric design creates space for disagreement in service of ‘better’. It shifts how we engage so the loudest voices are not the only voices. It requires that we center the communities we aim to serve so, together, we can build the most impactful and durable solutions.
The M.I.C.™ in Action
