Nowadays the world is beset by multiple crises that strain our societies. Unfortunately, the change agents of today often struggle to harness all of their individual resources effectively to aid in the creation of a better future for people and the planet.

In this article of McKinsey & Company, it is being argued that there is more than money alone to create a better future and planet. For example, individuals could examine how to dedicate their time and use their connections to bring about significant change. While the idea of moving beyond throwing money at a problem isn’t novel, strategically using many different forms of engagement to work toward systemic change has not been widely discussed. Therefore, McKinsey and others has published a new interesting report called Influence for good, which wants to start a conversation about this topic.

The report highlights the Look–Envision–Build (LEB) model, created by Generation Pledge. The three-step LEB framework was developed for people with inherited wealth who seek to mobilize their financial, social, career, and political capital to generate more significant change. But the framework could be harnessed by all individuals whose net worth and networks may position them to move beyond donating to individual causes, by delivering what may be an even greater impact.

The Look-Envision-Build Model

What are the three steps to follow?

Step 1: “look with courage” at both the world around them and themselves. By acknowledging that the world isn’t perfect, people may start to understand where and how there could be less suffering; greater flourishing; and fewer existential, environmental, and social risks.

Step 2: “envision with rigor” and develop a clear vision and plan, as well as the skillset they will probably need to become better change agents. This happens in collaboration with proximate leaders, who are close to issues, and subject matter leaders, who are experts in their fields.

Step 3: where the groundwork translates into potential action. Guided by proximate and subject matter leaders, change agents could focus on creating the greatest possible impact and “build with excellence” by tracking progress and using evaluations and honest feedback to adjust their approach regularly.

In conclusion, the path to becoming an effective change agent is often circular, not linear: where a cycle ends, a new one begins. In this respect, the LEB framework strives to be a never-ending journey of learning, enabling change agents to go on harnessing their resources for maximum impact to create a more sustainable, more equitable, more prosperous world.