SIIF Early Staffing Built with Friends and Close Colleagues Yet, financial capital is only part of SIIF’s story. Its organizational capacity and human capital have proven equally important to financial support. Reflecting on the principles of deliberate leadership mentioned in Chapter 3, SIIF’s internal journey showcases many of the 7 Cs in action. Kudo recalls SIIF’s early days as an organization fueled by camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose. “We were friends, and everyone did everything together,” she reflects. “There were no barriers or silos. Our work was very organic. We followed the opportunities and experimented.” 15 This close-knit collaboration allowed ideas to flow freely, and the team embraced experimentation at a time when impact investing was barely known in Japan. It took courage to enter this largely uncharted territory, and creativity to develop new ideas for the future. Transparency and Candor This openness extended to how SIIF approached challenges from the start. Kudo describes the team’s willingness to be transparent about what wasn’t working, adjusting strategies as needed. “We were very open about what wasn’t going well and modified our approach as we needed to,” she explains. 16 This iterative process, grounded in trust and flexibility, became a hallmark of SIIF’s culture. Kudo, reflecting on her own evolution as a leader, adds: “I think for the first phase of my work, maybe around ten years ago, I was simpler. I totally believed in the power of the market and economy. I fully believed that impact investing was something everyone should do. I was naive, and at that time, I was really committed and determined, but I was a little bit arrogant and didn’t listen to people who had opposite opinions to me.” 17 This self-awareness highlights another of the 7 Cs—candor—as Kudo acknowledges her own growth. In the early years, her focus on the potential of the market may have blinded her to other perspectives, but over time, she learned to be more receptive to differing views and approaches. Leadership like this, rooted in courage, creativity, and candor, helps an organization stay flexible and continually effective, despite challenges like limited size and resources.
65
Ten Years in the Making
Powered by FlippingBook