Sometimes you just need to shut up and listen.

“SO YEARS AND YEARS AGO, I HAD THIS IDEA, WHY DON’T WE FOR ONCE, INSTEAD OF ARRIVING IN A COMMUNITY TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO, WHY DON’T [WE] FOR ONCE, LISTEN TO THEM...”

Who doesn't love a good Ted Talk? One of our favorites is from a few years ago and is delivered by sustainable development expert Ernesto Sirolli. 

When most well-intentioned aid workers hear of a problem they think they can fix, they go to work. This, Sirolli suggests, is naïve. In this funny and impassioned talk, he proposes that the first step is to listen to the people you're trying to help, and tap into their own entrepreneurial spirit. His advice on what works will help any entrepreneur.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/chXsLtHqfdM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>