Courtney Savie Lawrence: Embracing the Chaotic and Crazy

Social Innovation Asia

The second episode of the Social Innovation Asia podcast is an energizing lunchtime conversation between Courtney Savie Lawrence and Michael Waitze. Courtney, originally from Nashville, Tennessee, arrived in Asia seven years ago with the perspective "the world is so much bigger than our own bubble.” After co-founding a social enterprise in the US, she was recruited to develop a Global Studies program at a university in Hiroshima. After a few years in Japan, Courtney followed her now-husband to Bangkok, where she facilities workshops and training on design thinking and social innovation. She describes Bangkok as one of her favorite places and "a dynamic city of innovation and change in the region."
For Courtney, social innovation is about "thinking really creatively in fresh ways that are going to be disruptive in terms of changing the status quo and meeting the global challenges that are unprecedented." To Courtney, it is much more than a step-by-step process. It should be seen as shifting and changing mindsets.
She reminds us that its easy to surround yourself with people drinking the same kool-aid. In an indication of reflexive-turn, Courtney argues that conscious capitalism and bottom-up market-based solutions might be too limiting. Policy-based and political solutions are also crucial to lasting change and addressing some of the most pressing issues such as the growing socioeconomic divides.
Reflecting on the happenings in her home country, Michael and Courtney discuss the role of anger as a catalyst for change. Its clear that Courtney doesn't have time for cynicism . She explains, "I am going to consciously embrace all that is chaotic and crazy, and let it stir me intellectually and feed the fire of what is possible in a positive way."
It is an approach to life and problem-solving that Courtney brings to her teaching and the workshops facilitation. She is "blow away by the agency and creativity" of her students at the School of Global Studies. In the third iteration of her course on design thinking and social innovation, Courtney has her students acting as consultants for real-world clients and in the process learning how to manage expectations and maintain motivation through long and arduous projects. One thing she wants them to learn is that failure is okay. More important is what you do with failure and how you learn from it.
Learn more about Courtney’s work or find here at her website here.