Henry Timms is CEO at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and creator of GivingTuesday, the global philanthropic movement that has generated billions of dollars for good causes around the world.
Lincoln Center CEO Henry Timms on New Models for Effective Leadership
“New power” is about circulating new ideas for anyone and everyone to interpret and build on – rather than being controlled by a centralized organization.
December 09, 2022
Summary.
On Nov. 29, tens of millions of people around the world donated their time and money to the causes and institutions that matter most to them. It was all part of an annual movement known as “Giving Tuesday,” which Henry Timms and his team launched a decade ago. Since then it has generated more than $13 billion for good causes in the U.S. alone. The phenomenon is part of what Timms calls “new power,” where smart ideas are circulated for anyone and everyone to interpret and build on – rather than being controlled by a centralized organization. It’s based on what one of Timms’ colleagues calls “un-branding,” where institutions don’t insist on putting their logos and terms of engagement all over everything they initiate. “The ‘old power’ world was: you participate in my mission on my terms, and I tell you what to do, and you do it or don’t,” says Timms. “The ‘new power’ world is: we get people to participate in our mission on their terms.”