Gavin Newsom on social innovation

The Stanford Center for Social Innovation recently released a podcast of a talk by San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom titled Gavin Newsom: Say what you think, then take action. To an audience at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Newsom talks about leadership and risk-taking, qualities he has been known for since he ordered City Hall to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples soon after becoming mayor in 2004. His talk at Stanford was two months before the California Supreme Court ruled on May 15, 2008 to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Before public service, Newsom started 19 small businesses. Coming from a business-minded background and speaking to a room full of social entrepreneurs, he emphasizes that a risk-orientation is critical for success. “I fail more than I succeed,” says Newsom. But the idea is to “fail forward.”