--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real work of social innovation is to…" description: "\"The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken human systems.\" — Cheryl Heller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png" --- # The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken… ![“The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken human systems.” quote by Cheryl Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png) > “The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken human systems.” [Cheryl Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social innovation must address and repair the flawed structures that govern human interaction and society. **In simple terms:** Fix broken human systems through innovation. Key Takeaway Target systemic change, not just symptoms. Themes social innovation systems human behavior policy change impact Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - government reform - community organizing - nonprofit strategy - education reform - healthcare redesign Key Concepts Systems thinking human-centered design public policy collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can we identify the most broken parts of a system? - What incentives motivate stakeholders to support systemic change? A Different Perspective Changing deep-rooted systems faces resistance and requires sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Fix Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-broken/) [Human Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-systems-1531847/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation Fix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-fix-1531846/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-work/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-innovation/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I think that all human systems require continuous renewal. They rigidify. They get stuff in the joints. They forget what they cared about. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/i-think-that-all-human-systems-require-continuous-renewal-they/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Security in human systems we're told will always, always last. Emotions are the sail, and blind faith is the mast. Without the breath of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/security-in-human-systems-we-re-told-will-always-always-last-emotions/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [If the only tool you have is a hammer, it's hard to eat spaghetti.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/if-the-only-tool-you-have-is-a-hammer-it-s-hard-to-eat-spaghetti/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [Albrecht's Law: Social innovations tend to the level of minimum tolerable well being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dickson/albrecht-s-law-social-innovations-tend-to-the-level-of-minimum/) [Paul Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dickson/) > [“As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, we need to find better solutions that will include everyone in today's opportunities. (197)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/as-our-world-becomes-increasingly-interconnected-we-need-to-find/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [The Internet has become a remarkable fount of economic and social innovation largely because it's been an archetypal level playing field, on which even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-internet-has-become-a-remarkable-fount-of-economic-and-social/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Social incubators not only create economic impact but also have impact across sectors, such as healthcare, education, and the environment. As the interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tae-yoo/social-incubators-not-only-create-economic-impact-but-also-have/) [Tae Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tae-yoo/) > [“The way to be irreplaceable is to become a social innovator. Start projects that motivate you to save the world and simultaneously make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-way-to-be-irreplaceable-is-to-become-a-social-innovator-start/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [“And it is change that always provides the opportunity for the new and different. Systematic innovation therefore consists in the purposeful and organized search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-f-drucker/and-it-is-change-that-always-provides-the-opportunity-for-the-new-and/) [Peter F. Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-f-drucker/) > [“My generation was born into a world where those with a heart as well as a brain couldn’t find any support. The destructive work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/my-generation-was-born-into-a-world-where-those-with-a-heart-as-well/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Our Government understands that local, community organizations are essential in addressing social issues like economic development, poverty, education and integration in Canadian communities. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-holder/our-government-understands-that-local-community-organizations-are/) [Ed Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-holder/) > [The world needs more social innovations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wojcicki/the-world-needs-more-social-innovations/) [Anne Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wojcicki/) > [All over the world, social innovation is tackling some of the most pressing problems facing society today - from fair trade, distance learning, hospices,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/all-over-the-world-social-innovation-is-tackling-some-of-the-most/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Social innovation thrives on collaboration; on doing things with others, rather than just to them or for them: hence the great interest in new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/social-innovation-thrives-on-collaboration-on-doing-things-with/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) ## More by Cheryl Heller > [Design is the best way to get from A to B when you don’t yet know what B is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/design-is-the-best-way-to-get-from-a-to-b-when-you-don-t-yet-know/) [Cheryl Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/) > [Do any of us know how we’re actually doing? Whether or not all the hard work and good intentions are paying off?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/do-any-of-us-know-how-we-re-actually-doing-whether-or-not-all-the/) [Cheryl Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/) > [All life is profoundly dependent on communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/all-life-is-profoundly-dependent-on-communication/) [Cheryl Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/) [Explore all 4 Cheryl Heller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) [Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken human systems.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cheryl Heller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to-fix-our-broken-human-systems/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to-fix-our-broken-human-systems/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/cheryl-heller-70144_broken_the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to_1742471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The real work of social innovation is to fix our broken human systems.” — Cheryl Heller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cheryl Heller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-heller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The real work of social innovation...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to-fix-our-broken-human-systems/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-heller/the-real-work-of-social-innovation-is-to-fix-our-broken-human-systems/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```