Do the things we do actually make a difference in the world? - Steven Chapman #BTDPodcast

The Hidden Truths of Billions in Social Impact: Measurement, Myths, & Microfinance | Being Thinking Doing with Steve ChapmanIn this episode of the Being Thinking Doing podcast, host Matthew Brown sits down with Steve Chapman, a self-styled senior monitoring and evaluation strategist. With a career spanning nearly 40 years, Steve has tracked the real-world impact of massive global health and social programs. From uncovering the demand curve for condom distribution in 1989 to working with the Global Fund to distribute billions for infectious diseases, Steve reveals what truly works—and what doesn't. Structured around the podcast's core themes of Being (how you show up), Thinking (how you make decisions), and Doing (achieving impact), this conversation is a masterclass in navigating data, human bias, and complex problem-solving.KEY TAKEAWAYS & HIGHLIGHTS- The Microfinance Myth: Discover why the heavily funded, Nobel Prize-winning microfinance boom of the 1980s was proven by MIT researchers to be largely ineffective at alleviating poverty, and in some cases, actively harmful. - Navigating Uncertainty: Learn how to utilize the "known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns" framework to make sound decisions without having all the data.- The Power of Feedback Loops: Hear how historical examples, like John Snow mapping the 1850 cholera outbreak, mirror modern low-cost feedback systems like the smiley-face buttons at Heathrow Airport.- The Danger of Bad Metrics: Understand the unintended consequences of measurement, including how reporting massive monthly impact scores can accidentally disincentivize innovation.- Communicating Complexity: Why the best technical experts act as teachers, start with their conclusions, and use powerful analogies (like calling sharks the "lions and tigers of the sea") to bypass human bias. - Career Advice: Why joining a growing organization with a leader who is comfortable hearing the truth (even when it reduces their power) is the best move you can make. EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction: Defining the real role of Monitoring & Evaluation02:12 - Working with the Global Fund & Distributing $6 Billion04:55 - The 1989 Condom Spreadsheet that Launched a Career11:27 - Operating in Uncertainty: Rumsfeld’s Knowns & Unknowns15:22 - The "Impatient Optimist" & Viewing Real Global Progress19:58 - The Microfinance Illusion: When Good Stories Trump Evidence28:29 - The Power and Limits of Measurement: From Cholera to Heathrow38:46 - Lead vs. Lag Measures and Unintended Consequences49:28 - How to Communicate Complex Data Effectively1:01:03 - Finding Mental Clarity on Epic Road Trips1:03:52 - Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Leaders & Organizations---------------------------------------------------(Note: If you plan to visit the John Snow pub on Broadwick Street in Soho, be warned—they do not serve London Pride!)