Admittedly I was a little green to facilitation, blissfully ignorant of the fallout that was to ensue from not clearly establishing group norms at the outset. Community conversation number 19 and cross-sector diversity set the bomb off!
Cynical Jane Doe had the audacity to full out laugh at John Doe's idea while snidely tossing in "We've tried that before!" just for good measure. Inside I was aghast by the blatant disrespect and instantly fuming. Outside I was furiously fumbling to portray calm and collected.
Jane Doe is a longstanding volunteer: exhausted, overwhelmed and feeling defeated. Sadly, what makes cynical Jane's comment slightly absurd is the all too familiar cry for new community volunteers. John Doe was a brand new face at the table, an untapped potential resource. Unfortunately he got hammered (not tapped) by this rear view mirror mentality that kills optimism.
Be prepared, as increasing diversity is intentionally sought at the table, sparks can easily fly. Strive to make it bomb proof. Consciously use processes and tools that build trust.
BOTTOMLINE
While the WHO (cross-sector representation) is important and achieving the WHAT (rigor around data/results) is important... the secret sauce lies in the HOW (the process whereby relationships are deliberately fostered).
"Collaboration will only move at the speed of trust." -- Stephen M.R. Covey
Sunday 14 June 2015
Wednesday 25 March 2015
Go Ask
Want in on a secret we uncovered, one that blew all other marketing strategies out of the water? Beware that what I am about to share may seem ridiculously elementary and boringly plain.
What is the most effective way to get people involved? A face-to-face personal ask -- particularly from someone who has a well-established positive relationship with the target individual.
Obviously it is most comfortable to converse with the "like" minds of our established groups but do we find ourselves saying "We just can't seem to attract new people." These new people aren't invisible or in hiding: the neighbour, the grocery store clerk, those we walk by on the street without so much as a smile or friendly hello.
Community engagement takes concerted effort BUT it starts with a simple hello and comes with joyful rewards. One of which has been to debunk my own arrogant, self-justifying assumption that those who aren't engaged do not want to be. With a face-to-face personal ask, we found out that they are eager and have tons to offer!
Relationships that bridge across group boundaries are key to long term resilience as they foster strong vibrant networks. NOW is always the time to reach out and start building new relationships -- face-to-face. Don't expect to sit at a desk behind a computer and change the world.
Helpful "Go Ask" tools:
* Top 100 Partners Exercise - assists in thinking across group boundaries
* A well crafted 30-second elevator speech - start with why (the purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do)
* Catchy token to gift away - captivating imagery with concise, plain language messaging that showcases your why and how they can easily participate
Paul Born - The Top 100 Partners Exercise
Simon Sinek - Start With Why
What is the most effective way to get people involved? A face-to-face personal ask -- particularly from someone who has a well-established positive relationship with the target individual.
Obviously it is most comfortable to converse with the "like" minds of our established groups but do we find ourselves saying "We just can't seem to attract new people." These new people aren't invisible or in hiding: the neighbour, the grocery store clerk, those we walk by on the street without so much as a smile or friendly hello.
Community engagement takes concerted effort BUT it starts with a simple hello and comes with joyful rewards. One of which has been to debunk my own arrogant, self-justifying assumption that those who aren't engaged do not want to be. With a face-to-face personal ask, we found out that they are eager and have tons to offer!
Relationships that bridge across group boundaries are key to long term resilience as they foster strong vibrant networks. NOW is always the time to reach out and start building new relationships -- face-to-face. Don't expect to sit at a desk behind a computer and change the world.
Helpful "Go Ask" tools:
* Top 100 Partners Exercise - assists in thinking across group boundaries
* A well crafted 30-second elevator speech - start with why (the purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do)
* Catchy token to gift away - captivating imagery with concise, plain language messaging that showcases your why and how they can easily participate
Paul Born - The Top 100 Partners Exercise
Simon Sinek - Start With Why
Sunday 4 May 2014
The Golden Ticket
Rome was not built in one day nor by one person...
Our Village Centennial Celebration came and went spectacularly, absent of my grandiose aspirations:
* Use Tamarack’s 1000 Conversations template to investigate the notion of community with our local senior population.
* Have internationally exhibited photographer John Beebe capture portraits of these invaluable historians.
Creative visions of print and online Centennial keepsakes, showcasing exquisite photos paired with their heartfelt insights about community lingered on my crowded design boards. Thank goodness, along with intense inquisitiveness, I am stubborn. Business sense told me it was wise to connect with a national project… so I persevered.
An unwise community development strategy would be for me to spearhead the project in isolation and facilitate the conversations individually. When connections between people are created and strengthened, community capacity is built. When one person holds the lion’s share of connections, an instable and unsustainable situation results.
Votes were cast and Municipal elections had shifted the local climate. A sincere interest in rebuilding and deepening relationships between government and the citizenship was emerging. Could Village Council utilize the 1000 Conversations initiative as a tool to foster these relationships and independently contribute the local findings to the national project? The answer in short: NO!
Rachel Brnjas (Tamarack Community Animator) tactfully pointed out that participants may not feel comfortable expressing true feelings about community challenges in the presence of government. Impartial facilitation and a neutral environment where everyone is equal, included and accepted is essential for open, honest input. Back to the design board in search of the Golden Ticket.
The Golden Ticket…
Perseverance, progressive group action and enthusiasm paid off in November 2013. Tamarack, through their 1000 Conversations to Shape our Future initiative, offered the Village of Delburne an elite partnership opportunity!
Our Village Centennial Celebration came and went spectacularly, absent of my grandiose aspirations:
* Use Tamarack’s 1000 Conversations template to investigate the notion of community with our local senior population.
* Have internationally exhibited photographer John Beebe capture portraits of these invaluable historians.
Creative visions of print and online Centennial keepsakes, showcasing exquisite photos paired with their heartfelt insights about community lingered on my crowded design boards. Thank goodness, along with intense inquisitiveness, I am stubborn. Business sense told me it was wise to connect with a national project… so I persevered.
An unwise community development strategy would be for me to spearhead the project in isolation and facilitate the conversations individually. When connections between people are created and strengthened, community capacity is built. When one person holds the lion’s share of connections, an instable and unsustainable situation results.
Votes were cast and Municipal elections had shifted the local climate. A sincere interest in rebuilding and deepening relationships between government and the citizenship was emerging. Could Village Council utilize the 1000 Conversations initiative as a tool to foster these relationships and independently contribute the local findings to the national project? The answer in short: NO!
Rachel Brnjas (Tamarack Community Animator) tactfully pointed out that participants may not feel comfortable expressing true feelings about community challenges in the presence of government. Impartial facilitation and a neutral environment where everyone is equal, included and accepted is essential for open, honest input. Back to the design board in search of the Golden Ticket.
The Golden Ticket…
Perseverance, progressive group action and enthusiasm paid off in November 2013. Tamarack, through their 1000 Conversations to Shape our Future initiative, offered the Village of Delburne an elite partnership opportunity!
Saturday 3 May 2014
all arrows SAME DIRECTION
Imagine if all sectors, within all silos, of all stakeholder groups harmonized to travel in the same direction at the same time. An impossible utopia? Frankly, our community lacked the leadership excellence (formal and informal leaders) required to achieve this bliss.
A solution arrived fall 2013 on account of outstanding foresight and advocacy by our Economic Development Committee. BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER awarded the Village of Delburne as a lighthouse community. This initiative has been launched to grow Community Leadership Capacity in Rural Alberta.
"BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER is a 15 WEEK, competency based, community and professional leadership development program. If you would like to see an increase in volunteerism, greater community ownership and pride, increased business profitability, improved performance for yourself and those around you and the strengthening of your community’s resiliency, then BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER is for you and your community." -- Ian Hill (Humanitarian, Business Leader, Award Winning Social Innovator)
From here to forever, this innovative training is available FREE to an UNLIMITED NUMBER of our community members! I highly recommend signing up.
A solution arrived fall 2013 on account of outstanding foresight and advocacy by our Economic Development Committee. BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER awarded the Village of Delburne as a lighthouse community. This initiative has been launched to grow Community Leadership Capacity in Rural Alberta.
"BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER is a 15 WEEK, competency based, community and professional leadership development program. If you would like to see an increase in volunteerism, greater community ownership and pride, increased business profitability, improved performance for yourself and those around you and the strengthening of your community’s resiliency, then BECOMING A COMMUNITY BUILDER is for you and your community." -- Ian Hill (Humanitarian, Business Leader, Award Winning Social Innovator)
From here to forever, this innovative training is available FREE to an UNLIMITED NUMBER of our community members! I highly recommend signing up.
Sunday 16 March 2014
Recreating Us
"We are unable to talk productively about complex issues because we are unable to listen... Opening our minds ultimately means opening our hearts... When a true opening of the heart develops collectively, miracles are possible." -- Solving Tough Problems by Adam Kahane
Listening to this world-class thinker at Tamaracks 2013 CCI, I found his foundational premise of POWER and LOVE coexisting in balance between stakeholders to be game changing. The secret sauce needed for authentic discovery from which new realities can be co-created. His methodology for moving forward in challenging situations was tangible and simple, albeit not easy or straightforward as the process is emergent. Beautifully, it hinges upon an open-hearted reflection of self in relation to others.
What are the stories I tell myself? If I look at the world from a different angle, did it change or did I? Mr. Kahane's Transformative Scenario Planning methodology is based upon co-generating stories about what could happen and through this process, discovering together the path forward towards our desired reality.
PAST versus FUTURE
* I've seen stories used to lobby policy change. Stories that are grounded in the past, focused on what has happened, often side-effects of the deeper issue, aimed to push for resolution but short on whole-system solutions. Effective? Absolutely yes.
* Mr. Kahane was using story to advance ideology. Stories that are future based, focused on what is possible, the desired reality void of the issue, aimed to collectively nurture the personal internal shifts needed to create this new way of being. TRANSFORMATIONAL !!
The question...
Are we portraying the appropriate stories in media if we honestly desire transformational social change?
Listening to this world-class thinker at Tamaracks 2013 CCI, I found his foundational premise of POWER and LOVE coexisting in balance between stakeholders to be game changing. The secret sauce needed for authentic discovery from which new realities can be co-created. His methodology for moving forward in challenging situations was tangible and simple, albeit not easy or straightforward as the process is emergent. Beautifully, it hinges upon an open-hearted reflection of self in relation to others.
What are the stories I tell myself? If I look at the world from a different angle, did it change or did I? Mr. Kahane's Transformative Scenario Planning methodology is based upon co-generating stories about what could happen and through this process, discovering together the path forward towards our desired reality.
PAST versus FUTURE
* I've seen stories used to lobby policy change. Stories that are grounded in the past, focused on what has happened, often side-effects of the deeper issue, aimed to push for resolution but short on whole-system solutions. Effective? Absolutely yes.
* Mr. Kahane was using story to advance ideology. Stories that are future based, focused on what is possible, the desired reality void of the issue, aimed to collectively nurture the personal internal shifts needed to create this new way of being. TRANSFORMATIONAL !!
The question...
Are we portraying the appropriate stories in media if we honestly desire transformational social change?
Saturday 4 January 2014
Shifting Biases
"One of the central challenges for groups trying to change a pattern or trend is to find a way to better understand the "causes", "factors" or "structures" underlying that challenge." -- Getting at Root Causes by Mark Cabaj
At Tamaracks 2013 CCI, what I knew intuitively came together logically via Mark's pyramid. The layers defined top to bottom:
EVENTS... What happened.
PATTERNS & TRENDS... What's been happening?
SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES... What are the forces at play contributing to these patterns?
MENTAL MODELS... What about our thinking allows this situation to persist?
BIASES... What are the emotional, experiential, cognitive biases and self-interests that shape our thinking and preferences?
The way we think (mental models) creates the systems and structures that we exist within. A collective of individual mental models form our societal norms, with events being the end product. Obvious, but quietly powerful when one considers the extreme cultural diversity that exists worldwide. As you think, so we are.
The key is that our thinking is driven by our biases. In my opinion, it is very difficult to change biases working from an intellectual position. Biases live in one's heart, not head. In community development, we often work from intellect; logic based processes with participation and solutions founded on reasoning, published in academic formats.
I DESIRE TO... explore social change intentionally from the bottom up, employing ART to generate compassion. It is understood emotionally.
At Tamaracks 2013 CCI, what I knew intuitively came together logically via Mark's pyramid. The layers defined top to bottom:
PATTERNS & TRENDS... What's been happening?
SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES... What are the forces at play contributing to these patterns?
MENTAL MODELS... What about our thinking allows this situation to persist?
BIASES... What are the emotional, experiential, cognitive biases and self-interests that shape our thinking and preferences?
The way we think (mental models) creates the systems and structures that we exist within. A collective of individual mental models form our societal norms, with events being the end product. Obvious, but quietly powerful when one considers the extreme cultural diversity that exists worldwide. As you think, so we are.
The key is that our thinking is driven by our biases. In my opinion, it is very difficult to change biases working from an intellectual position. Biases live in one's heart, not head. In community development, we often work from intellect; logic based processes with participation and solutions founded on reasoning, published in academic formats.
I DESIRE TO... explore social change intentionally from the bottom up, employing ART to generate compassion. It is understood emotionally.
Friday 13 December 2013
Polemics are Not Persuasive
Wade Davis, National Geographic Explorer
"So what we are trying to do at the National Geographic, finally -- is we believe that politicians will never accomplish anything. We think that polemics are not persuasive but we think that storytelling can change with world. And so we are probably the best storytelling institution in the world. We get 35 million hits on our website every month, 156 nations carry our television channel, our magazines are read by millions.
And what we’re doing is a series of journeys to the ethnosphere where we’re going to take our audience to places of such cultural wonder that they cannot help but come away dazzled by what they have seen. And hopefully therefore embrace gradually, one by one, the central revelation of anthropology -- that this world deserves to exist in a diverse way. That we can find a way to live in a truly multicultural pluralistic world, where all of the wisdom of all peoples can contribute to our collective wellbeing."
Wades' TED Talk filled with stunning photos and stories helped me frame not only the importance of being welcoming and inclusive, and respectful of indigenous ways –- but MOREOVER, the essential need to intentionally meld art and social change as we tackle local issues.
Wade Davis: Cultures at the far edge of the world
"So what we are trying to do at the National Geographic, finally -- is we believe that politicians will never accomplish anything. We think that polemics are not persuasive but we think that storytelling can change with world. And so we are probably the best storytelling institution in the world. We get 35 million hits on our website every month, 156 nations carry our television channel, our magazines are read by millions.
And what we’re doing is a series of journeys to the ethnosphere where we’re going to take our audience to places of such cultural wonder that they cannot help but come away dazzled by what they have seen. And hopefully therefore embrace gradually, one by one, the central revelation of anthropology -- that this world deserves to exist in a diverse way. That we can find a way to live in a truly multicultural pluralistic world, where all of the wisdom of all peoples can contribute to our collective wellbeing."
Wades' TED Talk filled with stunning photos and stories helped me frame not only the importance of being welcoming and inclusive, and respectful of indigenous ways –- but MOREOVER, the essential need to intentionally meld art and social change as we tackle local issues.
Wade Davis: Cultures at the far edge of the world
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