Reflections on COMMUNITY

There are some fundamental shifts that weave their way throughout this book. The shift from thinking about our problems to focusing on possibilities. The shift from blame to choosing accountability. The shift from focusing on deficiencies to focusing on strengths. The shift from a focus on leaders to a focus on citizens. If we are ever to move forward, we need to avoid the pitfall of dwelling on our past. Each of the shifts listed above move us toward a positive, productive conversation in which everyone around the table has a place and, collectively, we have the talent to make our community better. I find it puzzling when people need to “vent” and I hear emphasis on problems, blame, and a focus on weaknesses. Venting has its place, but it is important to move on, to let go of those couter-productive feelings and to make our situations better. When I have been part of high-functioning teams, we have definitely had a future focus and without being asked, each member of the team began taking on work to further the cause. On the best team, it didn't rely on one person...we actually changed leaders during our work and forward progress continued.

The power of conversation...small groups lead to belonging and community. Small groups of people invited to gather together provide a platform for the kind of intimate conversation necessary for people to have voice and hear one another. Everybody has something to contribute. Some people are comfortable voicing their opinions openly and without prompting. However, many of the deepest thinkers I work with are most comfortable sharing their views in small group settings. I also believe that these people are more willing to take on work when they feel as though they have been listened to and valued in conversation.

Focus on the future, not on the past. We can't just re-implement past initiatives or buy a new product or change leadership to improve our community. This is so true. In our community, our demographics have changed, our staff has turned over, and our population is decreasing. This being the case, it would be futile to think that we can turn to our past (i.e. the early 90's when we had money, “morale”...) and think that the same programs used then would work now.

Enforcement and labeling is not the answer. This is one of my pet peeves with our government right now. For example, we are quick to label people as illegal immigrants and write legislation to get “them” out of our country. What would happen if we welcomed these people as “us,” eliminated the red tape for making them citizens, and found ways to bring them into our communities-recognizing this diversity as necessary for our advancement as a community?

Build on collective intelligence. We can't do it alone. We all realize that more minds are better than one. The key to unlocking this potential is to realize the diverse gifts brought to the table by many different people.

Leaders need to: bring people together, provide a blueprint for processes, listen.

The importance of engagement: build in time for discussion, questions are more transformative than answers.