It is essential to have the view of gifts and assets instead of fear, fault, and blame. We are hired because of the strengths we bring to an organization, not the areas of our deficiencies. I especially liked the part not to refer to a person as disabled, but identifying the individual by their talents.
The setting of a meeting is as important as the subject matter of the meeting. If possible, have people sit at circular tables where they are facing each other and have the opportunity to interact. It is best if people are not elevated, as this indicates different levels of importance. If a person is going to have a microphone then all individuals should have the opportunity to have their voice amplified. When a person begins to talk, have them state their name and perhaps have them repeat what they stated, to signify importance.
Developing a sense of belonging is what builds community. Individuals that feel connected to many aspects of the community will have increased buy in. As individuals develop a feeling of relatedness, they will develop a sense of ownership in helping to shape the direction and purpose of the organization.
Long-lasting change occurs at a gradual pace. If change is dictated by laws and mandates the initial impact might be dramatic, but the long term effect will be minimal. When change is spawned by small groups of people interacting peer to peer the buy-in will allow the new adjustments to endure over time.
Who do we want at the table? As a list is generated of who to invite to a meeting, we should look for a representative sampling of the overall population. The more personal the invitation, face to face is most effective, the more likely people are to attend. If an individual chooses not to attend the request should be honored and there should be no concern of negative consequences.
The focus of a meeting should be on possibilities and not on problem solving. What do we envision our future to be? What will we create together? This focus on possibilities is what allows organizations to progress from good to great! This future we envision creates energy and enthusiasm and generates excitement of what we can become.
Citizenship is one who is willing to be accountable for the well being of the whole. We are creators of our own world. We need to form our own future, not let others determine our path. If people had a hand in creating, they will embrace ownership and accept accountability.
Gifts, generosity, abundance, chosen accountability, focus on citizens, possibility = restorative path
A leader is a social architect that creates experiences for others. Leaders design gatherings, promote shared ownership and produce engagement. Effective listening is a key attribute to an effective leader. Sometimes we ask leaders to solve for us, what we should solve ourselves.
Hi Clay,
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post. I enjoy how you posted your work with the cool background. I agree that it is important to be aware of the social aspect of the invitation to the table as to build community it must be with hospitality and with respect. Also that we include various people to the table. Both writing touch on the fact that everyone has gifts to share is critical. The social architect is a good metaphor for when you focus on community-building and in having community discussions. Excellent post!
Clay,
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed your summary of some crucial pieces of successful community conversation Your focus on inclusiveness and removal of 'power' moves was also a take-away of the book for me. I really feel this perspective upheaved some previously held notions of the expectations of leaders. There are parts of the book that seemed so simple, yet parts I struggled with because of the complexity of insight. I've watched some videos of Peter presenting his work and the reaction of crowds is often 'this is not simple' nor is this mainstream thought about organizations. Some of the reactions I had as well. The pieces you focus on are definitely the the pieces that everyone can benefit from. Thank you!
Very insightful. I resonate with the restorative path. I think you are correct in that we as leaders need to set the stage for the path we want our community to walk. Doing that with the willingness to see the potential on our stakeholders and actively listen to their voices with put us all walking that path together.
ReplyDelete"The focus of a meeting should be on possibilities and not on problem solving. What do we envision our future to be? What will we create together?" I feel this is a powerful statement the book made and I am glad you included it in your response. Often we look at our deficiencies and rationalize why we are where we are. We need to look inward and decided what we want our future to become. Then we can hold the conversations to make our future.
ReplyDelete"Citizenship is one who is willing to be accountable for the well being of the whole. We are creators of our own world. We need to form our own future, not let others determine our path. If people had a hand in creating, they will embrace ownership and accept accountability." This is a powerful statement. It appears that many people wish to lay blame about their current state and how others inhibit their future. All need to realize that they own their future.
Thank you for your thoughts on this book.
I appreciate your comments regarding a restorative path for organizations. My question is how do we get others within our organization to feel this way and share the values that are represented in the book? A great starting point, as you point out, is assembling a group of open-minded people around the table to share in this leadership process.
ReplyDeleteClay--excellent synapsis. I found your paragraph related to community and a sense of belonging of particular interest. This is true in so many aspects of education, and life in general. When a person is invested and feels a sense of belonging, the purpose of the group or organization becomes THEIR purpose. That was a focus of ours at our middle school in trying to generate more parental involvement in all aspects of our school. I ran listening sessions and constantly was seeking feedback from parents and community members that would be valued and utilized during the decision-making process.
ReplyDeleteClay,
ReplyDeleteGreat insight with this post> I am in agreement with creating a sense of belonging for all community members. How we create that opportunity says much about how we see ourselves. I am also finding that I look to make the personal invite more when I meet with groups of people that are working on district initiatives. You mentioned that we need to focus on the possibilities and not the probelms. Great comment!