An Opinion:
By Rich Harwood
The past few years have
brought an increasingly divisive and
acrimonious political atmosphere.
But, it’s still clear that people want
to come together, people want to
be a part of something larger than
themselves, people want to act. The
good news is people are ready to roll
up their sleeves and get to work. We
must tap into this energy and spirit
as it can launch us forward.
Last February, I wrote
about how we can get started in
mobilizing people to act. As we start
this new year, I wanted to return to
those 5 keys:
1. Turn outward toward the
community – the very first step
for anyone interested in mobilizing
America is to turn outward toward
our communities. Too many
volunteer, civic engagement
and
other
well-intentioned
community efforts are done with
an organization-first approach – a
narrow view that often starts and
ends with fulfilling one’s own
programmatic goals, strategic
plans, and metrics for community
involvement. To have a fighting
chance for success, we must make
the community the reference point,
not our individual programs.
2. Focus on people’s shared
aspirations – not the community’s
problems – people feel the full
weight of their individual and
community “problems.”And yet,
when asked about their aspirations,
they are quick to offer an alternate
view of what can be. These
opinion
january11
2011
Five Keys for Mobilizing America
aspirations don’t arise through
“visioning” exercises and happy
talk. People must come together
to define their shared aspirations,
for only then can we find points
of common action. Our shared
aspirations are the starting point for
mobilizing America.
5. Tell stories of self-trust and
hope – in many communities, the
common narrative is one of decline,
diminished hopes, even defeat. And
yet, as positive actions occur, we can
combat this ingrained narrative. But
we must be careful. More business-
as-usual storytelling – hyped public
relations and cutesy vignettes – will
only dampen people’s spirits. While
those stories “seem” real – people
know better – and feel their reality
is being manipulated. Instead,
we must tell authentic stories of
change, ones that reflect our trials
and errors, successes and failures,
and lessons learned. Let’s call them
civic parables. These stories, when
real, help us restore our faith in one
another and in our individual and
collective ability to build stronger
communities.
3. Get people doing actual work
together – people don’t simply
want to volunteer for an hour here
and there. Instead, they’re yearning
for the opportunity to build deep
and lasting relationships and be
part of something larger – indeed,
to address the sense of connection
and caring that has been weakened
or severed as they’ve hunkered
down to ride out the storm. Thus,
more “plug-and-play” volunteer
programs won’t do the trick this
time; people want to roll-up
There
is
enormous
their sleeves and work together
– and over time. They want to do potential to mobilize Americans
today to rebuild our communities.
something real.
The truth is people don’t need to
4. Move in a common direction – wait for Washington to get going. In
too often volunteer and community fact, the real energy and spirit lives
efforts are based on episodic, ad in our communities. So, let’s start
hoc activities where the emphasis is now. Let’s mobilize people. Let’s
on making the individual volunteer rebuild America.
“feel good.” The focus is often
This article appeared in
scattered, all too often not directed
at the public good, and as a result Rich Harwood’s “Redeeming Hope
yield limited impact. Simply calling Blog” on January 4, 2011 and was
on people to volunteer will not help reprinted with permission.
Richard Harwood is the
people rebuild their communities.
We must create, together, in founder of The Harwood Institute
individual communities and across for Public Innovation a non-profit,
the country, a common sense of non-partisan organization that
direction to guide what we do, and seeks nothing less than to spark
to make sure what we’re doing add fundamental change and authentic
hope in American public life.
up to something real.
In Memory of:
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Dorothy Sassewalker Coady
Nellie Tipton
Bob Frederickson
Norv Wikstrom
Irene Minger
Wayne Welch
Tom Holce
Ruth Vealey
Rena Brady Miller
Wilbur Jones -
- Oregon American Logger
Jack Heenan
Virgil Hiveley
Elizabeth L. Holsey
Mike Cook
Opal Counts
Bob Jackson
Frank Harlan Enyart
3
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