In my younger years as a grassroots activist I proudly wore a t-shirt that said, “Think Globally. Act Locally”. While I knew the slogan was suggesting we all needed to consider the health of the entire planet and to take action in our communities, I’m not sure until now I really understood how I could make the world a priority when just local on its own was often so daunting. As a result, my work instead focused first on community-led...
Last week I got a call from a friend who I haven’t heard from in many, many years. As we caught up, it became clear he’s done a fabulous job of developing a business that grew steadily and become very successful. Like me, he’s worked really hard and has taken risks. Whereas his path was relatively straightforward, mine was somewhat different. My track record with employers together with a sometimes painful and lonely climb, was reflected...
I think I was born practical. As a result I really hate wasting time, money, or energy. No surprise then that I have very little tolerance for red tape – meaning complex and time-consuming forms and procedures. While I no longer work for government or a bureaucracy, a number of recent encounters were a reminder of just how darn good they can be in terms of generating it. And the thing is, every centimetre of that red tape was generated by...
There is an ongong debate between specialists who have expertise in a limited area, versus generalists who have divergent skills in a variety of areas. Mainstream society generally favours specialists over generalists, partly due to their perceived expertise and educational credentials. However, in today's uncertain, complex and increasingly volatile world there are growing questions as to whether or not our education system can afford to...
Many of us working at the grassroots levels of our communities have been saying for years that networks are more powerful than hierarchies. However, it may have taken a pandemic to make it clearer to those like Malcolm Gladwell who shares his thoughts in this article for INC. Community builders, this is your time to shine. |
