It's So Easy...
Whoa.
I like to think that I am pretty devoted to the concept of collaboration as democracy. And I am proud of how I work with groups to discover mutually beneficial outcomes to challenging situations.
Yet last night, in a group I was working with, I made a rather unilateral decision without thinking about what I was doing. As the program coordinator for this group, I had made a similar unilateral decision about 5 months ago regarding a fundraising opportunity that involved sales on the part of the membership (i.e. selling candy to benefit the larger organization). Given that I did not put the option out to the group for deliberation, it should not have surprised me that folks were not extremely eager to help me get rid of the stuff.
And given that I had skipped that very important step of seeking input those 5 months ago, I should have known better than to make yet another bad decision last night when I said out loud in the meeting that we could modify the sale to benefit individual sub-groups rather than the larger group. Those folks who HAD been helping me sell candy to benefit the whole organization muttered and grimaced when I said small pieces of the organization could now benefit if they pitched in.
No question, no discussion, just my sense of being in a tight spot and wanting to get out of it.
Again, whoa.
How easy it is to get so wrapped up in the pursuit of individual ease of distress, so challenging to remain focused on the common good. No wonder our elected officials get into so much trouble. We're all just human, and therefore bound to get ourselves into tight spots, even if with good intention. And in our attempts to wriggle out of those tight spots, we corner ourselves into even tighter ones.
Having realized this, I will go back to the group and proclaim that I have recognized my goof. Actually recognized both of them. I'll ask for their understanding, and suggestions as to what should happen next.
This democracy stuff is tricky -- so much so that I remain convinced that regular practice is what we need. Wish me luck.
I like to think that I am pretty devoted to the concept of collaboration as democracy. And I am proud of how I work with groups to discover mutually beneficial outcomes to challenging situations.
Yet last night, in a group I was working with, I made a rather unilateral decision without thinking about what I was doing. As the program coordinator for this group, I had made a similar unilateral decision about 5 months ago regarding a fundraising opportunity that involved sales on the part of the membership (i.e. selling candy to benefit the larger organization). Given that I did not put the option out to the group for deliberation, it should not have surprised me that folks were not extremely eager to help me get rid of the stuff.
And given that I had skipped that very important step of seeking input those 5 months ago, I should have known better than to make yet another bad decision last night when I said out loud in the meeting that we could modify the sale to benefit individual sub-groups rather than the larger group. Those folks who HAD been helping me sell candy to benefit the whole organization muttered and grimaced when I said small pieces of the organization could now benefit if they pitched in.
No question, no discussion, just my sense of being in a tight spot and wanting to get out of it.
Again, whoa.
How easy it is to get so wrapped up in the pursuit of individual ease of distress, so challenging to remain focused on the common good. No wonder our elected officials get into so much trouble. We're all just human, and therefore bound to get ourselves into tight spots, even if with good intention. And in our attempts to wriggle out of those tight spots, we corner ourselves into even tighter ones.
Having realized this, I will go back to the group and proclaim that I have recognized my goof. Actually recognized both of them. I'll ask for their understanding, and suggestions as to what should happen next.
This democracy stuff is tricky -- so much so that I remain convinced that regular practice is what we need. Wish me luck.
posted by Girl Outa Texas at 6:05 PM
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