2020 Resources – TED talks on the benefits of sleep

Every time I read an article on the importance of sleep and the negative cumulative impact of insufficient sleep, I cringe. For decades, I was one of those people that confidently stated, “I only need 5 hours of sleep a night.” Now I am confident that I simply can’t bring my best to the world if I keep starving myself of sleep. The research on the importance of quality sleep is compelling and these two TED talks offer some compelling insights. 

Jeff Iliff – One More reason To Get a Good Night’s Sleep 

Jeff Iliff is a neuroscientist and he and his research team have learned that, during sleep, our brains are literally ‘cleansed’ of the waste and toxins that build up when we work the brain. This helps our brain stay healthy. Conversely, poor sleep quality and duration results in a build up of wastes – the same type of wastes that are in high concentrations in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s. They don’t know if there is a causal relationship but it is an interesting correlation! 

Russell Foster – Why Do We Sleep?

This is another interesting TED talk on sleep if you are keen to learn more. Russell Foster is a circadian neuroscientist, which means he is an expert on the body’s sleep cycles. In this talk, Foster slays (with humour) several common sleep myths and challenges dominant attitudes about sleep being a ‘waste of time’. He says it’s high time we take sleep seriously as a society. “This isn’t some sort of crystal-waving nonsense,” he says. “This is a pragmatic response to good health. If you have good sleep, it increases your concentration, attention, decision-making, creativity, social skills, health.”

2020 Resources – Thinking about wellness

In Leadership 2020, we offer a simple framework for assessing our wellness practices, adapted from the First Nation’s Healthy Authority’s perspective on wellness and wholism. A visual of this is offered below.

mindful

You can use whatever labels make sense to you but the key point is to attend to the different dimensions of wellness. Each of us might have different wellness practices within the dimensions, and there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach nor is there a definitive ‘how to manual’ for wellness practice (despite what the self-help gurus might claim), but it is helpful to build awareness about what we have going on – or not – in each dimension. Where am I lean? What have I got in place that is working for me? What have I not been paying attention to? What do I want to introduce or re-introduce back into my life?

As we are in the generative Spring season – a time of new beginnings – it may be time to consider the questions above for yourself and then make some commitments – what will you keep doing, start doing and stop doing in order to enhance your wellness and well being over the next 6 months? 

These don’t need to be big and bold – sometimes it is the small stuff that can make a big difference, e.g. drink more water, stretch for 3 minutes every hour (set your phone to remind you to get up, stretch and get a glass of water), write a gratitude or ‘what went right’ statement at the end of each work day as your last act before you head home, listen to a talking book on something inspirational on your commute rather than listening to the news. 

One of the things to be aware of is that our brains have a harder time allowing us to stop doing something than to start doing something. Old habits die hard because the neural pathways associated with behaviours become deeply rooted. To introduce new wellness practices may be a better place to start – the novelty captures us and over time we can establish new neural pathways that may challenge the old patterns and pathways.

Nine self-care reminders for the over-committed activist

In her article, Nine self-care reminders for the over-committed activist, Vancouver-based Christine Boyle writes that: “the idea of self-care bubbles up every now and then in community and activist circles. It’s not an easy topic; often associated with self-indulgence, it can be seen as a luxury that can wait until after the next crisis. And yet, it continues to arise. Why?”

We include this article in our 2020 materials as we believe in the message: to focus on self-care is not a selfish practice to get to when all other important work is done; it is a leader’s discipline. In fact, it is a generative act. Sure it provides personal benefits, but it also has ripple effects on others including our families, clients, and colleagues. We are more able to serve as leaders when our head is clear, when our bodies are hydrated and nourished, when we feel connected and engaged, and when we are mindful and present. 

If you are interested in diving deeper into the topic of self compassion, two researchers/authors that are doing great work are Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer. Kristin has a wonderful website complete with a self-assessment tool, her TEDx talk and other videos, guided mindfulness practices and resources. Christopher’s website is also very helpful with access to articles, excerpts from his books, guided meditations, and handouts from the Mindful Self Compassion training program. 

Both have also written very accessible and thoughtful books:

Kristin Neff (2011). Self Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.
Kristin Neff (2013). Self Compassion Step-by-Step: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself (CD).
Christopher Germer (2009). The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself From Destructive Thoughts and Emotions.

2020 Resources – What Makes a Good Life?

Recommended TED talk: Lessons from the Longest Study on Human Happiness by Robert Waldinger

Robert Waldinger, a professor at Harvard Medical School is the Director of a study that has been tracking two groups of men (and now their partners and children) for 75 years. One group is comprised of Harvard graduates and the other from the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and families of Boston at the time the study began. Throughout this period of time, researchers have interviewed the participants every one or 2 years, collected medical records, undertaken brain scans and tracked their life journey and stories.

This study has informed our understanding of what makes people happy and healthy through their lives. In this easy-to-listen-to 12-minute TED talk, Waldinger shares three factors that make a difference – all connected to a sense of belonging and having meaningful relationships. “The people who fared the best had leaned into relationships with family, friends, community” even when messy and complicated.

While this talk is not about leadership per se, it is still relevant to our work in a number of ways. Our personal well-being influences how we show up as leaders, so how are we tending to the relationships we have with family, friends, and community? How might we foster positive relationships in our teams and organizations to create a sense of belonging and connection amongst the people we work with? Given the vital importance of strong attachments and relationships to long-term physical, mental and emotional health, in what ways do we design, deliver and lead services to foster healthy connections for children, youth, and families?

We know this stuff, but a little reminder doesn’t hurt!

Positive Teams are More Productive

Positive Teams are More Productive, by Emma Seppala
(Harvard Business Review, March 2015)

One of the first things to note about this very short article is that is written by the Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. Think about the fact that an institution like Stanford values compassion and altruism such that it has established a center dedicated to researching the phenomenon. I don’t think this would have happened a decade ago. I think that it reflects a growing body of research evidence and understanding that attending to the well-being of ourselves and others – in our families, friend groups, organizations and communities – is not just nice to do if we can find the time, but essential to support thriving families, workplaces and communities.

The author draws on research from a number of different sources and suggests that the traditional approaches to increasing productivity – setting plans and goals, streamlining procedures, setting targets, measuring performance or offering incentives and perks – might have their place. However, so does paying attention to the context and culture for the team’s work and how this contributes or detracts from well-being. Citing a study from University of Michigan, she notes that workplaces “characterized by positive and virtuous practices excel in a number of domains.” They increase positive emotions (which helps to build resilience and amplify creativity to solve difficult issues), buffer against negative events and enhance personal and collective resilience, and they attract and bolster employees, including enhancing loyalty and staff commitment to offer their best.

These positive and virtuous practices include:

  • Caring for, being interested in, and maintaining responsibility for colleagues.
  • Providing support for one another, including offering kindness and compassion when others are struggling.
  • Avoiding blame and forgive mistakes.
  • Inspiring one another at work.
  • Emphasizing the meaningfulness of the work.
  • Treating one another with respect, gratitude, trust & integrity.”

So what creates a climate or culture that is virtuous? The author suggests that leadership is critical. In particular, modelling caring and supportive behaviour in an authentic way. Small steps also make a difference – there doesn’t need to be a grand strategic plan and dedicated resources to encourage a more positive workplace.

Another article that offers some insights here is by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, in which they distil their research into the relationship between authenticity and effective leadership. They found six principles or virtues at work in dream workplaces, in which people are happy and engaged:

  • Individual differences are nurtured
  • Information is not suppressed or spun
  • The organization adds value to staff (through support, supervision, learning and growth opportunities, training, mentorship, etc.)
  • The organization stands for something meaningful
  • The work is intrinsically rewarding
  • There are no stupid rules

The authors note that: “several of the attributes run counter to traditional practices and ingrained habits. Others are, frankly, complicated and can be costly to implement. Some conflict with one another. Almost all require leaders to carefully balance competing interests and to rethink how they allocate their time and attention.” Nonetheless, they issue an invitation to leaders to consider how they might enact some of these virtues in their spheres of influence.

How might your team context and culture stack up against the principles noted above? What small steps might you take as a leader (either by position or influence) to contribute to a greater sense of well-being (and thus productivity, effectiveness, and creativity) in your team?

Resources on Theory U

In the Leadership 2020 final residencies we work extensively with Theory U as both a framework for the final week’s design and as a method for change leadership. Our design and hosting team loves working with Theory U as participants both ‘see themselves’ within the model/method and discover a language and process that informs their work in the world. However, learning about and working with Theory U doesn’t need to wait until a formal residency.  It is learnable through self-study and practice, and applicable to the complex situations we frequently find ourselves in.

First some background: The ‘U Procedure’ or ‘U Process’ was first developed in the Netherlands in the late 60’s as a change management approach to address conflict and shift unproductive organizational behaviour. Otto Scharmer and his colleagues at MIT, The Society for Organizational Learning, and the Presencing Institute have been further developing the concepts as ‘Theory U’, for application in organizational, community and systemic contexts. They note that the deeper social, economic, ecological and spiritual challenges of our times cannot be addressed by either looking to the past for direction or by looking for simple solutions. Instead, this complexity work calls for “a new consciousness and a new collective leadership capacity to meet challenges in a more conscious, intentional, and strategic way.”

Theory U evolved after a deep and extensive inquiry into what effective leaders do when they successfully address complex challenges. Scharmer and his colleagues  discovered that “successful leadership depends on the quality of attention and intention that the leader brings to any situation. Two leaders in the same circumstances doing the same thing can bring about completely different outcomes, depending on the inner place from which each operates.” Theory U thus informs a way of being as well as offering a framework and method for change.

Central to this way of being is:

  • Shifting from reaction to inquiry and from acting alone to engaging with others
  • Cultivating the qualities of attention, observation, presence and deeper listening
  • Uncovering the voices of judgment, cynicism and fear that hold us back
  • Challenging these voices by cultivating an open mind, open heart and open will
  • Illuminating the blindspots that keep us stuck in old patterns (letting go)
  • Being willing to act in small ways to probe and test out ideas – and yes fail – in order to learn and evolve new solutions to complex issues.

A scenario might help to illuminate how Theory U can be applied. Let’s say that you and your colleagues are noticing that a growing number of youth in your community are engaging in high-risk behaviours and the community is becoming alarmed. Your agency is getting pressured to respond in some way – and quickly! Now what? When we are faced with such pressure, our response is often to act from what we currently know and do, for example, look to an existing program to address the concern, or seek funds to implement a known crisis intervention. While there might be value in these responses, Theory U encourages a deeper level of inquiry and understanding.

The first ‘movement in Theory U calls for ‘co-initiating’ – inviting and engaging with others who share similar concerns and interests in order to develop a shared purpose or intention, such as better supporting youth in the community, or stemming the high risk behaviours. At this point in the process, the voice of judgment often arises, in which we explicitly or implicitly look for and judge the circumstances or people that we believe might be causing or contributing to the problem. This sounds like, “Government cut our program and this is why there is a crisis” of “If the (agency, school, parents, etc.) paid attention, it wouldn’t have come to this”. The voice of judgment clouds our capacity to see what is going on beyond the obvious and narrows our views of what is possible – not a great way to begin approaching a complex situation. The antidote to the voice of judgment is an open mind as curiosity and judgment cannot co-exist. The open mind allows us to ask, with others, “What is going on here?” and “What do we need to learn in order to make sense of the situation?”

An open mind prepares us to engage in the second movement in Theory U – ‘co-sensing’ – in which those involved inquire and learn, to discover new information about the phenomenon, from multiple perspectives. The Presencing Institute website noted below offers an array of tools and practices that support this. I have assisted a wide array of organizations to engage in co-sensing processes – from small non-profits, to BC Women’s Hospital – and the results have always been illuminating and inspiring for the participants and frequently shift the course of action taken. 

As we go deeper into the ‘U’, we come up against another insidious voice – the voice of cynicism. This sounds like, “We tried this before and it won’t work” and “No one will support us, they won’t get it”. The antidote to the voice of cynicism is an open heart. This enables us to be available to the learning journey and discoveries, and to receive the gifts of diverse perspectives and offerings. From this openness we will receive insights or offers that we might have never conceived of, as we widen the circle of inquiry and engagement. At this point in the U process you may also hear the ‘realist argument’, which sounds like, “I am not being a cynic, I am just a realist – we haven’t got support before so we won’t get support now” or “How is it going to help us to talk to all these people? They don’t really know what is going on and we have to act now!” However, by cultivating an open mind and heart we can suspend judgment and cynicism and ask, “Is this true?” and “What can I understand about what holds people back?” and “What/who else is out there?” and “Who can help here?” Returning to our scenario, you might learn from all sorts of people that have not traditionally been involved in youth work, but who nonetheless have something to offer such as a unique perspective, assistance, support, critique, etc.

At the bottom of the U is the third movement – presencing. At this point, stillness is required. Rather than rushing straight from information to action, there is value in tapping into ‘the pause’ that we often talk about in 2020, so that our minds can be present with and available to what has been discovered. We can sift and sort, find patterns, discover dissonance and perhaps gain a more nuanced or broader understanding of what is going on. Sometimes in our field, even with the most complex and urgent issues, there is great value in “slowing down in order to go fast”. 

Another voice that often emerges as we approach this deeper level of understanding of the need to act is the voice of fear. This sounds like, “I/we don’t know how to do this and I/we might fail” and “If we fail, we will look foolish/incompetent/cause harm/waste resources” and “I/we will lose” and “Something terrible will happen here.” As you can no doubt appreciate from your own experience, fear is very incapacitating.  This is because our ‘survival brain’ is activated and the executive functions associated with our neo-cortex (our thinking brain) are hijacked. Instead of being able to see an array of possibilities for response, our repertoire is limited to fight, flight, freeze, or appease. The antidote to fear is easier said than done – open will. There is a quality of self compassion and empathy for self and others associated with an open will and it can sound like, “I/we might fail, but I am not a failure and I will figure it out” and “This is really important work and it matters to me/us so it is worth it to try”. In this way, we let go of our judgment, cynicism and fear and become more open to possibilities  

At this point of the U process we are ready to act – and act with intensity. This is a time for co-creating probes and protoyping – for trying out a number of ideas to see what difference can be made and what else can be learned. There will still be judgment, cynicism and fear lurking about, but the qualities of openness that have been cultivated and the joy of enacting things that have been co-informed and co-created can help to keep the voices at bay.  I will share more about probes and prototyping in a future communiqué but know that if we are going to address complex issues we will not ‘get it right’ the first time – or the second, third of fourth!  However, as we try, and fail, and discover, in small and low risk/low resource ways, we can learn and develop the ideas until such time as we are ready for the final movement of co-evolving. This is when we enact the new, well-informed and tested response to the complex concerns we identified at the beginning of the process.

Here is a visual that shows the five movements, three voices and three ‘antidotes’ to the voices:

theoryU

For further reading:

Presencing Institute: Otto Scharmer and colleagues host a wonderful array of resources on their Presencing Institute website. Here is an overview of Theory U, and here are some tools for practice (especially in the co-sensing movement).

Margaret Wheatley: Turning to One Another

From Margaret Wheatley, Turning to One Another, 2009

In working with many people in very different cultures, I’ve learned to define leadership differently than most. A leader is anyone willing to help, anyone who sees something that needs to change and takes the first steps to influence that situation. It might be a parent who intervenes in her child’s school; or a rural village that works to get clean water; or a worker who refuses to allow mistreatment of others in his workplace; or a citizen who rallies her neighbours to stop local polluters. Everywhere in the world, no matter the economic or social circumstances, people step forward to try and make a small difference.

Because a leader is anyone willing to help, we can celebrate the fact that the world is abundantly rich in leaders. Some people ask, “Where have all the leaders gone?” But if we worry that there’s a shortage of leaders, we’re just looking in the wrong place, usually at the top of some hierarchy. Instead, we need to look around us, to look locally. And we need to look at ourselves. When have we moved into action for an issue or concern that we cared about? When have we stepped forward to help and thereby become a leader?

The process that creates change in the world is quite straightforward. We notice something that needs to be changed. We keep noticing it. The problem keeps getting our attention, even though most people don’t notice that there’s even a problem. We start to act, we try something. If that doesn’t work, we try a different approach. We learn as we go…

Al Etmanski’s speaking notes from the FCSSBC Social Policy Forum

The political announcement in Tuesday’s budget to increase spending for children in care occurred in large part because FOR THE LAST 15 – 20 YEARS:

  • You spoke up IN DEFENSE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA’S children and families
  • You worked with public service and political allies to prevent further cuts
  • You developed new resources with your ingenuity and enterprise
  • You worked inside systems w/o acknowledgement

It happened BECAUSE You didn’t turn your back when Children, Youth, Women, Families WERE NOT SEEN AS a political or economic priority even though your professionalism was often under attack.

Thank you for standing firm against what Pope France calls the “globalization of indifference”. Thank you for your leadership. And for taking on what must often feel like a thankless task.

You must feel this is the way it will always be. But it’s not. THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL WINDS ARE CHANGING.

BOB DYLAN once sang – You  DON’T HAVE TO BE A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY WINDS ARE BLOWING. The winds are blowing in favour of Justice AND equality again.

One of the first signs was the election of the current Mayor of New york Bill de Blasio on a campaign to address homelessness, poverty and racial injustice. Bill de Blasio was an underdog unlike any New York mayor in recent memory – a staunch progressive, a crusader against income inequality and for affordable housing – very different from former Mayor Bloomberg.

The next wind to blow was the appearance of Pope Frances on the world stage. Here are a few of things he has said: “Men and women are sacrificed to the idols of profit and consumption: it is the ‘culture of waste.’ If a computer breaks it is a tragedy, but poverty, the needs and dramas of so many people end up being considered normal.” “We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.”

And speaking to youth recently, he asked them to become revolutionaries, “I ask you to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes you are incapable of responsibility, that believes you are incapable of true love.” 

Within the last year the Ford Foundation redesigned their whole grantmaking to focus on the 5 key drivers of inequity. I think you would find them very familiar. Here in Canada the Maytree Foundation is leading a campaign to enshrine economic and social rights for our most vulnerable in our Charter. 

Here is another strong wind that ‘s blowing around the world – a guaranteed annual income. Finland is implementing it. I Canada the idea is picking up credibility after a 40-year hiatus from the remarkable Dauphin Manitoba demonstration. The Globe and Mail wrote a favourable editorial last weekendI also detect justice and equity as the ‘juice’ behind our newly elected government and the surprising strength of Bernie Saunders’ campaign.

If you factor out the political and religion elements of these winds of change they all have in common a challenge to the “iron rule of economy,” i.e. that we must first take care of the economy before we take care of each other.

What they mean to you and me is that the time is right in British Columbia for a transformative Vision. YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO TREAD WATER. You can regain your historical role AS ADVOCATES FOR THE BOLDEST RENDITION OF THE  WORLD WE WANT  FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. INSTEAD OF being under a cloud you can show us what is beyond the horizon. INSTEAD OF Playing defense YOU CAN regain the offence. INSTEAD OF Playing catch up you can take the lead.

We are at a Crossroads in BC. Your SACRED TASK is changing. You can now be bolder than you’ve ever been. Here’s the thing: YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE. Furthermore, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You SIMPLY NEED TO THINK AND ACT LIKE A MOVEMENT. 

Movements do 3 things much better than other organizational forms such as committees, task forces, partnerships, non-profits, sectors, government, coalitions and FEDERATIONS. THEY change culture – THOSE DEEPLY ROOTED HABITS attitudes and beliefs THAT KEEP THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE. They do it in three ways:

ONE – Movements provide a vehicle for collaborating and co-operating across sectors, organizational boundaries, social and economic strata, origins, backgrounds and jurisdictions. They are the ultimate inclusive container, encompassing the full assortment of actors AND ACTIONS required for transformative change.

TWO – Movements shift the boundaries of what is socially acceptable and expected. They provide a climate for new ideas. Movements create the favourable political conditions for the combination of legislative change, resource allocation, policy shifts, new stories and new behaviours you are looking for. THEY Embolden Politicians.  The recent Paris Climate Agreement would not have happened without a global, grassroots climate movement. This movement of movements was DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED FOR THE Failed COPENHAGEN climate TALKS but proved its effectiveness in Paris. INCIDENTALLY one of the chief organizers was JASON MOGUS who lives on SALTSPRING.

THREE Movements don’t just open our minds, they touch our hearts. University of Victoria’s BUDD HALL suggests that movements are evolving from simply describing the world we want, to giving us the experience of what this new world would resemble using the power of dance, drama, ritual, ceremony, poetry and humour. Movements, he says, are increasingly “about flow, networking, connectivity, immediacy, creativity and an immediate sensual intimacy.”

The arts and social movements make a good marriage because they’re both iconoclastic, set up by their very nature to challenge sacred cows. They lend movements compelling symbols and images that are more meaningful and hopeful than slogans and clichés.

You don’t need to start a new movement. Simply support the one(s) you are already part of. For example, the poverty reduction/anti-poverty movements comprise welfare reform, minimum wage, fair wage and guaranteed annual income advocates. Chances are high they could find a common agenda with folks addressing underemployment, unemployment, homelessness, food sovereignty, agri-business, urban gardening, social isolation, addiction, AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH, to name a few.

NOTE: The FCSSBC isn’t a movement, it’s a federation. If you are a member you have your organizational objectives and Federation objectives. You also have movement objectives. Your movement objectives will support your organizational and federation objectives. Here are 8 questions to help you think and act like a movement.

  1.  Which movements are you already part of?
  2. Who are the key players and actors in these movements?
  3. How can these movements help you achieve your organizational mission?
  4. How would you describe your movement objectives?
  5.  What actions can you take to support the movements you are already part of?
  6.  Which movement players could you align with?
  7. Are you welcoming and supporting disruptive, frontline, grassroots individuals and groups?
  8. What about artists, painters, dancers, poets, sculptors, singers, storytellers…?

By setting aside time and resources for movement thinking and acting, we give greater lift to our collective aspirations. There are no shortcuts. Only when people come together in large numbers do we get the world we want. There is one important qualification to movement thinking and acting. MOVEMENTS IN CANADA MAY BE DIFFERENT from THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THEY MAKE ROOM FOR GOVERNMENT. 

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION THAT GOVERNMENT SEEMS PARALYSED? THERE IS A CERTAIN SENSE IN WHICH THAT IS TRUE. Off the top of my head, I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST FOUR SPINAL CORD INJURIES of Government.

  1. SHORT ATTENTION SPAN – FOCUS ON IMMEDIATE
  2. RISK ADVERSE
  3. EXCESSIVE FOCUS on ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY and PRIVACY CONSIDERATIONS
  4. LIMITED POLICY and RESEARCH CAPACITY.  MOST GOVERNMENT POLICY SHOPS HAVE CLOSED DOWN OR ARE SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERSTAFFED. THEY NO LONGER  are as up to date on emerging problems and TRENDS as we think they are.

ALL these ‘spinal cord’ injuries TAKE THEIR TOLL. IF A FRIEND WAS PARALYSED – YOU WOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATION TO ENSURE THEY PERFORMED AT THEIR PEAK. THAT’S WHY A NEW BREED OF ADVOCATES HAVE EMERGED – Solution-based Advocates.

Solution-based advocates want to do more than oppose government or focus unduly on what’s not working. They’re tired of reacting, and they work hard to cultivate a proactive mindset. Their focus is on workable solutions. These folks haven’t gone soft, parking their issues until government gets its act together. Neither are they naive. They are prudent however. They want results, just like everyone else, but they take government’s limitations into consideration. They have two objectives:

  1. To propose solutions and
  2. To enhance government’s capacity to make better decisions.

While pursuing their issue proponents of solution-based advocacy seek to improve relationships among all the players, to attract new allies and to build a base for addressing the next set of challenges.

Former prime minister Joe Clark calls the symbiotic relationship between civil society and government a marriage between imagination and mandate. What non-governmental organizations don’t have, he says, is “the authority to change the rules . . . Non-state organizations often have the imagination which the world needs, but only states and governments have the mandate and power to change laws and regulations and obligations.”

You know the expression necessity is the mother of invention. I’d like to propose a friendly amendment – If necessity is the mother of invention then love is the other parent. Passionate amateurs are inspired by love and motivated by necessity. Someone or something they care about is vulnerable, under siege or in trouble, and they have no choice but to respond.

Passionate amateurs don’t quit. They can’t quit. They are prepared to pour their life’s energy into resolving a challenge. Their commitment is freely given, beyond the boundaries of job descriptions, office hours, strategic plans, funding, fashion and political priorities. They are on the front lines, spotting and dealing with injustice years and sometimes decades before the issue seeps into the consciousness of our institutions.

You are all passionate amateurs – wherever you work in the ecosystem surrounding our children youth and families. Your actions are expressions of the heart.

Whatever role we play, our effectiveness improves when we fall in love with the issue – its mystery, its brokenness and its contradictions. Without that love, we are more likely to walk away from a challenge; to blame others, or to get distracted by a search for more technology and techniques.

The necessity to do something is usually clear. We have more than enough studies, reports, projections and statistics about what is wrong, horrible and not working. We now need to envelop our challenges with love. To tap into what people care deeply about. To rally the lovesick. Why? Because it’s 2016.

Thank you.

2020 Resources – Al Etmanski’s speaking notes from the FCSSBC Social Policy Forum

The political announcement in Tuesday’s budget to increase spending for children in care occurred in large part because FOR THE LAST 15 – 20 YEARS:

  • You spoke up IN DEFENSE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA’S children and families
  • You worked with public service and political allies to prevent further cuts
  • You developed new resources with your ingenuity and enterprise
  • You worked inside systems w/o acknowledgement

It happened BECAUSE You didn’t turn your back when Children, Youth, Women, Families WERE NOT SEEN AS a political or economic priority even though your professionalism was often under attack.

Thank you for standing firm against what Pope France calls the “globalization of indifference”. Thank you for your leadership. And for taking on what must often feel like a thankless task.

You must feel this is the way it will always be. But it’s not. THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL WINDS ARE CHANGING.

BOB DYLAN once sang – You  DON’T HAVE TO BE A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY WINDS ARE BLOWING. The winds are blowing in favour of Justice AND equality again.

One of the first signs was the election of the current Mayor of New york Bill de Blasio on a campaign to address homelessness, poverty and racial injustice. Bill de Blasio was an underdog unlike any New York mayor in recent memory – a staunch progressive, a crusader against income inequality and for affordable housing – very different from former Mayor Bloomberg.

The next wind to blow was the appearance of Pope Frances on the world stage. Here are a few of things he has said: “Men and women are sacrificed to the idols of profit and consumption: it is the ‘culture of waste.’ If a computer breaks it is a tragedy, but poverty, the needs and dramas of so many people end up being considered normal.” “We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.”

And speaking to youth recently, he asked them to become revolutionaries, “I ask you to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes you are incapable of responsibility, that believes you are incapable of true love.” 

Within the last year the Ford Foundation redesigned their whole grantmaking to focus on the 5 key drivers of inequity. I think you would find them very familiar. Here in Canada the Maytree Foundation is leading a campaign to enshrine economic and social rights for our most vulnerable in our Charter. 

Here is another strong wind that ‘s blowing around the world – a guaranteed annual income. Finland is implementing it. I Canada the idea is picking up credibility after a 40-year hiatus from the remarkable Dauphin Manitoba demonstration. The Globe and Mail wrote a favourable editorial last weekendI also detect justice and equity as the ‘juice’ behind our newly elected government and the surprising strength of Bernie Saunders’ campaign.

If you factor out the political and religion elements of these winds of change they all have in common a challenge to the “iron rule of economy,” i.e. that we must first take care of the economy before we take care of each other.

What they mean to you and me is that the time is right in British Columbia for a transformative Vision. YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO TREAD WATER. You can regain your historical role AS ADVOCATES FOR THE BOLDEST RENDITION OF THE  WORLD WE WANT  FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. INSTEAD OF being under a cloud you can show us what is beyond the horizon. INSTEAD OF Playing defense YOU CAN regain the offence. INSTEAD OF Playing catch up you can take the lead.

We are at a Crossroads in BC. Your SACRED TASK is changing. You can now be bolder than you’ve ever been. Here’s the thing: YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE. Furthermore, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You SIMPLY NEED TO THINK AND ACT LIKE A MOVEMENT. 

Movements do 3 things much better than other organizational forms such as committees, task forces, partnerships, non-profits, sectors, government, coalitions and FEDERATIONS. THEY change culture – THOSE DEEPLY ROOTED HABITS attitudes and beliefs THAT KEEP THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE. They do it in three ways:

ONE – Movements provide a vehicle for collaborating and co-operating across sectors, organizational boundaries, social and economic strata, origins, backgrounds and jurisdictions. They are the ultimate inclusive container, encompassing the full assortment of actors AND ACTIONS required for transformative change.

TWO – Movements shift the boundaries of what is socially acceptable and expected. They provide a climate for new ideas. Movements create the favourable political conditions for the combination of legislative change, resource allocation, policy shifts, new stories and new behaviours you are looking for. THEY Embolden Politicians.  The recent Paris Climate Agreement would not have happened without a global, grassroots climate movement. This movement of movements was DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED FOR THE Failed COPENHAGEN climate TALKS but proved its effectiveness in Paris. INCIDENTALLY one of the chief organizers was JASON MOGUS who lives on SALTSPRING.

THREE Movements don’t just open our minds, they touch our hearts. University of Victoria’s BUDD HALL suggests that movements are evolving from simply describing the world we want, to giving us the experience of what this new world would resemble using the power of dance, drama, ritual, ceremony, poetry and humour. Movements, he says, are increasingly “about flow, networking, connectivity, immediacy, creativity and an immediate sensual intimacy.”

The arts and social movements make a good marriage because they’re both iconoclastic, set up by their very nature to challenge sacred cows. They lend movements compelling symbols and images that are more meaningful and hopeful than slogans and clichés.

You don’t need to start a new movement. Simply support the one(s) you are already part of. For example, the poverty reduction/anti-poverty movements comprise welfare reform, minimum wage, fair wage and guaranteed annual income advocates. Chances are high they could find a common agenda with folks addressing underemployment, unemployment, homelessness, food sovereignty, agri-business, urban gardening, social isolation, addiction, AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH, to name a few.

NOTE: The FCSSBC isn’t a movement, it’s a federation. If you are a member you have your organizational objectives and Federation objectives. You also have movement objectives. Your movement objectives will support your organizational and federation objectives. Here are 8 questions to help you think and act like a movement.

  1.  Which movements are you already part of?
  2. Who are the key players and actors in these movements?
  3. How can these movements help you achieve your organizational mission?
  4. How would you describe your movement objectives?
  5.  What actions can you take to support the movements you are already part of?
  6.  Which movement players could you align with?
  7. Are you welcoming and supporting disruptive, frontline, grassroots individuals and groups?
  8. What about artists, painters, dancers, poets, sculptors, singers, storytellers…?

By setting aside time and resources for movement thinking and acting, we give greater lift to our collective aspirations. There are no shortcuts. Only when people come together in large numbers do we get the world we want. There is one important qualification to movement thinking and acting. MOVEMENTS IN CANADA MAY BE DIFFERENT from THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THEY MAKE ROOM FOR GOVERNMENT. 

YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION THAT GOVERNMENT SEEMS PARALYSED? THERE IS A CERTAIN SENSE IN WHICH THAT IS TRUE. Off the top of my head, I CAN THINK OF AT LEAST FOUR SPINAL CORD INJURIES of Government.

  1. SHORT ATTENTION SPAN – FOCUS ON IMMEDIATE
  2. RISK ADVERSE
  3. EXCESSIVE FOCUS on ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY and PRIVACY CONSIDERATIONS
  4. LIMITED POLICY and RESEARCH CAPACITY.  MOST GOVERNMENT POLICY SHOPS HAVE CLOSED DOWN OR ARE SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERSTAFFED. THEY NO LONGER  are as up to date on emerging problems and TRENDS as we think they are.

ALL these ‘spinal cord’ injuries TAKE THEIR TOLL. IF A FRIEND WAS PARALYSED – YOU WOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATION TO ENSURE THEY PERFORMED AT THEIR PEAK. THAT’S WHY A NEW BREED OF ADVOCATES HAVE EMERGED – Solution-based Advocates.

Solution-based advocates want to do more than oppose government or focus unduly on what’s not working. They’re tired of reacting, and they work hard to cultivate a proactive mindset. Their focus is on workable solutions. These folks haven’t gone soft, parking their issues until government gets its act together. Neither are they naive. They are prudent however. They want results, just like everyone else, but they take government’s limitations into consideration. They have two objectives:

  1. To propose solutions and
  2. To enhance government’s capacity to make better decisions.

While pursuing their issue proponents of solution-based advocacy seek to improve relationships among all the players, to attract new allies and to build a base for addressing the next set of challenges.

Former prime minister Joe Clark calls the symbiotic relationship between civil society and government a marriage between imagination and mandate. What non-governmental organizations don’t have, he says, is “the authority to change the rules . . . Non-state organizations often have the imagination which the world needs, but only states and governments have the mandate and power to change laws and regulations and obligations.”

You know the expression necessity is the mother of invention. I’d like to propose a friendly amendment – If necessity is the mother of invention then love is the other parent. Passionate amateurs are inspired by love and motivated by necessity. Someone or something they care about is vulnerable, under siege or in trouble, and they have no choice but to respond.

Passionate amateurs don’t quit. They can’t quit. They are prepared to pour their life’s energy into resolving a challenge. Their commitment is freely given, beyond the boundaries of job descriptions, office hours, strategic plans, funding, fashion and political priorities. They are on the front lines, spotting and dealing with injustice years and sometimes decades before the issue seeps into the consciousness of our institutions.

You are all passionate amateurs – wherever you work in the ecosystem surrounding our children youth and families. Your actions are expressions of the heart.

Whatever role we play, our effectiveness improves when we fall in love with the issue – its mystery, its brokenness and its contradictions. Without that love, we are more likely to walk away from a challenge; to blame others, or to get distracted by a search for more technology and techniques.

The necessity to do something is usually clear. We have more than enough studies, reports, projections and statistics about what is wrong, horrible and not working. We now need to envelop our challenges with love. To tap into what people care deeply about. To rally the lovesick. Why? Because it’s 2016.

Thank you.