Letter to Jessica, our current and leaving Network Coordinator (National Board) of Climate Chance

Dear Jessica, my dearest partner:

Been facilitating a series of discussions since the 350 Rally, from Antarctica Sharing, Film Screening, Network Briefing, Media to Vision-Building and lunch buffet, as well as representing India at the Climate Simulation (all within this past month!). We now have about 30 membership and 20 volunteer applications.

There is a lot to be learned during this process.  Especially from the feedback that “Serena is the president,” or “do not argue, but negotiate!” or “Can you initiate the meeting for me?”

3 of my personal purposes -all failed.

1- to make sure we have space for inquiry and dialogue (rather than argument or negotiation)

2 - to make sure there is no identifiable leader or person in charge, and

3- to make sure people feel powerful to initiate their own meetings.

Then i looked back and see how I try to do all these things and by making sure these things happen, I am already trying to control or manage them assuming that they would not have made a better choice otherwise.

So I took sometime to read through some of the books about conversations which lead to the paradigm shift: I wish to share with you  the notes from Peter Block,  Community: The Structure of Belonging - which i finished reading in 2 days (feel free to borrow the book). The book is highly recommended by my trainers and facilitators of Interactive Institution for Social Change and provides practical guides for how we act as “leaders”:

Conversations which create a community of accountability and belonging:
1-    Intimate and authentic relatedness is experienced
2-   World is shifted through invitation rather than mandate
3-   The focus is on the communal possibility
4-    There is a shift in ownership of this place,
5-.    Diversity of thinking and dissent are given space
6-    Commitments are made without barter
7-    The gifts of each person and our community are acknowledged and valued.

Click above links for examples

He also mentioned examples of Conversation which traps us in the same place:
1-    Telling the history of how we got here  - we did that!
2-    Giving explanations and opinions - we did that!
3-    Blaming and complaining - we did that!
4-    Making reports and descriptions - I tried to make people do that. You stopped me.
5-    Carefully defining terms and conditions- I did that!
6-    Retelling your story again and again- I did that!
7-    Seeking quick action -We are always tempted to do that!

I will put up the notes for each of these elements in separate posts later.

All the best, thank you for being here, always!

Love, and grateful,

In joy,

S