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Change often chases a prophet: the person who first detects the acres of diamonds buried beneath the earth where disappointment and anger grow. The man or woman labeled “crazy” for walking around with a shovel long after the experts have concluded the field was a wasteland.
We can tell these agents of change because they invest heavily in words that serve and promote the common good. We sense their arrival as we hear uplifting phrases that release us from the narrow prisons built by the common belief that life always is going to be this way.
On Tuesday, millions around the world were awakened to possibilities and potential that seemed to arrive suddenly, as if by express mail. African-American mothers saw in their boys, some for the first time, a chance for greatness. “You don’t have to be a rap star or a basketball player. You can grow up to be anything you want to be,” one beaming mom told a TV reporter. Tribal leaders from warring states saw what good can come from moving past the old battle grounds.
President Barack Obama’s legacy may have been shaped in the months before he took the oath of office. He is a chivalrous communicator who has laid a strong foundation for a new style of conversation – one that welcomes dissent, relies on facts in evidence and promotes the kind of civil exchanges that can lead to innovation and brilliant discoveries.
As we enter the new era of cohesion and collaboration, it makes sense to peek into the Obama toolbox to see what lessons we find:
1) Focus on the common good and use this as the cornerstone for community and business collaborations.
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things,” he said in his inaugural address to the nation. “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
2) Instead of focusing on issues that divide people and groups (pay, salary, too few jobs), underscore interdependency and enlightened self-interest.(shared profits, economic growth)
“The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.”
3) Remind people of the huge investment their ancestors already have made - whether in a country, a job or company. Tell them this is their time to shine.
“Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.”
4) When discussing shortcomings or periods of strife, gladly share mistakes and life lessons.
“We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth. And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.”
5) Don't simply talk about fairness; demonstrate it with consistent daily actions. In his speech on race, then-candidate Obama spoke from the middle of the road, noting both whites and blacks had lessons to learn. The moment you pick a side, you lose credibility.
“In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. . . For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life.”
6) When you must present critical information, don’t point fingers in public. Leave those conversations for behind closed doors.
“What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.”
7) Try, as often as you can, to catch people doing things right.
“We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed.”
8) Use inclusive language. For example, rely upon “we” rather than “us” and “them.”
“And those of us who manage the public's knowledge will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”
9) Make everyone take ownership of the solution, regardless of whether they helped to create the problem.
“Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered.”
10) Help others to walk in the light of literacy and embrace their better selves.
“For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation lies.”
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