I've been doing community development for close to four years and have had the privilege of building great relationships with amazing leaders. My current challenge is the growing political interests in partnering with these groups, orshould I say in "helping" these groups. It seems like on a monthly basis, I am getting phone calls from city officials, faith leaders, NPO's, local politicians all of which are interestedinconnecting with these communities.

Some questions and feelings that I have are:

Q: If I use my relationships to make these connections without a proper understanding from these outside resources concerning the ABCD strategies what potentially might go wrong?

F: I feel that these partners would be most helpful in employing their resources to hirer even more community organizers thereby building the strength of the larger community.

Q: who out there has faced a similar situation and has some valuable insight for me?

I could really use some feedback -please respond

updated by @john-alvarado: 10/24/16 04:45:35PM

Hi John,

Have you considered getting them all together in a Community Forum, or something similar, and asking them the questions? I have done this quite often in Australia usingArt of Hosting processes and applying Appreciative Inquiry style questioning to ABCD!

Sometimes, it's good to forge bravely through the chaos to find order...

Regards,

Dee...

Hey John!

The good news is that this is a sure sign of success! I meet so many communities that have set a goal of connecting with official 'leaders.' It is usually a terrible goal because it encourages communities to leap frog over their own assets and ignore their own latent power. I advise them to create success in their communities using what they have, and THEN the leaders will be interested in them - a much better power dynamic!

You and the good folks of Stan. County have done that! Evidenced by the requests you are getting.

I usually suggest the following -

1. Never agree to connect an official to a community without asking the community first.

2. When asking the community, encourage them to think of WHY they would accept that request and WHAT they want out of the meeting.

3. Before the meeting, prep the community leadership. Make sure they are comfortable and conversant in their own principles and ready to articulate their own assets. You, as a facilitator/organizer, don't need to ground the officials in the ABCD approach, but the community does. In so doing, the community reinforces its own power and establishes their own relationship with the officil. This happens best during the introductory part of the meeting as the group describes who they are, what they do, and what they are working toward. That is a good time for them to explain to the official how they value their own assets and where their internal power comes from as their "approach to building community." That will help the official to speak and respond within the context of the community's power and confidence.

4. At the end of the meeting or connecting conversation it is often helpful for someone from the community to summarize any agreements or understandings. I like to use a "Responsible/Accountable" framework (see Peter Block, Community). In a meeting like this I suggest the designated community leader state what the group takes responsibility for (i.e. what we have the power and intent to do for ourselves) and what they would like the official to be accountable for (what would support our efforts if you did with or for us), and how that will happen.

5. I also think it is valuable for the community to turn the tables of the conversation at the end and ask "What are you working on or interested in accomplishing?" and "How might we be helpful to you?" This does a couple of things. First, it will rock the official's world. No one ever asks that. Second, it reinforces the mutuality of the relationship. Yes, you can come meet with us and ask 'how can I help you,' and we can do the same thing. Finally, it is a short learning conversation with the official and as such, acknowledges her/his assets and gifts and desires as well.

I also like Dee's idea as an overall approach to shifting the culture among officials in your area.

Let us know what happens!

Ron

My thanks to Ron and Dee for eye-opening advice. I am still hoping we can get our group as far into the process as you have, John. I have a few weeks left to my term of chairing a community group that bumps into political situations every now and then, and one thing I have learned is what Ron says at the get-go to make sure I have the permission of the group first. It's the group's power, not mine, so I have to honor that.

I have had to take a little time to put together some initial information the community group needed to make an informed decision, but other than that, the process made it possible to push the political folks towards their own sense of human integrity, and the community members selected among themselves who should go and get the real info with me just providing an introduction.