This is an introspective article, about how I work, how I approach organizing. After all, PeopleCount.org is all about organizing- organizing a team, organizing supporters, organizing citizens and politicians to participate, organizing citizens to determine what we want on each issue.

In this article about organizing, Jeff Swift says there are 3 kinds. Quoting the article:

• “Lone wolves sought to build power through information & they primarily focused on research rather than volunteer engagement.”
• “Mobilizers sought to build power by building membership, taking people where they are and getting as many people as possible to participate in low-barrier actions.”
• “Organizers sought to build power by building leadership, thereby transforming the motivations and capabilities of members to take on more leadership. Responsibility was distributed out to a large network of volunteers.”

I guess I’m naturally a lone wolf. (I’m an extrovert, getting energy from others, but I tend to live as an introvert.) I’m trying to be a mobilizer. I’m also trying to build and organization that I can lead (though I’d also be happy to let someone else lead.)

Later it says “Nonprofit leader Nikki Batchelor has identified three key characteristics of organizing:”

1. Put relationships at the center
2. Create various paths for taking action
3. Empower leaders at different levels

I do the first two, but have not been very skilled or successful at the first. I haven’t had much opportunity for the third…

The conclusion:

Organizing is the art of building a community and then protecting its strength. It’s hard work, but it’s easier than losing.

I disagree. Society has a lot of organizing to do. For most people, losing is easier. Most people accept that they’re powerless in the face of “how politics seems” and choose instead to look elsewhere and rightly see the value of their contributions. And many mistakenly believe the myth or their own powerlessness and invent they should stay away from politics.

It’s also conceptually easier to focus on your goals than question them newly. I see this in many political efforts where people are promoting apparent solutions rather than joining me. At the same time, I try to keep questioning my goals- are there better ones?  I truly don’t care how I make the difference I’m out to make, or even if I make it. I just want the difference to be made.

At the same time, there are potentially big wins to not questioning. It takes time and energy.

From what I’ve seen though, the losses are much bigger- the invasion of Iraq, the millions of Americans wrongly imprisoned, the many problems in America that persist and worsen due to Congressional gridlock.

I don’t know if there’s some “best balance”. I don’t know what the solution is, in general. I just have a great solution to our political problems.

You’re welcome to reach out, and help me move forward.