Calling All Professional Change Makers

I was working with a group not too long ago that has a strong commitment to creating change in their community and beyond. Great! I like change makers. As a matter of fact, if I could change my title to Professional Change Maker, I would. But is it enough to WANT to create change?

The answer is simply, no, it is not enough. I also want to be a trust fund baby, but that isn't going to happen either. It is not good enough to wish for funding to come through your door or to wish that your board members would do everything you want them to do; we have to make those things happen. Ok, so perhaps that is a bit obvious, but it is amazing to me how many people truly believe that simply having a desire for something creates the end result after which is so desperately sought.

The question then becomes, HOW do we create change? How do we take a passion, idea, commitment and bring it to fruition? The easiest way I can say it is to have guts and follow through. It is difficult to create change. It takes perseverance, willingness, overcoming fear, dedication, open mindedness, leadership and money. It takes all of those things, but more than anything, it takes a shared vision and a commitment to take that vision and put it into action.

So step back for a minute, all of you change makers, and answer this question, "If you had unlimited funding and support and an open road, what would you like to see happen - big picture?" Then take it a step further and determine what impact that would create either in your community, region, nation, or globally.

If you know where you want to go and why it is so important to get there, you have just won half the battle (insert G.I. Joe theme song here). Hold a visioning session with your board and your staff. Gain their buy in and build their passion around a mutual goal, a long term vision. Then make the plan to get there. Acknowledge that it will not be easy. Accept that it is scary to make changes and to become something great.

And, if at the end of the day, you, your board and your supporters don't wish to become something great, I hope you will re-evaluate your organization's impact, mission and position in this world. There is too much work to be done to be walking around in the muck and the weeds everyday with no intention of change.