Your organization can make you a more effective citizen. There seems to be a new or renewed urge toward new political organization and active citizenship these days. Many of us have a growing understanding of democracy. We see that more active citizenship brings more democracy.
It takes people to organize, but many of those organizing are new, not old. Persons new to organizing, especially political organizing, have a lot to learn. Their energy and enthusiasm will be an important aid to their progress.
An organization may have a beginning in individual minds, but its realization will be in a group. A group of people is most often a mess and a mess of people is not an organization. To become an organization there are doings such a mess of people must do. They can begin with a bit of togetherness and continue with a growing ability to cooperate.
Agreement that a new organization is necessary or a darn good idea can be a useful beginning. Agreement, perhaps tacit, to work together can be another important step. Finding ways to cooperate is important. Old organizers found many ways to facilitate co-operation.
Soon the purpose of the organization must begin to be identified and clarified. Clarification of purpose is an ongoing process and activity. This may often be begun by a small group of leaders, but must be carried on by many others.
Say that the original growing group is made up of citizens who have discovered that they want a brand new political organization. They have some willingness to work together. The also have understandings and misunderstandings to work out. A lot of work.
Members of this very new organization need to maintain an ongoing understanding of the aims, values, and wants of others in the organization in so far as they affect the organization. Not easy, but important to their ability to increase their effectiveness.
An important benefit of an organization is that which needs to be done, need not be done by one or a very few, but rather can be shared among and by all members. In fact the more involved with the important work of the organization that are all members, the better the moral and effectiveness of the organization is likely to be.
The members of a well functioning group can feel themselves to be effective doers, and can be those effective doers in fact.
There are some doings and practices which have helped others to start and maintain their organization.
Doings and practices to begin promptly:
~ Consider how you intend to keep in contact.
~ Begin identifying your goals and aims.
~ Clarify goals and aims.
~ Restate goals and aims.
~ Arrange to have each member help to achieve these goals and aims.
~ Take care of all business promptly.
~ Arrange for the ongoing education for all members.
~ Practice dialogue skills.
~ Arrange for members to have opportunity to be educators.
~ Enjoy your participation.
~ Keep in mind that teaching one another is important. Outside help can be very good, but seldom as good as that which we do for ourselves. As we teach, we learn.
~ Demonstrate abundant and appropriate trust of one another.
~ Keep in mind that the fewer the secrets the better. "No secrets" is a good policy.
~ Be inclusive. as a policy, help anyone who wants to be a member to be one.
~ Encourage equality.
~ Remind one another that each of you is important to and responsible for the maintenance of your organization, its philosophy, and its doings.
~ Lay out clear steps for achieving important and doable goals and plans for your organization.
~ Aims and goals ought to be not only doable and important but also be an attractive and challenging big deal.
~ Set out one or two doings or goals to be worked on today. Your organization will benefit by having important things to be done right now.
~ Keep in mind that there is much to be done and that each member ought to help with those doings.
~ Make clarifying the "grand vision" of your organization an ongoing activity. "Learning, teaching, and practicing democratic self governance for all" might be an example of such a vision.
~ Aim to govern yourselves by practicing self-governance.
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RCS