During the 2008 and 2012 elections, Barack Obama's community organizing background was mocked and ridiculed, at times it was insinuated that it didn't carry enough weight to even be considered as an experience for the now 2nd term President. I dare say that this "ground game" of community organizing was probably one of the keys to his success. The ability to mobilize both large and small groups of people towards a common goal takes nerve, tenacity, perseverance and vision. In most instances, these mobilized "armies", large and small, are volunteers who believe so strongly in their cause that they are willing to face anger, rejection and even disappointment on a regular basis. The ability to rally such dedicated workers is an asset and a gift that successful community leaders possess.
While I don't claim to understand how the Obama campaign worked their magic, I can say that I have been witness to community organizing that has resulted in works that were thought to be almost impossible to accomplish in the small community I live in. While these works were not globe changing in scope, they took one more step in the direction of change from the status quo, which in the cases that I refer to isn't a bad thing. Getting it done came down to a few incredibly passionate, hard working people, willing to put their noses to the grind stone. They not only told people that things would happen, but showed them things would happen through their perserverance and accomplishment - one step at a time. Each small step taken towards that goal created momentum and a list of successes for those people that turned skepticism into hope and hope into reality. In the situations that I refer to, it started with an individual. Someone with an idea. Someone who could accomplish those ideas, rally people and motivate them. Of course there had to be followers. I have been a follower as well as a "lone nut", as
Derek Sivers call them in his TED talk. Having played in these roles, I do believe that one person can make a difference and become a leader. One person can start the ball rolling, but the dedication of others are needed to keep it going. So how can one influence people to rally around a cause?
One does not attain influence by "lording over others", but by empowering others. Acknowledging a person's strengths or helping people find their strengths, is critical in empowering and sustaining volunteers. Becoming a good listener, as well as being genuinely interested in people, is an incredible asset in this. I've discovered that time spent (and it does take a long time) in this area helps foster investment. Discovering their strengths, and in turn their weaknesses, allows an organization to correctly place and motivate people. In business terms this perhaps sounds as easy as an interview. In business, it can be, but when it comes to volunteer work, one must delve deeper. Meeting the needs of the individual can be just as important as the mission of the organization. Volunteers are asked to work for the sake of that organization's mission, without monetary compensation. They are asked to donate their time, their talent or other resources to their cause. People must believe that the time they take from their day and their family is worth it. This can only be true, if it is made so. This is the gift that community leaders have. They find out what makes their mission "worth it" to an individual, how that fits the organization, and then helps the volunteer achieve their objectives within the organization's framework. This in turn helps motivation, morale, and volunteers feel like they are receiving a good return of investment. Empowerment helps create other community leaders and helps make your organization more attractive to others, allowing your organization and its mission to flourish.
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