Tackling this region's vexing problems requires an intentionally integrated approach with many people coming to the table for the common good. How do we get this done?
I just read a very thought provoking article in Sojouners magazine entitled “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”. The article’s sub-header was “A promising new movement leaves the bumper-sticker platitudes behind and offers the potential to actually reduce abortion”. Finding common ground on the abortion debate – now that is indeed both an important but truly challenging bridge to build. I will not leap into that conversation, today, but it did make me think about the need for common ground in so many of the important issues that confront our community each and every day and how hard that illusive ground can be to find. In particular, not only is common ground hard to find in the not for profit world, it is extremely challenging to have the conversation. What I mean is that each not for profit organization has its programs, populations, geographies and strategic direction that makes it really difficult to explore common ground. Common ground in this context is not opposing viewpoints coming together but rather how do we finds ways to work together, multiply resources and energy while we are addressing an important issue. Here is an interesting example of this type of issue.
Faith Sandler, Executive Director of the Scholarship Foundation, is not only an outstanding leader of one of St. Louis’ most effective not for profits helping low income students attend college she is also a friend. The Scholarship Foundation provides access to post-secondary education to members of the community who otherwise would not have the financial means to fulfill their educational goals. Faith is a passionate supporter of public education and just recently took a three month sabbatical to work on the issue of college access for low income students here in the region. The fruits of her labor will be forth coming in a report and action plan for the St. Louis region.
In my April 19th blog about public education and community building and subsequent participation in the Lerher Newshour show I placed a huge emphasis on a comprehensive approach to addressing the multi-faceted issues facing improving public education, i.e., housing, social service delivery, economic development, asset building etc. Some of my comments were edited by the PBS folks that may have taken my words a bit out of context but the more important point is that in my zeal to make the point above I inadvertently gave a negative perception about existing stand alone education projects. Faith pointed out this to me both on my blog and when we got together for our monthly after hours “meeting” with other of our peers. She did it in her passionate way and with a great deal succinctness!
Subsequent to a little friendly verbal jousting between the two of us we agreed to meet and discuss further. Both Faith and I have been committed to make a difference in the lives of those in need for many, many years here in St. Louis and have always, always been in lock step on our opinions. So this apparent disagreement was a surprise to both of us. We had an hour and half cup of coffee discussing general work stuff, teenage children and this issue. In a gross over simplification we concluded that my language was too loose and some leaned toward to being negative concerning stand alone programs and she may have been a bit sensitive on the discussion of a topic that she is so passionate about. It was a great conversation which ended with our dual resolve to keep working together and find that elusive common ground on the important issue of public education.
So, I ask how can we collectively find the “common ground” to work on those issues that seemingly confound us and some might even allege are intractable? How do we create lots of “hour and half cups of coffee” that lead to real work and real change? Let me know your thoughts!