Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
If you keep API in mind, it completely changes how you perceive, for example, that fellow group
member who may be upset about the hose situation in the garden. It's not an attack on you—they simply
want to keep their garden well watered (and maybe they're worried about everyone else's gardens, too).
By assuming the best in every interaction, you can look beyond what might seem a threatening reaction
or assault on the goals of the organization (or your goals for the day) and understand that some person-
al styles only appear confrontational. Maybe they're uncomfortable asking for things; maybe they are
upset. It's likely that the focus is not on you but something more internal, perhaps a feeling of being
prevented from making progress, a high overall stress level, or discomfort with not being able to find a
solution without help.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Hum that iconic song together with me now.
We all know how to spell it, but do we know how to exercise it? One of the fundamental principles
of organizing (and life in general) is respect for the ideas, opinions, and wishes of others. This is partic-
ularly true in community organizing, and is essential to the process. By respecting everyone's ideas, we
can get to the heart of what we have to work with. People will have great ideas and some can be easily
incorporated; other times their ideas will be contrary to the overarching goal of the group. By collecting,
respecting, and discussing all the ideas forming the collective vision, everyone is engaged and feels part
of the process.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!
People don't like surprises and they don't like feeling left out. You cannot overcommunicate as your
group is starting out. Make open and frequent interaction a key strategy in your organizational play-
book.
Also, you don't need to feel responsible for interpreting communications. If there's an issue, don't
sugarcoat it or feel you need to manage or mitigate it. Let the community know the issue and let them
find the solution. What the community comes up with may be what you thought would be a good solu-
tion all along, but don't cheat the community of the chance to arrive at the answer on their own.
Be sensitive to how you are communicating. People receive information in many ways, and you will
have to employ a variety of tactics to effectively reach everyone in the group. While younger gardeners
may like to get information through Facebook or Twitter, older gardeners may prefer to see things in
print (flyers) or have a phone number to call for information. There is also a technology gap between
the haves and the have-nots, so don't assume everyone has e-mail or computer access. Make sure your
communication channels reach all potential gardeners, to guarantee your garden is a true reflection of
the community's diversity.
As your community grows and the people get to know each other better, you'll find a balance of
how and what to communicate. You won't need to share every small situation in the garden. Perhaps
committees can be developed and empowered to oversee specific parts of the garden, so they can man-
age certain issues as they arise. You'll find a good balance between relevant communication and too
much information. At the onset, however,
over
communication will convey that sharing information and
the collective opinion matters.
Listen, Listen, Listen!
