A crash course in changing the world.
Don't fight culture
Until recently, my idea of helping the world saw me travelling to exotic locations in my mind, building huts and living off the land, teaching kids through game play and fumbling about with the local dialect. And then a wise person said to me: "Emma, you don't need to travel anywhere - there are real issues that exist here".
I hadn't thought of that.
We seem to perceive 'changing the world' as something drastic, something that will take long hours and many people and a lot of hard work. Sure, this will help. But we needn't have to travel to war torn areas or remote locations to start making a difference.
It starts right here.
Recently I began a new job, and after only a few weeks I had started to pick h***s in the cultural fabric of the place. I saw all this room for improvement and change, and I wanted to do something about it. I worked hard to 'improve' the areas I had access to, trying to retain a positive outlook day in, day out, even when the chips were down. And at times, the chips sure found some deep spots to reside.
After 10 long months, last week saw me reach the proverbial end of my rope, worn down by a perceived lack of success and an increased sense of hopelessness emanating from within the business walls.
What I hadn't considered, until today, was if I was really just fighting the culture to a point where even with the best intentions, I couldn't improve upon what was already there. Perhaps I have been trying to provide a solution that may only work for an entirely different problem? Perhaps by rethinking what the issues are, and looking at them in a different light, I can bring more positive change, possibly with even less work?
Tomorrow, I will approach the challenges with a renewed vigor, and evaluate what the day brings. I will go back to listening more, and trying to understand the heart of the issues and what is most important to others.
If I can make the place that myself and 300 other people share for five out of seven days in a week a little more enjoyable, and more thought provoking, then I feel like I have made a little bit of difference.
And when I finally reach that remote location to lend a hand, I'll be better equipped to take on that challenge.
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Comment by Turil Cronburg on March 28, 2010 at 12:29pm -
It's definitely great that you can check in with your own approach and see why things might not be going as well as you'd like them to. Banging your head against the wall is no fun. There's always a good reason people do things the way they do them, and unless you understand that reason, you'll never be able to help them. As soon as you understand why the people you work with do things in a certain way (what their overall goals are), you'll have a chance at brainstorming how to meet both their needs and theirs, mutually.
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Comment by Massive Attack on March 29, 2010 at 3:21pm -
That's funny, I imagine Brisbane australia as an exotic place!
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Comment by Sylvain Ratelle on March 29, 2010 at 3:30pm -
Emma, I share your point of view, culture is precious, who would like to live with 7 billion copies,
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Comment by Benjamin H on April 3, 2010 at 6:04pm -
I admire your ability to adapt and stay determined.
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Comment by Ken Eklund on April 9, 2010 at 1:59am
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Yes, we can forget that we are immersed in our own culture, the way a fish is in water, maybe. Takes a bit of objective view and self-reflection to see where we truly are!
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