Tuesday, February 7, 2012

working better together to change the world

I have been fascinated by the idea of communal living and the benefits of sharing. Sharing tools with each other and helping to learn new tools and solve problems together. This very concept seems like something that comes from deep within me as if programmed to try to do this.

In real life however, I do not live near the people that are in my circles of connection. In fact my physical neighbours are almost more of a buffer of anonymity than they are human connections that matter to me. Kinda sad when I reflect on it. I have chosen, perhaps without thinking, to choose to not associate with them socially (outside of summer street meetings) for one reason or another, except where very convenient. Of course I do know people who have neighbours that have become friends and their stories are such that I think we too would have found ourselves in good relationships but in our case we have not been so fortunate to find that relationship connection opportunity, yet.

On the other hand, I do have connections with people outside my neighbourhood that are incredibly valuable to my personal development and well being. I do have access to technology that would let me connect with them one-on-one and in groups regularly.

So now the question to myself.

What if you could connect with 9 other people once per week for 30 minutes and in that time 1 person (on rotation) would share with the group a tool/technique/idea that they have learned that helps us to work better together.

Just talk or share image or slides, for up to 30 minutes the show is yours. You can share something you have personally discovered or something you have read or watched, whatever thing that you found to be so interesting or cool that you thought you would want your friends to also see.


Some would say that opportunities to do this in person already exist out there. I would have to agree but I find that I have let my life get too busy to make it comfortable to fit in the extended social gathering that would facilitate the interactions I desire.

Regardless of the how, what or when I think the why is incredible. Why would I want to see this happen for myself? Why would I want 10 men all over the world to meet to discuss ways to work better together.  Not working harder together to make money, fight wars or impose our ideals on others. Working BETTER together in my mind is the Godly challenge of changing the world for the better.  Helping all of us come to terms with how greed is not collaborative. Teaching ourselves that military forces serves only one purpose and that is to justify more military force for them or us. Working to learn to ways to make our paid employment less of a burden on us, our families and our community and make our environment a place filled with love, peace and satisfaction.

There is a place I go to with my family where we find community, work and beauty and it is like a recharge. It is not a private place or an oasis away from people but it is a place where God's creation embraces you and you feel our human history of working poorly together start to pull away from you and be replaced with inspiration that feeds you with the desire to be innovative with each other.

I would like to recreate that feeling of innovative coaching in my weekly routine where I do not have this special place at my disposal.  I would like to be a part of 10 men working to change the world into a better place.