We build Community up when we practice certain principles.
Refinement is critical. Without refinement, we can end up barking up the wrong tree (see the Housing Challenges article). Our approach to Community needs to be honed. Any chef will tell you that a properly sharpened knife is safer than a dull knife with nicks on the cutting edge. Plus, bonus! A sharp knife is easier to use. We must use it with care (or welcome to the world of bandages).
When we practice a Community principle, our practice will expose any underlying problems. A principle may need further refinement.
For example, let’s say we really go to town with the idea of refinement and have a wearisome diet of meetings with 50 people. The “official number” (historical source in the organization unknown—might be the patriarch whose painting is on the wall). Before long, we notice our meetings are taking far too long and several of the quieter individuals don’t speak up. So we refine our approach and move to groups of 25.
Well, it’s better … but it still doesn’t seem quite right. There is still a challenge with a group of 25 participants: not everyone is getting heard within the allocation of time for the meeting. We try it for a few times (a few more “practices”) and we decide to try a number like 10 participants with a provision for “two more if needed.” Our new mix works.
Areas of needed refinement came with practice.
Musicians need to practice maintaining precision in their delivery of their performance. They might have several takes in the studio. Or several shoots of a movie scene: same idea. Scene 1 needed 3 attempts to get it right (Scene 1, Take 1, Take 2 and Take 3).
This, as you can well imagine, isn’t rocket science. Practice makes perfect is the old and well-know adage. Community is no different.
But we can easily forget the obvious, which is why we include this rather obvious principle.
Sometimes, we need to look at a brand new and novel approach. It’s not enough just to do a Land Zone Variance or amending the zone for a parcel of Land. We need to go deeper and look at the fundamental building blocks of our approach.
Sometimes, the foundations of our thinking are incorrect. We need to Reimagine and Rethink our approach. Practice is a useful principle. But it isn’t the end story, nor does practice mean what we are practicing is correct.
Lateral thinking is an approach of problem solving where we try to view a problem in new ways and perspectives. We support lateral thinking when we Rethink a topic “outside the box.”
But Reimagine reaches deeper. Reimagine reaches into the well of creativity in the hearts of many operating in Community. Reimagine only works in a place of unity. It never works when there is disunity between members of a Community or participants in a project.
Practice what you create and envision. It may need revision (this is quite common). Discover the “bugs” masquerading as “features.”
Find the sweet spot where the pieces are working well together.
Then share it freely.
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