Why the Collective Beats the Individual: A Strategist’s Case for Working Together
The Myth of the Lone Changemaker Social change is often framed as the work of a single visionary — one leader, one founder, one voice loud enough to shift public opinion. It makes for a compelling story, but it rarely reflects how lasting change actually happens. Natasha Bannan, a social change strategist who has spent …
U.S. Aggression in Venezuela and LATAM not only Misreads History, its Ultimately Ineffective
The recent abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. military forceshas left most of the world condemning the blatant violations of international law and the long-standing international order left by post-World War II era guiding norms. While framed by theUnited States as a law enforcement operation, international governance bodies like the UnitedNations have said …
Surviving Hot Times: How Nonprofits Can Lead With Moral Clarity
Leading with moral clarity seems more elusive and also more necessary than ever. Traditionally, non-profit organizations have often provided both the moral vision for a more just, dignified, inclusive and participative society while also producing the leaders who embodied those principles. That makes sense given it is the non-profit sector that has often been the …
How organizations can survive tidal shifts in funding, philanthropy and uncertain political climates
For many organizations, leaders and institutions, these are unprecedented times. We have seen many philanthropists and foundations suddenly change the focus of their funding portfolio or stop funding causes and organizations altogether. Some have done so publicly, while others have quietly withdrawn funding from organizations they were long committed to, deeply affecting the sustainability of …
Active listening may be the most effective way to deescalate conflict
When undergoing training as a mediator or in conflict resolution, you quickly learn that one of the keys to disarming the person before you who is deeply agitated and entrenched in his or her own position is to actively listen to them. As the renowned facilitator and anti-oppression trainer Nanci Luna Jimenez has often said, …
Understanding the Source of Conflict and the Empathetic Response
While conflict is an inevitable part of life, how we deal with it doesn’t have to be. Many of us have been exposed or taught to address conflict by being conflictive and combative, and yet what we know and feel is that no conflict is ultimately resolved by escalation. In fact, being combative has become …