query: hiring organizers--what is organizing

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  Kevin continues the discussion on what organizing means.]

From: "Dr. Kevin Yoho - 215.266.8107" <kyoho at voicenet.com>

Randy, I think Margo's reflection (11/17) on her organizing experience 
concerns two organizing tensions: strategic and tactical, which often 
conflict. Follow.

Hello, Margo. From one Philadelphia resident to another... I appreciated 
your honest reflection on grassroots community organizing and the dilemma 
you face in your work. I am an inner city pastor and teacher, involved in 
Philadelphia's Youth Violence Reduction Project in the 24th and 25th police 
districts. Thank you for indulging my response to your Community Organizing 
list serve posting.

No matter what discipline or vocation we engage in, there will always be a 
tension between the qualitative and quantitative indicators of success. You 
are not "off base" in your strategy to build depth in neighborhood 
understanding. It is a matter of view. And time.

At the bank of a river you hear cries for help. "Help! Help! I¹m drowning!" 
Someone runs into the water, pulling them out. Then hearing another 
victim's plea, they rush back into the river to rescue another. Then 
another. And another. The rescuer weakens, now exhausted from the constant 
pulling of people out of the river. Someone has to do some research, run 
upstream, and identify who or what was pushing them in.

We must balance strategic and tactical intervention. It sounds to me that 
you are motivated by a lot of strategic, long-term, positive outcomes. 
Perhaps your employer is driven by more tactical, short-term, positive 
outcomes. There are different kinds of indicators for each of these views. 
Different timetables. Different tasks. Different energies.

In the business world there are two realities, one is sales, the other is 
market share. Sales are short term, it is an event, and it is tactical. 
Market share is long term, it is a process, and it is strategic.

Organizations like Philadelphia Safe and Sound, the member organizations in 
collaboratives such as the Philadelphia Coalition for kids, and various 
projects undertaken by some university departments at Temple and Penn, have 
a blend of strategic and tactical strategies. Perhaps you might find some 
opportunities from among them.

You don't have to be a salesperson to organize hope.

Blessings,

Kevin

--
Dr. Kevin Yoho, D.Min.
Director
Kensington Hope, Inc.
P.O. Box 26854
Philadelphia, PA 19134-6854

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To God be the glory, to the earth be peace,
to the people be courage, and to the city be hope.

Prov. 11:11
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but the mouth of the wicked brings destruction.