Sharing Power; Frankie's Post for Boston Rising

The following is a re-post of a recent piece by Frankie Blackburn featured on the Boston Rising Web Site this past week:
At Boston Rising, we think of all Americans as part of a single class. We call it the “Rising Class.” The Rising Class is made up of those who, through their individual aspirations and their awareness of interdependency with each other, are the basis on which we build opportunity and growth.
As a member of the Boston Rising team, I believe that a huge inhibitor to “one Rising Class” or transformative community change is the underlying assumption that power is finite and that in any one community, some people will win and some will lose. 

Yes, positional power is finite. And, yes, civil society needs positional power to function efficiently and effectively. But, personal power is infinite and can be recognized and shared on a consistent basis within community systems.  A culture that fosters sharing power offers the collective ground needed to support community members in sharing their best gifts and achieving their highest potential.  The practice of sharing personal power ensures that positional power is merely a practical instrument and not the dominate frame.
I understand that asking diverse community residents “to share power” seems big and perhaps overly optimistic. So, instead, think of sharing power as a call for you and others to start on a new journey while “carrying” two items with you along this journey. The first item you must carry and use on this journey is a backpack containing your unique kernel of power. All of us are born with unique qualities to contribute. Any time you meet with a fellow community member or hold a small team meeting, make sure you have your backpack with you. Even if you do not fully know or understand your unique kernel of power, remember that you have it to give and it is available to you.
The second item to always carry and use is an empty treasure chest.  The purpose of this chest is to remind you that you are on a treasure hunt for kernels of power held by your fellow community members.  Again, when you sit with someone for a cup of coffee or hold a meeting to talk about a particular community issue or initiative bring your treasure chest and actively seek out the treasures offered to you through your engagement with others.
Over time, if you repeatedly focus on harnessing your personal power while also exploring the personal power of others, you will begin to uncover new resources and solutions that you couldn’t have imagined.  If you practice sharing power repeatedly, then over time in interactions with others, you will begin to see the unfolding of a new and transformed community ecosystem.
If you are still feeling skeptical or uncomfortable with the practice of “power sharing,” think of it in terms of four simple behavioral shifts.
Shift One: Understanding your own unique personal power. 

• What does this new behavior look like?
  • You enter each new encounter feeling positive,  open and calm.
• What does the old behavior look like?
  • You enter each new encounter feeling anxious and the       need to protect yourself.
• Why is the shift hard to make?
  • We have a well-developed story in our head that says  we don’t have anything to contribute to others or that others do not       appreciate what we have to offer.

Shift Two: Contributing from your own unique personal power.

• What does this new behavior look like?
  • You listen more carefully to creative thoughts that bubble-up in your head and then you take on the risk of sharing these       thoughts with others.
• What does the old behavior look like?
  • You hold back from offering an idea or you consume       yourself with focusing and talking about concerns or limiting circumstances.
• Why is the shift hard to make?
  • We have a well-developed story in our head that tells us we have little to contribute to others or that others do not       appreciate what we have to offer.

Shift Three: Being curious about another person’s unique personal power.

• What does this new behavior look like?
  • You talk less and look for opportunities to specifically  ask others about their ideas and thoughts.
• What does the old behavior look like?
  • You consume a lot of time talking or you passively       participate, which can inhibit others in talking or offering an idea or thought.
• Why is the shift hard to make?
  • Many times, we have to work hard just to get our ideas out in the open, much less devoting energy to drawing out others,       especially those who are shy or reticent.

Shift Four: Receiving offers from another person’s unique personal power.

• What does this new behavior look like?
  • You ask clarifying questions which indicates that you heard what someone said and you are genuinely interested in knowing more, even if you do not agree.
• What does the old behavior look like?
  • You might immediately disagree, link the offer back to your point or dismiss it because it does not match what you were looking for.
• Why is the shift hard to make?
  • We often hear what people say through our immediate lens, which is usually a protective one. So, our first instinct is to       judge an offer based on how it serves or does not serve our positional interests.
  
  
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