Large ships turn slowly, and sometimes over long distances, unless they are being supported and guided by strong tugboats. And yet, they turn all the time. Similarly, large institutions sometimes take a while to fully adapt to changing societal conditions–but they can change.
When have you witnessed a large institution make a significant transformation? What did it take to make it successful?
Sometimes, change comes about because we take the risk to try on something new. Sometimes, we learn about ourselves by putting ourselves out there in new (and sometimes scary) ways.
When have you transformed by trying on something new?
“Ideology sparks movements, but relationships are what change organizations and sustain movements. It takes one relationship at a time. In the end changes to the leadership of the institution happen because of relationships, people pushing. We must place value on the relationships and the need to not leave folks behind in our quest for transformation.” -Elandria Williams
How have you witnessed relationships lead to larger transformation?
“Changes abound… around us, within us, between us; in our communities, our neighborhoods, and our beloved faith communities. Changes abound. May we each find the balance point we need as we move through our ever-changing world: the balance between the old and the new, between the known and the unknown, between the familiar and the perhaps bold and risky possibilities that may be there, waiting.” -Michelle Collins
How do you find the balance points in your life?
Change takes time. Often, it takes more time than we want it to, especially if the goal is real transformation and not just surface change. We remind ourselves that attaching urgency to change doesn’t make it better (or even necessarily faster), that urgency is a symptom of the culture of oppression in which we exist.
When have you had to teach yourself to let change take more time than you wanted it to?
