8/9/2019 Trainers Notes: Principles of Organizing "The Choice"

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Trainers Notes:

Principles of Interdependent Leadership The Choice

Key Teaching Points:

Teachthebasicsoforganizing:people,power,change Setastrongframeworkfortherestofthetrainingbylayingoutthe4practicesof

leadershipinorganizing,usingthesnowflakemodelofinterdependentleadership.

Reinforcethiscoreconceptvisually,verballyandinroleplay.

Overview Timeline:

Section Time(30min) Materials/Notes

Introduction 30minutes

TrainerStoryofSelf,Us,

Now

5minutes Slide1-TheChoice

TheChoice 1minutes Slide2-Howdoeschangehappen

Slide3-Youseeachallenge

Slide4-Twochoices:FlightorFight

Slide5-Whatareyougoingtodoaboutit?

Howwillyoufight? 2minutes Slide6-Wheredoesyourpowercomefrom?

Slide7-Weapons?

Slide8-T.VAds?Slide9-Lobbyists?

Slide10-orPeople?

Organizing 3minutes Slide11-Whatisorganizing?

Slide12-Organizingisaboutbuildingpower

Slide13-Peoplepower

TheCraft 4minutes Slide14-Othershavemadethechoicebeforeus

Slide15-Organizingisacraft

Slide16-21-Movementslides(MLK,Farmworkers,etc.)

Leadership 15minutes Slide22-Itstartswithyou

Slide23-ChangehappenswhenothersjoinyouSlide24-Leadershipdefinition

Slide25-27-Leadershipskit

Slide28-Leadershipisapractice

Slide29-Practicesofleadership

TheChoiceNow 1minute Slide30-Sowhatsyourchoice?

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Annotated Timeline:

*Thissectionisintendedtobeusedasaguide.Thebesttrainerswilltakethismaterialand

makeittheirown,workingintheirstoryofselfthroughoutthepresentationandpullingon

actualexapmplesfromtheirlivesandtheirorganizinationsorcampaigns.

TrainerStoryofSelf,Us,Now

Tellyour5minStoryofSelf,US,Nowasitrelatestothisparticulartraininggroup,campaignetc.

UsetheStoryofSelfWorksheetintheparticipantguideandtheBarackObamavideotohelp

developyourexamplestory.

TheChoice

Howdoeschangehappen?Whenyouseeachallenge,aprobleminyourcommunitywehavea

choice:FightorFlight(HopeorDespair)

AudienceEngagement:Whatsyourchoice?Areyougoingtorunaway?Orstayandfight?

Youreprobablyherebecauseyouchosetofight!Butwherewillyourpowertofightcome

from?

Weapons?

TVads?

Lobbyists?Orpeople?

Organizing

AudienceEngagement:Ifwearegoingtodecidetofightwithpeople,whatdoesorganizinghave

todowithit?

Organizingisbuildingyourpower,yourPEOPLEpowertowin.

TheCraft

Thereareothersthathavecomebeforeusandwerepresentedwithachallenge,andmadethe

choicetostandupandfight.Theychosehope.

TrainerTip:Createastoryofself,US,Nowthatdemonstrateswhyyoudecidedtobeapart

ofthistrainingsinceyouwillbeaskingthemshortlywhytheyarehere.

TrainerTip:Gothroughtheseslidesquickly,urgingthemtoyellbackyesorno.Pauseafter

thelobbyistslide.Seeiftheycomeupwithpeopleontheirown.

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LeadershipSkit

1. LeadershipSkit(10min)

ExampleSkit:

Roles:Narrator,Organizer,Congressperson,participants

Slide:Dotwithallthearrowsgoingtowardit .

Narrator:IdliketointroduceyoutoOrganizerMara.OrganizerMarahasheardtoo

manystoriesaboutfamiliesinhercommunitybeingtornapartbyICEraids,

deportationsandthealmostimpossibleworkofbecomingaUScitizen.Sheknowsthat

herCongresspersonRenataisonethepeoplewhohasthepowerinWashingtonto

changethelawsaffectinghercommunity.SoOrganizerMaradecidestoorganizea

meetingwithherCongressperson.

Sinceshestheleader,OrganizerMarawantstomakesureeverythinggetsdoneright.

[Organizerissittingonachairandotherskitplayersarehoveringoverandaroundher,

tryingtogetherattention.]

AsyoucanseeeveryoneisgoingtoOrganizerMarawithideasforrecruitment,ideasfor

themeetingsite,phonecallsthathavetogetreturned,busesthathavetobearranged.

Whatsgoingonhere?

HasanyonebeenOrganizerMarabefore?Whatsthatlike?Hasanyonebeensomeone

tryingtogetintouchwithOrganizerMara?Whatsthatlike?

(TIP:waitfortheaudiencetorespond)

LetsfastforwardtothedayofthemeetingwithCongresspersonRenata.Sinceshes

beenworkingsohard,OrganizerMarahasunfortunatelygottenverysick.And

unfortunatelybecausealltheworkwasgoingthroughher,nooneelseknowsallthe

detailsoftheeventorwhattodo.

[Organizerisblowinghernose,wipinghereyes,anyothersickactivity.Everyoneelse

walkingaroundaskingquestionsofeachotherwithnoanswers.]

ThenCongresspersonRenatashowsupandwhatdoyouthinkshefinds?(Tip:Let

audiencemakesomeguesses)

TrainerTip:Thesearetheorganizingpracticesofinterdependentleadership.Explainthat

thesepracticesarewhatwearegoingtobelearningthroughoutthetraining.

TrainerTip:Prepinadvance!!Besureroleplayerspracticethewholethingthrough2-3

times,addingtheirowncreativetweaks.

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[OrganizertriestoapproachCongresspersontogiveherinformationoraskquestions,

butCongresspersonsensesdisorder(andsickness!)andthrowsherhandsupintheairin

frustration.]

Slide:Arrowsgoinginalldirections

Well,OrganizerMaralearnedfromthatexperiencethatshecouldntbetheonlyleader.

Soshedecidedtotakeanewapproach,whatweliketocalltheweareallleaders

approach.

ThistimeOrganizerMaradecidedthateveryoneshouldtakeapartofthegoalandlead.

[Prop:FlipchartpaperwithGOALwritteninbigletters.OrganizerMaraholdsthepaper

andaskseveryonetoleadontheirpart.Everyoneripsofftheirpartandstartsrunningin

theirowndirectiontoactonit.]

ButOrganizerMaradidntsetupanywayforallthesenewleaderstocoordinate.

Everyoneisoffdoingtheirownthing.Wehavetwopeoplecallingthesamebus

companytogetabus,3peoplecallingtheTVstationtogetsomeonetotheirevent,and

nocoordination.Everyonesbumpingintoeachother,fightingoverwhichpieceofthegoaltheyhave,whosepieceisbigger,etc.

LetsfastforwardtothedayoftheeventwithCongresspersonRenata.

Themorningoftheeventisafrenzyofactivity,withlotsofleaders(everyonebossing

everyonearound),butthebasicworkstillisntgettingdone.

CongresspersonRenatashowsupandwhatdoyouthinkshefinds?(Tip:Takeafew

answersfromaudience)

[Alltheleadersclingontohertryingtobeheardandpushtheirownagendas.She

throwsupherhandsinfrustration.]

Haveanyofyoubeenpartoforganizationslikethiswhereeveryonewastheleader?

Whatsthatlike?

Slide:Snowflake

WellfortunatelyOrganizerMarahaslearnedfromhermistakes(shewentthroughthis

training!)andhasatimemachinetogobackintimeandtryagain.Becauseofwhat

sheslearned,sheknowsthatthistimesheneedstobuildandcoordinatealeadership

teamtocarryoutthisevent.Shedecidestofollowthismodelofleadership,whatwe

liketocallthesnowflake.

SoOrganizerMaratakesalittletimetogetclearaboutwhythismatterstoherandto

tellherownstory.

[OrganizerMaratellsashortstoryofselfthatsrealsoweknowwhosheis.]

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ThenOrganizerMaratriestothinkcarefullyaboutwhotorecruittoworkwithher.She

spendssometimebuildingrelationshipsbydoingone-to-ones.Inherone-to-one

meetingssheasksforaclearcommitmenttobepartoftheleadershipteam.

[OrganizerMaragoesandchatswitheachmemberofherteam,bringingthemalongas

shegoes.]

ButOrganizerMaralearneditsnotenoughtojusthavelotsofindividualleaders.She

needstotakethetimetobuildastrongleadershipteamwithclearroles...

[OrganizerMaraaskstheteamtochooserolesbasedontheskillsofindividualpeoplein

thegroupandtheworkthathastogetdone,likeMediaCoordinator,Recruitment

Coordinator,SiteCoordinator,etc.)

Andherteamneedsaclearplantocoordinatesotheyrenotduplicatingworkand

runningintoeachother.

[OrganizerMarasetsupacleartimeandplaceforregularcheck-insasateam.]

NowOrganizerMarahasarealteam.

[Teamhuddlesanddoessomekindofteamchant.]

Buthavingateamisntenough.Theyneedastrategy!SoOrganizerMaras teamdevelopsa

strategyformovingtheirCongressperson.

[Teamengagesinstrategizingnomorethan30seconds.Modellingyesand!insteadofno

but]

Nowthattheyhaveastrategy,OrganizerMara steamgetstowork.

[Thentheygettowork.TheRecruitmentCoordinatorsstartaskingpeoplefromtheaudiencetojointhemupfront.Themediacoordinatoriscallingthepress,etc.OrganizerMarascheckingin

witheachofthemtoseehowthingsaregoing.]

Letsfastforwardtothedayoftheevent.

[OrganizerMaraisinthemiddleofalinewithherteamandeveryonetheyverecruitedtothe

event,andtheyvealllinkedarmsinsolidarity.]

WhenCongresspersonRenataarrives,whatdoyouthinkshefinds?(Tip:Letaudienceanswer)

[OrganizerMaraorsomeonedesignatedasspokespersonapproachestheCongressperson,says

whotheyallrepresent,andmakesanaskWillyouvoteforComprehensiveImmigrationReform

inthespringof2010?]

CongresspersonRenataisimpressedwiththeorganizationandnumberofpeopleatthisevent.

Sinceshesrunningforre-electionnextfallandknowssheneedstheLatinovoteshesays...yes

Leadership:APractice

Leadershipisapractice,notaposition.Youcanbegintobuildacommunitytoorganizewithyou

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usingthefollowing4practicesofleadership:Story,Structure,Strategy,Action.Theentire

trainingisfocusedaroundfirstbuildingourpowerthroughStory,StructureandRelationships,

andthenusingourpower,throughStrategyandAction.

WhatsyourChoicenow?

Willyoucommittotakingyourpassiontothenextlevelandcontinuethistraditionoforganizing

andlearnthecraft?