Management In A Changing World

CHAPTER 2BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

“Movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.”

—Grace Lee Boggs, American author and activist

Bex once worked with people who embraced the command‐and‐control management approach. One time, someone observed Bex with their team and asked, “Why do you take so much time to explain things? Can't you just yell at them?” Baffled by these questions, Bex responded, “No one has won same‐sex marriage before. The way we've always run campaigns hasn't worked. To win, we need people at their most engaged, and yelling isn't going to help.”

Years later, Monna had Bex as a manager at her first post‐college job. When they went to small‐town Ohio to protect an LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance, Monna went to her first canvass. She struggled. As a New Yorker, Monna hated talking to strangers. As a small Asian American woman, she felt ridiculous knocking on random people's doors, not knowing if the people behind them would be homophobic, racist, or just plain creepy. On the plane ride back, she confided in Bex. “Canvassing is weird! It goes against everything I know about staying safe in this world.” Bex took that in and replied, “Yeah, it's hard.” Then they said, “It's not just you. I've been there too. Let's figure out how to make it easier next time.”

For Monna, that conversation was pivotal. Her manager related to her concerns and was willing to help her overcome them. This was enough to get her to stick it out and try canvassing again. ...