Rebuilding Broken Systems

CHAPTER 7Creating a Perseverance Group

“There isn’t a quick fix and a quick solution. There is sort of intentional, steady, repeated progress and work toward a goal. And, you know, when you are just getting in that space, that can feel really unfulfilling…You have to find the small wins where you can find them and acknowledge the process along the way.”

—Nadege Souvenir, CEO, San Antonio Area Foundation

In the preceding chapters I hope I’ve laid out a convincing argument that the time is now for systemic change, and that it’s critical to understand that effective change will be achieved only when all four forces of our society commit to transforming how they operate, cooperate, and collaborate.

Fortunately, there are some innovative organizations whose success provides hope and guidance. Drawing on my own experience in addition to studying the playbook for relatively recently established models such as Indivisible, in this chapter I propose a handbook for local leaders who are motivated to drive change in their own communities. Because real change is rooted in identifying regional needs and resources, this proposed framework is designed to leave space for customization. In fact, local efforts to unify the four forces operating in a specific area have to begin by deeply understanding local conditions and priorities. While these will most likely vary region to region, there are foundational principles that will help leaders anywhere stand up a new, more broadly based and supported ...