What Does it Take to Create Proactive Agents of Change? (ID #001)

Date: 3/4/2010 to 3/17/2010
Duration: 2 weeks
Host: Robin Pendoley
Topic(s): 1

Overview:

Shifting our thinking is clearly not meant to be an academic exercise.  We come to this process with purpose and emotion, rooted in our desire to see changes in our global society.  While creating a meaningful mindshift in as many people as possible is an incredible step toward realizing this change, it is important to also ask how these shifted minds will translate into proactive change.  This question begs another fundamental question: Who will lead these processes of change?

This conversation aims to give the community here an opportunity to explore and push our thinking about what role we each can and should play toward creating the next generation of leaders who have the consciousness, personal strength, and vision to translate our shift into systemic change.

A little about me: I am new to the Global Mindshift community, but am thrilled to have found it.  I am a co-founder of an educational non-profit called Thinking Beyond Borders that aims to create this next generation of leaders.  While we are passionate and committed to our work, we also recognize that we don't have all of the answers at TBB.  It is crucial for us and the broader community of critically conscious people to consider what formal and informal ways we can support the development of our next leaders.

Topic 1: What skills and knowledge do proactive agents of change need? (weeks 1 - 2)
Leadership toward change comes in many flavors with many different outcomes.  However, it can probably be assumed that the Global Mindshift community largely shares the assumption that the ends of efforts to create change is not necessarily more important the means.  As such, it's critical to consider what skills, experiences, and knowledge proactive agents of change will need to be effective both at reaching their end goals in a way that carefully considers and accounts for all influences and impacts the process will have. 

This topic requires us to consider and reflect on the following questions:

1. What do proactive agents of change need to experience and learn to be truly effective?
2. Who should be responsible for ensuring that those with tendencies toward leadership have these key learning opportunities?
3. What investment is required of the broader community of critically conscious individuals and organizations to ensure these leaders are developed and supported?