We Can Be Better

We can do be better… as individuals, as a nation, as a global community. Amidst all of the confusion, stress, mixed messages and unknowns of the novel coronavirus pandemic, George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis a week ago. This sparked a protest in Minneapolis that turned into looting and rioting. Things escalated quickly as protests and riots erupted in other major cities in the US, in Europe and at least one prison. Just like the coronavirus situation, it is almost impossible to keep up with the news. New data points are still emerging, most people have opinions.

My personal philosophy is to be a Connector and a Catalyst. There are so many possible connections to be made between the VUCA worlds of living in the coronavirus pandemic and dealing with the current social unrest. The main idea I’d like people to intentionally connect with is: both are complex, systemic issues. As a catalyst, I would encourage people to figure out what they can do to help create and support change at an individual and system level.

How?

First, do what you need to do. I’m starting here:

Agile Best Self Principle #10: Simplicity – focusing on what energizes your best self — is paramount.

When I’m upset, one of my first impulses is to figure out a way forward. My default stance is action. As the pandemic unfolded, I researched what I could and decided what actions I would take. With the Floyd riots (and the underlying cause of systemic racial oppression) my short-term action is to help where I can. Part of this is financial support, part of it using my vote wisely, part is reaching out to my friends I know that are impacted, and asking “How can I help?”

When I’m really, really upset, I need to disengage. In the past 7 days I’ve cycled through the engage / disengage loop multiple times. But that is ok. It is intentional. I’ve named the pattern, and I’ve given myself space to focus on my self.

When I think about the kind of future I want to live in, and the kind of future I want my son to have. I pushed the anger, devastation and frustration aside to think about what I want to see. The best I could come up with was “we can do better”. I can do better, and I’m calling on our like-hearted community to figure out how each of us can do better, myself included, in the service of others who need our support and advocacy.

Agile Best Self Principle #1: Our highest priority is to be our best self and enable others to be their best selves.

Just to bring it all back to Agile Best Self Principles, not only can we do better, we can be better.

Copyright © 2018 – 2023 Michaele Gardner and Brian Hackerson