There are many interesting sights to see in Newfoundland and Labrador but in June the east coast of this province welcomes icebergs floating by in what is called ‘Iceberg Alley’ (http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/ThingsToDo/IcebergViewing). You can even follow the locations and tracking of these magnificent icons of nature through a website called www.Icebergfinder.com. It seems to me that Collective Impact and icebergs have a lot in common.
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For more than a decade, the Forum for Youth Investment has helped communities map, convene and align coalitions and initiatives focused on the interlocking issues that affect young people's futures, from premature births to college completion.
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I love visual tools. Taking the time to draw a process or idea helps me better understand it. Visual stories have the ability to magically capture a whole lot of complexity in a snapshot. They are fast and slow at the same time. You are given an immediate impression that you can then settle on and consider. I've used the collaborative continuum from Tamarack over the past few years as a communication tool to explain and explore partnerships. It has helped focus conversations about the constant fluid nature of our partners relationship internally, within the partnership and the movement of their capacity to contribute. Being honest about the TURF to TRUST polarity is critical to keep on the table because its never helpful to hide that discussion.
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I find myself thinking in metaphors a great deal. Its geeky and amusing and how my mind works and wanders. As a partnership broker I get stuck pretty often and when I arrive home at the end of the day I'm not sure how to answer the affectionate question: "How was your day love?" On bad days I summarize it with a grrr and tiger paws and on great days I profess my brilliance. But what do I say on 99% of the time? Well I'm useless and want a nap.
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For those of you who have been to any of Tamarack’s workshops you hear great speakers, find new resources and learn lots. You now have the difficult task of communicating what you have learned back to your community and figure out how to implement your learning in your community. I have been in your shoes. I have attended several of tamaracks events trying to find the answer to one question. How do I do Collective Impact in my community? I wanted someone to give me step by step instructions, but at the end of each event I was left with a head full of great tools and ideas but no recipe.
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When a sufficient number of people adopt an innovation in a social system, the innovation can become selfsustaining and create further growth. Are we at that point of critical mass for Collective Impact?
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