Organizing 101

1. Organizing 101 NEA Uniserv Academy “Never do for others what they can do for themselves.” -Saul Alinsky, Founder, Industrial Areas Foundation

2. What will we be doing today?(With breaks & lunch tucked in!) • Overview & Introductions • What is organizing? • Why we organize • Types of organize • The role of staff in organizing • An effective organizing plan • Organizing principled power

3. Training Objectives • Explore the concept of organizing & its potential in building strong locals • Define types of organizing • Identify characteristics of effective organizers • Explore effective organizing plans • Internalize the relationship between trust, relational organizing and principled power • Practice a key organizing tool – small group discussions

4. What is Organizing? • Celebrity Charades: don’t look & don’t tell; ask up to three yes/no questions per colleague until you ID your celebrity • Form small groups & work on your celebrity’s definition of “organizing” • Prepare, as a group, to share your celebrity’s definition of “organizing”

5. ORGANIZING • A process used to move people to action • Creates power • Requires systems thinking • Appeals to self-interests • Develops sustainability • Is a science as well as an art • Builds organizational capacity

6. Short Term Job protection Healthcare Coalition building Improved working conditions Tools for addressing everyday problems Long Term People learn about themselves Individuals fully use their skills & abilities An opportunity to rediscover history struggle & resistance Relearn cooperation, collective action & support of one another Benefits of Organizing

7. Types of Organizing • Scratch organizing • Revitalization organizing • Issue organizing • Relational organizing

8. Issue Organizing Issue organizing is a strategy that identifies, validates & clearly frames or state the issue by which the members will be motivated. Identification Know the difference between problems & issues. Problems are long-term conditions that give rise to issues. We are concerned about problems. We take on issues. Chronic unemployment is a problem. An announcement of a 50-day layoff is an issue.

9. Validating the Issue When an organizer thinks an issue has been identified, it can be validated with “yes” answers to these questions: • Is it immediate, recent, close at hand? • Is it specific, tangible, clearly understood? • Is it controversial, their position or ours, polarized? • Is it the right size, can we manage it, control it? • Is it winnable, a sure thing?

10. Framing the Issue The organizer creates the organizing theme by stating the issue in such a way that it can be used to 1) focus the constituents’ energies and 2) mobilize people for action. The statement becomes the consistent position of the organizing campaign. Framing is accomplished by combining the following into a statement: • Clearly identify the issue • Define the issue in such a way that sides are clearly identified • Develop & refine the rationale for the issue

11. PROBLEMS Global in nature Create solutions Long-lasting Source or cause is distant Irritating Encourage study Resolved only over a long period of time ISSUES Specific in nature Emanate from situations Short-lived Source or cause is near & identifiable Inflaming Encourage action Resolved over a short period of time Problems -vs- Issues

12. Relational Organizing A type of organizing whereby a connection is made to our greater assets & strengths. It focuses on stories, values & beliefs of our members & their self-interests. • Focuses on listening & respecting members’ experiences & stories • Identifies & recruits leaders • Creates & agenda that is driven by the issues, lives & experiences of our members

13. “Organizingis a fancy word for relationship building.”Ernesto Cortes

14. Give & take The meeting is selective & sensitive Strong sense of self provides basis for taking risks in relationship building Self-actualization comes from understanding feelings in ourselves & others Meetings like this prove an essential human connection that is necessary to build an enduring relationship You don’t just discuss what people do or their philosophy or their actions. Ultimately, you must get to the level of how people feel about what they do. Relational Meeting Concepts

15. Relational MeetingBest Practices • Work up your curiosity • Think about your story • Focus on the other person • Draw out & share your stories • Probe for their interests • Ask direct, engaging questions • Stick to your time limit • Take notes • Reflect & evaluate

16. What is listening? Listening is • Receiving information via your eyes & ears • Giving the information meaning • Determining how you feel or what you think about the information • Responding to the information Listening is an intellectual & emotional process that searches for meaning & understanding in a message.

17. Listening Tips • Don’t race up the “ladder of inference” • Monitor & control distractions • Clear your mind of other thoughts • Make direct eye contact • Use supportive voice & body language • Without interrupting or changing the subject, ask clarifying questions

18. “When you are tempted to make a statement,ask a question.”Fred Ross, Sr.

19. The Organizer • The duty of the organizer is to provide people with the opportunity to work for what they believe in. • A good organizer is a “social arsonist” who goes around setting people on fire!

20. Ability to ID an issue Ability to evaluate human behavior Concern for people Ability to “affirm” others Ability to recognize power Ability to delegate Ability to determine needs Ability to navigate tense situations Ability to plan Ability to work from the general to the specific Ability to monitor & evaluate Skills of an Organizer

21. Three Attributes of an Effective Organizer • PASSION To have passion you must create a vision of where you want to go • PATIENCE Patience requires a commitment to your own vision in the face of “naysayers” • PERSEVERANCE To accomplish your vision you must have the courage to persevere

22. Cre8tive” Organizers • Believe that there’s always more than one right answer • Have the ability to look at the ordinary & see the extraordinary • Are not afraid of making mistakes • Reframe problems into opportunities From Everyday Creativity Dewitt Jones

23. “Change means movement. Movement means friction.”Saul Alinsky

24. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”In other words . . .“No problem is solved via the same paradigm that created it.” Albert Einstein

25. The Organizing Campaign • WHAT: define the issue/situation • WHY: identify the organizing goals • HOW: define the organizing strategy to employ & the resources that are needed • WHO: determine the leaders & members needed to accomplish the goals • WHEN: organize a sequential timeline of activities & communications that reflect the goals & strategy & that help mobilize the members

26. Specific Organizing Plan Steps • Involve leaders & members from the beginning to ensure their ownership of & commitment to the plan • Define the organizing goal & the desired outcome • Identify options for achieving the goal • Analyze & prioritize the options • Select the best option • Plan action steps for achieving the outcome(s) • Develop organizing timeline/calendar & budget • Develop plan for identification & involvement of members • Continually monitor & evaluate the plan, each step, the resources, etc. • Continually communicate with leaders & members to ensure • Celebrate successes along the way & at the completion of the organizing plan/campaign

27. Keeping the plan on track . . . • Encourage leaders & committee chairs to monitor without micromanaging – model that, too! • Provide feedback to leaders & members, highlighting the accomplishment of key goals, activities, etc., throughout • Offer assistance • If problems are occurring, get involved without taking over the leadership role

28. Take time toEvaluate & Celebrate! • Be sure that members are involved in the evaluation of the organizing efforts • Identify 1) what worked well, 2) what didn’t go so well, 3) what to continue doing, 4) the surprises that occurred, & 5) what materials/records to archive. • Celebrate & publicize the collective & individual contributions & accomplishments, giving credit & thanks to all involved.

29. POWER • The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively • A . . .group . . . having great influence or control over others • Forcefulness • Effectiveness • The capacity of a system . . . to operate The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000

30. “Power is the abilityto achieve purpose. Whether it is good or bad depends on the purpose.”Martin Luther King, Jr.

31. Types of Power • Coercion / Force • Deception • Blind obedience to authority • Abdication to an “expert” • Informed consent - relational

32. Unilateral Power over Dominating Control Private Zero sum One way Closed Relational Power with Interactive Mutual Collective Synergistic Quid pro quo Open – public POWERTwo Forms

33. Organized PEOPLE Organized MONEY Two Elements of Power

34. “All power is primarily an illusion . . . Illusion. Mirrors and blue smoke, beautiful blue smoke rolling over the surface of highly polished mirrors, first a thin veil of blue smoke, then a thick cloud that suddenly dissolves into wisps of blue smoke, the mirrors catching it all, bouncing it back and forth.”Jimmy BreslinHow the Good Guys Finally Won, Notes from an Impeachment Summer

36. Dilemmas of Unions

37. Organizational Cultures

38. On Developing Trust “Anytime a man come into my community and took the hardships that he took, if he was wrong, I better join with him anyway. He’s ready to take a beating, (get) jailed, being bombed and get back on two feet. . . I’m ready to join that fellow, wherever he is, right or wrong.” PERCY LARRY McComb, Mississippi I’ve Got the Light of Freedom by Charles M. Payne

40. “Power without loveis reckless and abusive . . .and love without poweris sentimental and anemic.Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.”Martin Luther King, Jr.