Making a Difference on the Larger Stage is Simple

There are other ways to talk about what I’ve just called “expectations.” Some folks say it’s the image of the future that we hold in our mind’s eye. Others call it a vision, or a picture of success.

And some folks have tried to turn the whole thing into a big “secret.”

making a difference

But there’s really nothing woo-woo going on here, as you’ve already seen. (It just seems like magic sometimes.)

The point is, our expectations about the future are just as powerful for an organization, community, or even a whole culture.

The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures. As long as a society’s image is positive and flourishing, the flower of culture is in full bloom. Once the image begins to decay and lose its vitality, however, the culture does not long survive.
~ Frederick Polak, Dutch sociologist

Likewise the ancient wisdom: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Anthropologists have found this to be literally true. Ernest Becker, a cultural anthropologist, says that the Marquesan Islanders lost interest in having children and “simply gave up when, in the face of inroads from white traders and missionaries, everything that gave them hope and a sense of value was eroded.”

(Oh my.)

If our image of the future is so important, where does it come from?

Well, today’s popular wisdom is that “vision” is handed down by a leader. We look to top elected leaders for a nation’s vision. We demand that the CEO deliver vision to an organization.

But what matters most—and what you and I can influence in a big way—is our everyday conversations. What we say around the water cooler and at the kids’ soccer game. What we write in emails and tweets.

All of that “small talk” adds up. (Really, if you think about it, what is more powerful than what the people around you talk about?)

The bottom line for you and me?

“Just talking” in an intentional and thoughtful way, fully aware of the power of our words, is our most revolutionary act.

So if you want to make a difference, you’ve gotta talk like the way you want things to be.

Sounds simple enough.

But what do you say?

NEXT: The Courage to Choose Our Stories

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Portions of this manifesto appear in What Kind of World Do You Want? — the forthcoming book by Jim Lord, with Pam McAllister.

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