We human beings are pretty smart folks! We've sent people (and monkeys) to the moon, built a space station, invented ways to take pictures on Mars, built huge dams that change the course of major waterways, created technology that lets us communicate instantaneously virtually anywhere in the world and lots more... Yep - there's no doubt about it we've got the smarts to do just about anything...
So if we're so smart, then why are we in such a mess? Globally our environment is deteriorating around our ears, wars are being waged in more places than we can count, children die of starvation by the thousands and our ground water is too polluted to drink in much of the world and rapidly becoming polluted in much of the rest of the world. Much of this is not as easily visible in North America as it is in other parts of the globe or at least not so ‘in your face’ so we can still ignore the mess we are in on a day to day basis. We're pretty insulated over here from the harsh realities facing our brothers and sisters around the world.
What about our leaders?
Many of the world leaders gathered in Toronto and Huntsville ON Canada this past weekend to put their collective heads together and ostensibly find solutions to these (and other) problems. So far as I have heard there were no earth shattering creative answers found during the talks. So despite the close to $1 billion dollars spent, we are still facing these global issues. And they will continue to haunt us until we start to work collectively, one step at a time to change how we think of our world.
Part of the problem as I see it is that collectively as a human species we have several types of response.
1. Many are so overwhelmed by the magnitude and complexity of the problem(s) that they just don’t know where to start to fix it. And for many there is a justifiable fear that if we get it wrong we will make it worse so ultimately we end up doing very little of consequence and justifying by rationalizations such as “Well, I’m only one person, what could I possibly do to help”.
2. A growing number of people who are seriously concerned about the choices being made at the political level and who seek to voice their collective concern through peaceful protests, education and awareness campaigns and activism. This group was out in large numbers in Toronto this past weekend, however for those of us who were only able to view what was going on through the media, there was very little coverage of the efforts of these groups to make their concerns heard by the decision makers.
3. There are those who will grab any chance to create havoc and chaos either constructively or destructively. We saw this in Toronto this weekend as a band of black clad masked ‘protesters’ left any pretense of constructive protesting behind in favour of vandalism, damage and destruction. Is this a legitimate form of protest? – not to this writer…
4. There are an increasing number of individuals and organizations who recognize the need to take action to decrease the overall human ‘footprint’ on the planet and who are beginning to make strides in changing the operational paradigms that drive choices and priorities. Check out Peter Senge’s book “The Necessary Revolution” for examples and analysis.
5. There is the political leadership at a global level which is beginning to see the necessity of making changes but who still seemed to be suffering from a series of afflictions that make it difficult to make any significant progress in creating significant constructive sustainable change at the global level.
a. ‘Analysis Paralysis’ – the perceived need to study everything to death. While there is a solid need for understanding the situation, analysis and studies can also be a way of procrastinating making choices and changes…
b. ‘It’s their problem… not ours… so they need to fix it.. not us’… - the tried and true strategy of deflection and digressing from the main issues by pointing the finger at others in an effort to avoid having the finger pointed at me. While there may be some individuals, countries, regions or ideologies that bear a greater responsibility than others, ultimately it’s like having a hole in the boat in which we are all riding.. If the boat sinks it doesn’t much matter which end of the boat had the hole because everyone’s going to be swimming irrespective of whose fault it was.
c. ‘Solid solutions to the long term global crisis are not congruent with my personal or national political agenda’ – While this is something that no political leader would ever articulate I’m sure, it would appear that the global crisis has not yet reached the Pain Point threshold that puts it as a more pressing concern than personal or national agendas. Consequently the global good is still being subjugated to those personal and national priorities – and will continue to be until such time as the crisis becomes a greater threat to individuals and nations than their own wants and needs.
Lets face it, the western world is the greatest user of global resources on a per capita basis and consequently this is also the group with the resources to make a difference. However collectively we tend to avoid the problem. It's just easier that way. After all, if I were to admit my role in creating it, then I would be accountable to do something about it. And many people are now starting to recognize the magnitude of the problems we have created - and the implications those problems can have. Typically when something goes wrong our first instinct as human beings is to look around to see whose fault it is. After all - someone must be to blame! And there can be great relief in figuring out who is responsible... providing it's not us! Because whoever is at fault needs to fix things and make them right again. So we spend countless hours searching for someone we can pin the problem on.
The problem is that blame is a waste of time and energy! Blame always looks backwards and it can drain enormous amounts of energy that could be better employed solving the crises. It is always an education to listen to the various political leaders who have the "blame-storming" game down to a science. Just once I would like to hear someone stand up and quietly say "My government has failed to take the required action to prevent this situation from becoming a crisis - and as of today our priorities have changed. As of today, our focus will not be on getting re-elected, but rather on looking beyond our own agendas to analyze the crises we face and see how we can collaborate with other leaders to solve the problems". What a refreshing change that would be!
So what prevents this from happening? Well, when I am wrapped up in my own problems, it is hard for me to appreciate yours. So if our leaders are focused primarily on getting elected and then re-elected, how can we expect them to work constructively on major problems that may require hugely unpopular changes to resolve them? And if their terms are only 2-5 years long - will they have the incentive to take action with long term vision (beyond their own terms)? It is unlikely.
So how do we solve this dilemma? There are no quick fixes to this one but there is one irrefutable fact. When human beings face a major crisis and perceive their lives to be under threat we tend to set our own agendas aside and work together to deal with the greater problem. This happens all the time in terms of natural disasters - fires, floods, ice/snow/rain storms, earthquakes, tsunamis etc... What will it take to help us begin to work together in advance of the crisis?
I don't know - but I hope we can apply the massive collective intelligence we have to find a solution. After all the definition of insanity is to do the same thing again and again and expect different results! I hope we're smarter than that!
My grandmother used to say that 'Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal..." - wise words that have the potential to help us change our world. If we are focused on making the changes we are able to make, then we are at least moving in the right direction. Baby steps are better than no steps!
Conflict Resolution Workout!!
Take a few minutes and think about:
1. What situations are happening in our world that you don't know enough about?
2. How can you get accurate information about what is happening?
3. Who else has a stake in this problem?
4. What action could you take to invite these individuals or groups to start working together the problem(s)?
5. What obstacles might get in your way, in terms of getting things moving?
6. What steps can you take to overcome these challenges?
Ruth Sirman is a veteran in the world of workplace mediation specializing in assisting groups to find practical and workable solutions to seemingly intractable conflicts. Her professional practice takes her across North America working with federal, provincial and territorial governments, corporations, NGO’s, churches, communities and the courts. She designed and teaches the acclaimed Power to Resolve Program including modules on Discovering Your Resolution Quotient, I’m OK – It’s Everyone Else Who Needs Help!!, Mastering Difficult Situations and People You Find Challenging, From Discord to Dialogue, Organziational Conflict 911. Her website is www.canmediate.com.
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