Here is the next installment of Michael J. Brennan's series, "The
Seven Disciplines of a Community of Progress: Creating a New Path." In
it, Brennan, the president of United Way for Southeastern Michigan,
explores how our region can move forward, and looks at past successes.
The Seven Disciplines of a Community of Progress:
1. Believe It to be Possible
2. Embrace the Genius of the And
3. Pass the Torch of Leadership
4. Power of Three
5. Get on Base
6. Strengthen the Citizen Muscle
7. Only Everyone
When President Jimmy Carter gave his farewell address, he said he was "to take up once more the only title in our democracy superior to that of president, the title of citizen."
From Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America written nearly 200 years ago to Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation, our heritage of civic involvement has been well chronicled. But today, a time of self and institutional inflation, the participation in community organizations has 'plummeted' over the last third of the century according to Robert Putnum's book, Bowling Alone.
Moreover, Putnam asserts that philanthropy's share of Americans' income has fallen steadily over the past four decades. Yet, progress in community is still dependent on the active participation and contribution of its citizens.
"I must say that I have seen Americans make great and real sacrifices to the public welfare; and have noticed a hundred instances in which they hardly ever failed to lend faithful support to one another." — Alexis de Tocqueville – Democracy in America
How critical is this 'faithful support to one another' for our neighborhoods and communities?
According to Dr. Felton Earls from Harvard University, the most important influence on a neighborhood's crime rate is neighbors' willingness to act when needed for another's benefit, and particularly for the benefit of another's children. His research conducted over a 10-year period in neighborhoods throughout Chicago presents compelling evidence.
The lessons are quite simply this. Do we know our neighbors? Are we involved in our community? Have we moved from being an observer to a participant? The safest and most vibrant neighborhoods can answer "yes" to these questions.
If being safe is a requirement for progress, then using our citizen muscle is the single most powerful tool we have available to us.
"We must continue to build partnerships for action with a strong commitment to the goals by government, our businesses and, most important, our citizens."
— Roger Penske, Crain's 2006 Newsmaker of the Year
I heard the observation that "if you see an unhappy person, you are seeing a selfish person". There is growing research and evidence of a direct correlation between giving of self or being involved and our own mental and physical health.
A recent University of Michigan study found health benefits to seniors from less than an hour a week of volunteering. An Ontario Ministry of Health study found that benefits of volunteering include increasing self-esteem, lowering blood pressure, reducing social isolation, and strengthening the immune system. Further, according to the Corporate Citizenship Company, corporate community involvement programs can play a significant role in addressing the key challenges facing managers, leading to direct benefits to a company's bottom line.
Over and over, we see and learn that the more we are actively engaged in our community, the stronger our families, neighborhoods, and corporations will be.
"We could forsake the mindset that tells us we can "visit" the public square when it is to our liking or convenience, only to retreat whenever that suits us better. Instead, we would see that we have the obligation and power to act and make a difference."— Rich Harwood, Hope Unraveled We must assume we have fully developed our self and institutional muscles. The time calls for us to put our citizen muscle to work. Greatness will come from our willingness to assume the highest office in the land — citizen.
Discipline Six in Action
Metro Detroit set a benchmark for the number of volunteers in Super Bowl XL: 10,000 volunteers. The world was coming, there was a tall order in front of us and given the chance, over 10,000 individuals stepped forward to help out.
These individuals were from all walks of life, and they came forward, in rain and snow, to guide visitors on the street corners, to greet out-of-town guests at the hotels, ensure kids had a safe experience, and to help those who were lost find their way.
This response exemplified our citizen muscle. We got involved and had fun doing it. Ten thousand strong sent a message that if given the chance, we can and we will pitch in to make our community better. Remember, a volunteer for the Super Bowl XL didn't get any privileged access to tickets for the game. Volunteers signed up for all kinds of reasons, but central to it all, was to make sure the region put its best foot forward, showing our civic pride and civic faith.
The Commissioner of the NFL, Paul Tagliabue, spoke of this differentiating quality that metro Detroiters brought to this Super Bowl. He described that the effort here was different than other cities. We didn't just come together because of an event, but rather, we turned the Super Bowl into a "cause" to mobilize around.
What if we took this success and replicated it to strengthen community? Imagine what would be accomplished if those volunteers mentored children or improved a neighborhood? When citizens are given a clear objective and a clear avenue to get involved, people step forward in droves. Finding the "cause" that provides the internal spark for every citizen is the work by which we ultimately measure our own individual and community success. Working this core muscle — our citizen muscle — connects each of us to the bigger hope we all share — a better, brighter and healthier future.
What is the Regional Activation Zone? A place to Get inspired. Get informed. Get connected. Read about it
here.
Volunteer Center:
United Way connects individuals and groups with meaningful volunteer
opportunities throughout the region. Through Volunteer Solutions,
United Way's online matching tool, you can find an opportunity that
interests you and is close to home. Get started by clicking here.
2-1-1:
Dial 2-1-1 to be connected to more than 7,000 health and human
services in southeast Michigan, including Focus: Hope's job training,
food distribution, child care, tax assistance, and education programs.
Whether you need assistance or want to lend a hand, 2-1-1 is there for
you. To learn more, or submit a request online, click