TRUST. When potential clients ask, "What does it take to make your recommendations work to build a cooler community?" I respond, "If there's trust at all levels– between the mayor and the Chamber, between experienced professionals and young professionals, between large business and small non-profits – nearly any good idea can take root and grow." The best example from 2004 is the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce. Dan Colantone and Becky Guzy Woodford were smart enough at the outset of our project to assemble a "Wisdom Council" to oversee our handprinting project. The Wisdom Council includes the University presidents, the publisher of the newspaper, the Mayor, key executives from large companies, high level entrepreneurs, and community heavy weights. The level of dialogue and trust among this group is palatable, and is leading us to a truly actionable strategy.
To gauge your trust levels, ask yourself: "Which community builders and influencers would I ask to write a professional letter of recommendation for me?" If your mayor, your young professional leaders, your economic or workforce development leaders, and/or your Chamber exec could not write a meaningful letter for you, you've got some work to do in 2005.
INCLUSION. Tolerance is not enough. Today, young professionals overlook communities that HAVE diverse populations and move to communities that VALUE diverse populations. What's the difference between Tolerance and Inclusion? TOLERANCE is recognizing differences and peacefully coexisting, separately. INCLUSION is valuing differences – talking about them, shining the light on them, maybe even joking about them - and allowing yourself to be influenced by those differences. When you tolerate someone, you may come to understand the other's world view, but there's still the ME v. YOU separation. When you are inclusive, you embrace the others' issues as your own so that there is no ME v. YOU, but rather a "WE."
The MOVEMENT & the ESTABLISHMENT. We've counted 90 Young Professionals Organizations* in the US. Young professionals are forging new ways to connect to each other and to their communities. What's remarkable is that there is NO SINGULAR MODEL. This is not Rotary Lite. These are from-scratch orgs, rooted in community needs and opportunities. Yet, this YP Movement needs the Establishment. And the Establishment needs YP's. Communities that understand the symbiotic relationship will flourish. Those that don't, won't.
*Note: To be a YP Organization in our eyes, you must have professional development and/or community building programs. Singles meet-markets don't count in our numbers.
SOCIAL CAPITAL. In 2004, we counted six regions as clients. In each one – regardless of their size or "cool" perceptions – young professionals said that SOCIAL CAPITAL was most important. What is Social Capital? It's your community's commitment to inclusion and your citizen's commitment to participation. When young professionals feel that their voice is heard and valued, they're more likely to stay.
Thank you Workforce Tulsa, the Illinois Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, the Charlotte City Committee, Leadership Brevard, the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, SUNY-Oswego, and the YPCOMMONS taskforce for imparting these valuable lessons in 2004.
Comments
