Manual Organizing Comm

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Root Cause Tree

ORGANIZING

OVERVIEW The Root Cause Tree helps you visually analyze the symptoms (fruit). Institutional causes (trunk), and underlying systemic causes (roots) of a problem. This tool helps you define your individual analysis about a problem if you complete it as an individual exercise, or create a shared analysis of a problem if you complete it with a group.

WHY USE THIS TOOL? Determine a problem s root causes will help you avoid band-aid solutions or solutions that only address symptoms. Our analysis of a problem will determine the strategy we use to solve it. You must be able to articulate your analysis in order to develop a solution and to identify appropriate allies and partners. It is important that people have a shared analysis of a problem so that can have a shared plan of action to address the problem.

HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL? STEP 1: Decide what issue to analyze using the Root Cause Tree. STEP 2: Use the blank Root Cause Tree chart on the next page. Start by filling out the top level of the sheet with the impacts or symptoms of the issue. These impacts are represented by the fruit; they are problems that you can see or touch in your community. STEP 3: Ask yourself or the group, What are the structures and policies that institutionalize the problems we see (the fruit)? or Why do these problems exist on our communities? Fill in the trunk section with structures or policies that institutionalize the main issue you ve chosen. STEP 4: Ask yourself or the group, What are the underlying historical, social, political, or economic root causes of these problems? or Why do these structures or policies (trunk) exist? Keep saying Why? in order to get to the root causes. STEP 5: Discuss what your analysis of the main issue means for your approach to social change. Your actions must go beyond the symptoms (fruit), and address structures or policies (trunk), in order to make lasting change in your community.

Adapted from Young People For

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Root Cause Tree

ORGANIZING

FRUIT: What impact or problems do you see facing your community?

TRUNK: What structures, practices, and policies institutionalize the problem?

ROOTS: What are the underlying historical, social, political or economic root causes of these problems? Why do these structures or policies exist?

Adapted from Young People For

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ORGANIZING Approaches to Change

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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ORGANIZING Power Relationships in Society

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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ORGANIZING THE ART OF BASE-BUILDING IN TRANSFORMATIVE ORGANIZING

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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ORGANIZING OUTREACH OUTLINE Goals of Outreach: 1. Learn about the person and their perspective on the problems facing the community. 2. Person believes that building community power is necessary to solve community problems. 3. Person commits to getting involved. 1. THE PROBLEM x Introduce yourself, the organization, and your purpose for contacting them. x Ask them about their experiences or opinion regarding the problem that your organization is working on. x LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!! Remember that we don’t have to convince people there is a problem, they should know from their own life experiences. Your job is to elicit their thoughts on the problem, through asking open-ended questions, and find out what their interest is. Hi, I’m Malcom. I’m part of a group called So Just Organize. I’m talking to people today about the job situation in the community and what we can do about it. Do you think there is a job crisis in this community? Is this having an impact on you? Or on the community? Do you know anyone who has struggled to find work here?

2. ANALYSIS x DIALOGUE on short term causes to the problems in the community that we are organizing around x DIALOGUE on long term or root causes to the problem x Ask them if this situation is fair, and if they think it will get better on its own Why do you think the job situation is so bad in our neighborhoods? Is it like this in other neighborhoods? So Just Organize believes that our community is being neglected because politicians and corporations that run the economy ignore people in this community because most of the people here are poor people of color- and that ain’t right! Do you think our community would be treated differently if it were on the Upper West Side? Do you think that’s fair? Do you think the problem will get better on its own?

3. VISION x Dialogue on SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS to the problems the community faces that we are organizing around x Dialogue on LONG TERM SOLUTIONS x Ask open-ended questions about what they think it will take to build a movement in your city to shift the balance of power for low-income communities of color x Describe how our organization has a plan to build power and address short and long-term problems What do you think is needed to create more good-paying jobs in this community? So Just Organize believes that the government must ensure that people get good-paying sustainable jobs. Our plan is to get the gov’t and construction companies to train and hire thousands of neighborhood people to refurbish all these buildings with environmentally-friendly materials. Do you think that will make a difference in the community? Do you think they’ll give our community these jobs if we just ask for it? What will it take for our voices to be heard? So Just believes we have to build community power over the long-term, so poor communities of color can be at the decision-making tables for how our city should develop.

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ORGANIZING APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK & GUIDELINES OF DEVELOPING OUR MEMBERS/LEADERS

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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ORGANIZING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKSHEET

Adapted from Social Justice Leadership

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COMMUNICATION

RESOLVING CONFLICT CREATIVELY RESOLVIONG CONFLICT CREATIVELY CONFLICT CYCLE Every person approaches conflict with different attitudes, beliefs, values that come from her/his

ATTITUDES, BELIEFS

experience. Based on this experience, a person s

& VALUES

response to conflict can either result in negative or positive consequences. CONSEQUENCES

CONFLICT

Mediation can help gain the skills, awareness and willingness to change negative responses into positive ones.

RESPONSE

FIVE KEY CONCEPTS OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION 1. Conflict is a NATURAL part of life. Even if we learn skills to deal with conflict, it will continue to exist.

2. We can learn skills to help us deal better with conflict. By learning communication and creative conflict resolution skills, we can become better at solving problems.

3. There are many alternatives. Through practice, we can learn the skills to generate many alternative solutions that do not usually occur to us.

4. We can all win. We can create win-win solutions, where each party has their needs met, when we use our conflict resolution skills.

5. The process of creative conflict solving is rooted in a deep sense of respect for others and ourselves.

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COMMUNICATION WAR VS. NON-DEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION The War Model of Communication Defensive Self-Protection: Using the war motto, "To be open is to be vulnerable, and to be vulnerable is to be weak," people automatically close down, become defensive, and react to others in an adversarial manner. Such defensiveness not only inhibits our ability to understand and learn, but creates and accelerates conflict. Instead of protecting us, defensiveness depletes our energy and prevents us from achieving our goals.

Types of Defensive Reactions: Our defensive strategies, often not conscious, typically fall into three basic categories: surrender, withdrawal and counterattack. Each of these strategies is intended for protection and to retaliate against others.

Communication Tools Misused: Our three basic forms of communication ̶ questions, statements, and predictions̶ are all misused when we are defensive. By using Alienating Language we create barriers to compassionate communication and dehumanize our actions and intents.

Examples of Alienating Language : * Words that imply wrongness or rightness Æ good , bad , inappropriate , negative , wrong , obsessive , aggressive * Words that minimize choice and respect

Æ you must , you have to , you can t

for the autonomy of others (demands)

* Words that deny personal responsibility

Æ I had to , I was told to , It s our policy ,

Power Struggles: These defensive ways of speaking and reacting are manipulative̶ and cause others to resist what we say. Each person involved can feel like a victim, even while lashing out in verbal attack; this dynamic causes ongoing power struggles that become addictive. Because we have never changed the basic model for how we communicate, we consider such conflict to be normal ̶ just human nature.

Adapted from Powerful Non-Defensive Communication & Hollyhock Leadership Institute

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COMMUNICATION The Powerful Non-Defensive Communication Model Powerful Non-Defensive Communication: Nonviolent communication is a powerful and effective alternative to the War Model where all the needs of all parties are recognized and valued to best identify solutions. It is a gateway to creating compassionate connections consisting of: * Making clear, non-judgmental observations * Identifying and expressing feelings * Identifying and expressing the needs that are connected to the feelings * Making clear doable positive action requests

Non-Defensive Communication Tools: The character and function of questions, statements, and predictions are very different when we use them non-defensively. For example, rather than asking questions that convey our own opinion or lead others to answer in a prescribed way, we can ask questions that are genuinely curious, open,

innocent, neutral, and inviting.

Formats for Non-Defensive Communication: Questions: We can use questions to gather accurate information quickly and to stimulate others to respond sincerely and honestly. Statements: We can make statements that provide others with thorough information about how we interpret what they are saying and our reactions. Predictions: We can make predictions to create security through predictability.

Quantum Leaps: Using non-defensive communication, we can be honest and powerful while being compassionate and sincere. One aspect of the power of nondefensive communication is that the process allows us to communicate with great clarity and walk away with increased self-esteem, even if the other person chooses not to cooperate. Anyone who uses this process can make a quantum leap in personal and professional growth. By changing how we communicate as individuals, we can work effectively toward greater understanding among diverse groups, and ultimately toward a more peaceful world. FINAL THOUGHT Every moment offers us a choice about how to respond. So next

time you find yourself in a heated argument, ask yourself, Do I simply want to win, or do I want to create effective dialogue as that we both win? Adapted from Powerful Non-Defensive Communication and Hollyhock Leadership Institute

Adapted from Powerful Non-Defensive Communication & Hollyhock Leadership Institute

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COMMUNICATION

Powerful Non-Defensive Communication We are using non-defensive communication when we ask questions, make statements and predict consequences in an open, sincere way without trying to control how other people respond. We can gather accurate information, speak with clarity, protect ourselves, and hold others more accountable. People are more likely to respect us and we can strengthen personal and professional relationships.

1. Ask Questions: Purpose:

Nature: curious, open, innocent, neutral, inviting

To gather thorough information to understand accurately what the person means, believes, or feels.

Example: If someone acts upset, the first step is to simply ask the person directly about your own assumption so he can confirm, deny, or qualify, for example, “Are you irritated (frustrated, angry, upset) about something?” Avoid: Using a question to express your own opinion or to entrap others.

2. Make Statements: Nature: open, direct, vulnerable, subjective, descriptive Purpose:

The first three steps are to state neutrally our subjective interpretation of 1) what we hear the other person saying, 2) any contradictions we see (perceive) in the person's tone, body language, and words, and 3) our conclusions regarding the person's overt and covert messages. The fourth step is not neutral and is to 4) fully express our own reactions, our feelings, beliefs, and reasoning.

Example: If the person continues to act irritable and yet denies it when asked, saying harshly, “I’m fine!,” we might respond with this four part statement: • Hear: “When I hear you saying that you are in a good mood • See: and (at the same time) I see that you are rolling your eyes and shrugging • Conclude: then I believe that something is wrong but you don’t want to tell me • Reaction: and so I feel frustrated and am not sure if I should ask you more questions or leave you alone.” Avoid: Stating opinion as fact or trying to convince others to agree.

3. Predict Consequences: Purpose:

Nature: protective, foretelling, neutral, definitive, firm

To create boundaries and security by telling another person ahead of time how we will react if s/he does make a certain choice, and how we will react if s/he does not make that choice.

Example: If the person still acts upset and continues to deny it, after hearing our statement, saying “I said I’m fine, there's no problem!,” we can set a limit using an “If...... then” sentence: • “If you would like to tell me what's going on, then I'd like to hear it.” • “If you don't want to tell me, then I don’t want to try to make you.” Avoid: Using a consequence prediction to coax, punish, or falsely threaten others.

Adapted from Powerful Non-Defensive Communication

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COMMUNICATION

Six Defensive Reactions

That Prevent Powerful, Non-Defensive Communication When someone says or does something to make us feel put down, hurt, frustrated, or angry, we may feel attacked and try to protect ourselves by using one or more of these six defensive reactions. When we get defensive, we get into power struggles, which causes many unnecessary, destructive conflicts.

1. Surrender-Betray:

We are a traitor to ourselves when we allow someone to mistreat us and then defend the person's behavior, taking the blame ourselves.

Example: We might say, “He just treated me rudely because he was in a bad mood. I should have known better than to ask a question just then.”

2. Surrender-Sabotage:

We outwardly give in or cooperate with someone and then undermine the person in some way.

Example: We might talk about the person behind her back, or procrastinate about doing something we told the person we’d do.

3. Withdrawal-Escape:

We avoid talking to someone about something we don’t

want to discuss. Example: We might simply not answer, or leave the room, or change the subject.

4. Withdrawal-Entrap:

We refuse to give information to someone as a way to trap him/her into doing something inappropriate or making a mistake.

Example: We might just stare the person and not answer a question she asks until she gets embarrassed and drops it or gets angry and says something that inappropriate.

5. Counterattack-Justify:

We explain our own behavior or make excuses if someone questions or criticizes us to let him know he is wrong to be upset with us.

Example: We might say “I would have gotten that done sooner, but I’ve been really busy,” or, “I’m doing my best,” or “I can’t work any faster.”

6. Counterattack-Blame: We attack or judge the other person to defend ourselves. Example: We might blame the other person for whatever the problem is, saying perhaps, “You are always so critical,” or, “Why are you in such a bad mood?”

Adapted from Powerful Non-Defensive Communication

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COMMUNICATION CO-INTELLIGENCE & DIALOGUE If it is in speaking their word that people, by naming the world, transform it, dialogue imposes itself as the way by which they achieve significance as human beings. Paulo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Co-intelligence refers to a shared, integrated form of intelligence created whenever we pool our personal intelligences to produce results that are more insightful and powerful than the sum of our individual perspectives. . It is about creating our shared lives together -- and doing it well. Co-intelligence is a capacity we all have, individually and collectively. This said, dialogue is an essential form of co-intelligence.

Dialogue is shared exploration towards greater understanding, connection, or possibility among women and men.. It should not involve one person acting on another, but

rather people working with each other. Dialogue isn t just about deepening understanding - but it is part of making a difference in the world. Dialogue in itself is a co-operative activity involving respect. The process is important and can be seen as enhancing community and building social capital, leading us to act in ways that make for justice and human flourishing.

In dialogue, : * We talk about what's really important to us. * We really listen to each other. * We say what's true for us without making each other wrong. * We see what we can learn together by exploring things together. * We avoid monopolizing the conversation and make sure everyone speaks.

Adapted from The Co-Intelligence Institute & Infed

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COMMUNICATION Dialogue or Debate? Dialogue or Debate? DIALOGUE

DEBATE

Dialogue is collaborative: two or more sides work

Debate is oppositional: two sides oppose each

together toward common understanding

other and attempt to prove each other wrong.

Dialogue causes introspection of one's own

Debate causes critique of the other position.

position. In dialogue, finding common ground is the goal

In debate, winning is the goal.

In dialogue, one listens to the other side(s) in

In debate, one listens to the other side in order

order to understand, find meaning, and find

to find flaws and to counter its arguments.

agreement. Dialogue enlarges and possibly changes a

Debate affirms a participant's own point of

participant's point of view.

view.

Dialogue reveals assumptions for reevaluation.

Debate defends assumptions as truth.

Dialogue opens the possibility of reaching a

Debate defends one's own positions as the best

better solution than any of the original solutions.

solution and excludes other solutions.

In dialogue, one searches for strengths in the

In debate, one searches for flaws and

other positions.

weaknesses in the other positions.

Dialogue creates an open-minded attitude and

Debate creates a closed-minded attitude, a

openness to being wrong and to change.

determination to be right.

Dialogue calls for temporarily suspending one's

Debate calls for investing wholeheartedly in

beliefs.

one's beliefs.

In dialogue, one searches for basic agreements.

In debate, one searches for glaring differences.

Dialogue involves a real concern for the other

Debate involves a countering of the other

person and seeks to not alienate or offend.

position without focusing on feelings or relationship and often belittles or deprecates the other person.

Dialogue assumes that many people have pieces

Debate assumes that there is a right answer and

of the answer and that together they can put

that someone has it.

them into a workable solution. Dialogue remains open-ended.

Debate implies a conclusion.

Adapted from The Co-Intelligence Institute