We have spent the last 15 years building and participating in communities and found tremendous joy in them. Based on our own experience and with the generous help of leading community builders, we have developed a framework that helps build stronger communities and make our society a bit more connected: the Community Canvas.
There was a time when I said “I am a community builder.” I am currently the steward of the Podcaster Community—because the people there and podcasting itself are near and dear to me. But, I’m no longer interested in communities generally. I no longer go around seeing everything as a nail that should be fixed with the community hammer. That said, I wish I had seen that work above, about 20 years ago.
I sometimes talk about the three words, discovery, reflection and efficacy. It’s the reflection that is the force multiplier; the better I get at that, the more it looks like a super-power. Sometimes it’s not possible to view something after I’ve done it, but I can always mentally review.
Ask yourself: what went well? How did you prepare? What did you wear? Who was your audience? What was your internal monologue before you stepped up to speak? In that moment when you got distracted, what had happened? What were you thinking about? How did you get back on track (if you did)? What was on your mind that day?
Flynn-McIver is talking about public speaking, but those are wonderful questions for any context.
Unfortunately, I can get caught up spinning in circles over-thinking things. I’ve recently had good luck using a particular question to create an exit–ramp from my over-thinking. I ask myself: If I could answer these questions, would it enable me to do something? Because when I’m spinning in my over-thinking, I’ve forgotten about that third word in my little mantra: efficacy.
How can podcasting effectively contribute to fostering inclusivity and equity within communities?
A passion project evolves into a platform for amplifying community voices working on equity.
My goal is to work with communities to help them become more inclusive and equitable. The podcast grew out of the idea that I want to identify work that’s going on in communities, and individuals who are working to make their own communities more inclusive and equitable. I want to celebrate that work, elevate that work, showcase it, and understand it.
~ Ame Sanders (1:42)
The conversation explores the role of podcasting as a medium to foster inclusivity and equity within communities. Ame highlights her podcast as a platform to celebrate and share the efforts of individuals and communities striving to make their environments more inclusive. She discusses the balance between analytical approaches and heartfelt actions in achieving social equity. The discussion underscores the importance of showcasing local efforts to inspire broader change.
Another significant topic discussed is the personal challenges and motivations in pursuing passion projects like podcasting. Insights are shared about the need for introspection, recognizing biases, and maintaining authenticity. The conversation also touches on the importance of taking breaks, learning from reflection, and aligning one’s voice with thoughtful, impactful contributions to societal challenges.
Takeaways
Being analytical and acting from the heart — both approaches are vital for fostering inclusivity.
Podcasting as a platform — a way to amplify, celebrate, and share the efforts of those driving change.
Individual transformation — change begins with self-reflection and growth before influencing others.
Challenges in maintaining passion — intentional pauses and clarity of purpose help sustain long-term efforts.
Addressing biases — careful selection of podcast guests shapes the narrative and impact of a show.
Difficult conversations — creating safe spaces for guests to discuss sensitive topics is crucial.
Practical resources — extensive show notes and transcripts support further exploration and learning.
Taking ownership — fostering inclusivity is a collective responsibility that transcends individual experiences.
Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
I keep trying to rearrange my efforts so I can spend more time re-experiencing the hundreds of terrific conversations I’ve experienced. Every single time I manage to find time to go back in, I find something wonderful. That quote is from episode 4 of the Movers Mindset podcast—it wasn’t even called that back then. It was a wonderful, chaotic, ramble of a conversation long before I realized the magic of conversation.
I keep thinking: Have great conversations and get them recorded. Get those conversations recorded so they can be heard by others is the most important part. I have a million other ideas about how to extract meaning, share the best parts, find threads and themes that run across large scales of people and times and …
My hope is that if I simply keep having great conversations, everything else will take care of itself.
Many see the trees but not the forest, or bark up the wrong tree, speaking endlessly, reasoning uselessly, without going to the pith of the matter. They go round and round, tiring themselves and us, and never get to what is important. This happens to people with confused minds who do not know how to clear away the brambles. They waste time and patience on what it would be better to leave alone, and later there is no time for what they left.
How can personal storytelling be used as a tool to motivate others to take action and drive community change?
One individual’s experience with chronic pain and Parkour became the catalyst for teaching others to harness their stories for change.
It’s the classic challenge of anyone who’s trying to organize at the grassroots level for any societal change: How to build enough of a consensus amongst a large enough group of people. […] You have to find the group that shares your common values.
~ Garrett Moore (12:07)
The conversation explores the application of personal storytelling as a tool to drive collective action, particularly within the Parkour community. Garrett details his experience leading a workshop at Art of Retreat. He recounts how his session, designed to teach the power of personal narratives in inspiring social change, led to unexpected levels of participant engagement, with multiple attendees voluntarily sharing personal stories long after the session had concluded.
The conversation expands to include broader topics, such as the importance of honesty and vulnerability in leadership, the challenges of grassroots organizing, and the relevance of these skills in non-political spaces. There is also discussion about the intersection of movement practice and social activism, with reflections on how Parkour communities can benefit from organizational tools commonly used in electoral and nonprofit campaigns.
Takeaways
Personal narrative — Sharing personal stories can motivate others to take meaningful action.
Community action — Grassroots organizing benefits from shared values and collective storytelling.
Workshop engagement — A successful session can spark spontaneous participant involvement beyond the planned agenda.
Leadership vulnerability — Acknowledging personal nervousness or imperfection fosters a stronger connection with audiences.
Broader applications — Storytelling tools developed for political campaigns can drive change in local communities and niche groups.
I have a daily, micro-podcast based on the collection of quotes I keep in the little box on my desk.
You can find more information (as well as play the episodes) over on Simple Cast at, https://littleboxofquotes.simplecast.com or search for “Little box of quotes” wherever you normally listen to podcasts.
Your clear conscience gives reason to be confident; still, since many external factors have a bearing on the outcome, hope for the best but prepare yourself for the worst. Remember above all to get rid of the commotion. Observe what each thing has inside, and you will learn: there is nothing to fear in your affairs but fear itself.
I’ve seen the whole world six times over Sea of Japan to the cliffs of Dover, Overkill. Overview. Over my dead body. Over me. Over you. Over everybody. Too much information / Runnin’ through my brain.
…to anyone who has ever wondered if using m4 macros to configure autoconf to write a shell script to look for 26 Fortran compilers in order to build a Web browser was a bit of a detour, Brooks’ book offers well-reasoned hope that there can be a better way.
The article is a scathing condemnation of, well, an entire generation of programmers. There is merit to Kamp’s criticism, but he’s thrown the baby out with the bath water.
The explosive growth “of IT”, (as Kamp calls it,) in the last 15 years was made possible by the behavior and activities he’s condemning. The pendulum is, in my opinion, now swinging in the direction of “craftsmanship” and “professionalism”, and the chaos is settling out. I’ve encountered several projects where a small group of people, operating ala Raymond’s “bazaar” have undertaken replacing foundations of things for the right reasons.
We still build “cathedrals”. The definition of “cathedral” has simply been improved.
