On June 12th, Creating the Future’s board will adopt an updated Statement of Our Values in Action.
To help us in that effort, we want to hear from YOU:
From what you see in our actions, our writings, our meetings, our programs and classes and events…
What do YOU think our values are?
What values do you see us modeling? If you didn’t know anything about our values statement, from your personal experience of Creating the Future (our eJournal, our classes, our online communities, our meetings, any other activities you are part of), what would you list as our values? What does it appear is important to us?
It seems that _____________ is important to Creating the Future.
I sense that by the way you ______________ (or) because you __________________.
We confess it takes more than a bit of courage to ask this question. What if we’re not living up to what we aspire to?
We also know that the only way we can be the change we want to see is if we walk that talk. And the only way to know for sure if we’re being successful is for you to tell us what talk you think we’re walking.
We will be using your responses as a report card of sorts. Because crafting a statement of our values in action is the easy part. Walking the Talk of that statement requires intentionality and diligence.
So please let us know what you see and feel in our actions.
From our actions as you have experienced our work,
what do you think we value?
If you’re comfortable doing so, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. If you would prefer to share those thoughts with us privately, please click here.
And then please join our board and community meeting on June 12th, as we discuss and adopt an updated Statement of Our Values in Action.
Compassionate respect, inclusiveness, openness to new and challenging ideas, finding commonality and moving situations forward.
One stream that is continuous through the process and practice of Catalytic Thinking is a bass continuum of practicality. The theory is fine, even mind-bending, but moving life toward a positive goal always underlies the effort..
It seems that collaboration and transparency are important to Creating the Future.
I sense that by the way you open your organization up to the world to help co-create the organizational sturcture and share our experiences as we try out new responses in our communities.
It seems that respect for the individual’s view of the world is important to Creating the Future.
I sense that because you always have individuals share what’s going on in their lives in meetings and have them provide examples of how they come to believe “x” when in discussions.
People!!! as well as…genuineness, learning, openness, compassion/understanding, courageousness.
I see the team at Creating the future modeling two values very clearly:
1. Valuing differing points of view and trying to glean insights from every angle
2. Generosity – I see an open-handedness and generosity with the things you have learned. You give them away to try to help others succeed.
As we’ve asked this question in some of our online communities, here are some of the responses we’ve received:
Sue Kindred: First immediate thought: people, connectivity, stories.
Sara Jane Lowry: Highest potential for everyone, community conversation/action, reengineering from that place of highest potential, inclusiveness.
Marlene Oliveira: Inclusive, positive, optimistic, fair, progressive
Amy Eisenstein: Looking at things from a different perspective to create the best, most inclusive community and world.
Isaac Shalev: Conversation, appreciative inquiry, self-respect, and confidence
Freya Bradford: Curiosity, Possibility, Potential
Amy Sept Canty: Inclusion, perspective, community. Why? I think Creating the Future exists because of a lot of hard work and dedication from its leaders (thank you!) but also because of the community that exists here and a commitment to building relationships. Like this exercise, the Board is always asking for input and feedback. When it isn’t forthcoming, you prompt people for their thoughts and do what you can to ensure even quiet voices are heard. And you’ve created a framework to help shift not just dialogue within this group but perspective within the sector as a whole.
Katy Kellett: Collaboration, brainstorming, asking thoughtful questions
Kevin Monroe: Here’s what comes to mind and it won’t make a pretty word cloud as the one word variation WILL be misunderstood — community (most people think of community as a noun and spell check can’t handle it as a verb), collective innovation, the art and act of inquiry (authentic and appreciative), doing birthed out of being.
Angela Huber-Lust: Value excellence by fostering a respectful, protected space in which to seek feedback and refine thinking.
And here are comments that were posted at other blog posts on this subject:
Barry Kibel: It seems to me that among your core values is DISCERNMENT. By this I mean, always seeing oneself and the world around one with fresh (clearer, more optimistic) eyes. The term is frequently associated with religious perspective, so might be a problem. NOTE: In mystical Hebrew, discernment is the letter AYIN, symbolized by the eye.
Charise Hansen: Respect and Promotion of the response to human dignity for each individual and group -to arrive in collective agreement for the benefit of all.
Deep gratitude to all of you!