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Movements are all about what we can accomplish together that none of us can accomplish on our own. Being part of a movement means participating in as many ways as we can think of to benefit the cause. We may join a “call your legislator” campaign. We might boycott corporations we don't agree with. We might write a letter to the editor, or attend a lecture to learn more.

Our power is the power of all of us taking action in ways that build upon our strengths.

That is the opposite of one organization competing with other groups who care about the same thing. It is the opposite of being the one who has to get the credit. That organization-centric approach squanders all the benefits of “All of us together." It is a perfect example of the second half of the definition of Collective Enoughness: It is only on our own that we experience scarcity.

What would be possible if Collective Enoughness and movement building were at the heart of your work? What could you accomplish for your cause if you activated the strengths of everyone in your community who cares about what you care about?

Try this
The first step to incorporating more movement-building into your work is NOT about your organization “leading” or “sparking” a movement. Just the opposite. It’s about identifying movement leaders in your region, who are already doing the work to bring people together around the cause you care about.

That first step is therefore about acknowledging that your organization will be supporting a movement that already exists vs. centering your organization as your community’s saviors.

That will mean seeking out activists who are already doing the work of organizing folks to participate. Those individuals might be part of a coalition. Or they might be part of an ad hoc lobbying effort or other change work.

For almost every cause, you will find someone who is already working on that cause. You probably already know some of them from your programs and other work.

As you talk with those folks, the next step is to ask them what you and your team can do to be helpful to their work. In what ways might you be able to activate your people and your resources, to help further the cause you both care about?

From there, the work is about activating your people to participate! We’ve talked a lot in this newsletter about what it takes to engage your peeps – in this newsletter, and this one. And this one. We’ve documented in detail the engagement efforts we’ve spearheaded here at Creating the Future.

That engagement is all about answering the question, “Who is affected by our cause? Who is affected by the work we do?”

Activating people through the lens of Collective Enoughness is about identifying what the people in your circle have that they can share with the cause. This is NOT about money – just the opposite. It is about the assets we tend to ignore when all we’re seeking is money.

• People assets (who folks know)
• Stuff assets (the stuff folks have - a copy machine, a conference room)
• Mission assets (the wisdom and systems that are part of the work that folks are already doing)

Asking all the people affected by your cause about the assets they have to share – suddenly the abundance can feel overwhelming! Within moments, you will find your mindset shifting from, “We have nothing to work with,” to “What will we do with all these assets???”

And as a bonus, you may get all sorts of ideas about work you can either organize or be part of, to further that cause – the kinds of actions you can all take together.

• Perhaps it is a letter writing campaign
• It might be showing up en masse at an elected official's office.
• Perhaps it is a conversation campaign, talking to neighbors and friends and family about the issues you collectively care about.
• Perhaps it is about giving people the tools to execute some of your programs in their communities, Promotora style, where community members take charge of their own lives. (If you’re curious about the term Promotora, see the Resource section below.)

That is the power of Collective Enoughness. It is what you can offer to movement leaders and activists in your region - an abundance of resources that, together, can build a powerful force for change. With strength building upon strength, it becomes clear why Collective Enoughness is at the heart of the Catalytic Thinking framework.