Where can we agree?
I listened to an interesting podcast this morning where the host quoted an environmentalist who suggested that his approach is to always talk about clean air. He asserts there are many other concerns, needs and positions environmentalists are passionate about, but everyone can get behind clean air. That's where he focuses his efforts to increase environmental awareness and build the bridge between various viewpoints.
I like that approach and it got me thinking about what other issues we can all agree on. With all the infighting and anger and bitterness floating around in Social Media Land, can we even find things we all agree on???? Yes, I believe we can. How about these to start:
Every child should have a chance to succeed. All children should have an opportunity to learn and should have basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. We may not agree on the particulars of how and when but I think most of us would agree that every child should be given a chance to succeed.
We should take care of the elderly. Again, the particulars of what that looks like may vary, but the idea of honoring and caring for persons in their latter years, I would argue, is pretty universally accepted.
We should keep our hands to ourselves. Perhaps we learned this in Kindergarten, but the basic idea that I shouldn't push, shove, hit or otherwise harm you physically is something we likely agree on.
There may be many, many other points of agreement if I ponder long enough. So today I think I'll take a break, pour a tall glass of iced tea and continue my list of things we all agree on. Care to join me?
-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP
#nonprofits #leadership #positivity #optimism #agreement #unity #icedtea #smallbusiness #Fridayafternoon #communitydevelopmentprofessionals
