Pomegranate Center is shifting the paradigm around how people work together. Through our unique inclusive engagement model we help communities discover their ability to spur change and develop their capacity for authentic collective collaboration. By leveraging the power of Place - where people live- we create the conditions that demonstrate democracy at its best, with stories that change from “us and them” to “we.”
They say that the Inuit have 50 words to describe snow. I am longing for a similar richness in how we talk about “community,” a word that is thrown around so loosely that it is in danger of losing its meaning.
How do you get hundreds of people across many communities to establish a shared vision for the future?
Together we are capable of extraordinary achievements. Over the years, Pomegranate Center has proven this by encouraging people to uphold a code of conduct that leads to creativity and collaboration. This code of conduct, what we call “ground rules,” is essential to creating a positive atmosphere that focuses on how things can be improved, free from complaints. In this series of short essays, I will look at different ground rules, evaluate why they are important, and share stories from the field.
Opponents are essential for uncovering valuable insights. Enemies are detrimental. They simply shoot down points of view that differ from their own.
Adversaries open our eyes. They help us see a problem from another angle. They remind us that every issue is multifaceted and that the right solution is not in choosing one viewpoint, but to link it to other equally important ones. The solution then can serve multiple uses.
At the start of 2017, friend of Pomegranate Nancy Nordhoff pledged a $37,000 challenge grant to support us in our critical transition period. That means we need to raise money from our supporters in order to match the pledged funding.
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by Milenko Matanovic
I yearn for leaders who are collaborators.
In an election, I wait for one candidate to say to another, “That’s an interesting insight—I want to think about it.” Or “That is a different perspective—I never thought about that angle.” Or, “Maybe if we combine our ideas, we might do more good.”
Collaboration must become society’s norm. Why? Because we live in a complex world, yet we act as if someone’s individual expertise or ideology can provide all the answers. The present moment calls for “system leaders” who understand that we require each other’s insights to fully comprehend the needs of our society and its diverse peoples, as well as the entire planet we inhabit.