For us to trust our public officials, media, healthcare providers, grocery store clerks, non-profit partners, philanthropic institutions, research labs, think tanks, and the multitude of other partners needed to halt this plague, and the next, we need more transparency. With more transparency, we can better assess and understand how our interconnected world works - how viruses move, mutate and can be mitigated; how money flows, where it hides and where it can be more wisely allocated. We can all practice being more transparent by sharing our data proactively, and inviting others to look into our practices. With more transparency, we can begin to gain a more accurate picture of the terrain we are journeying through, and stop making ill informed decisions based on our outdated maps.
One of the reasons we find ourselves tangled in our sheets is because we treat our maps as though they are the terrain, but anyone who has ever used a map will tell you just how distant the plan (map) and the reality (terrain) are. Today, we live not in various Cities, Counties, States or Countries, but a highly interdependent web of trade, relationships and mobility. We can no longer deny these facts, and must begin to build and bolster systems that enable us to continue to connect our economies and residents in unimaginably powerful ways. We can practice being more connected by honestly communicating what we are thinking, feeling and witnessing, and developing processes and practices that cut across silos. With more connection, we can access the resources we need to stay strategic, sane and safe.
To pull this off, we need better coordination. With more coordination, hospitals with closets full of PPE’s can share equipment with neighboring states instead of relying on GoFundMe campaigns and volunteer drives. We can all practice being more connected and collaborative by taking time in understanding our allies and our unlikely allies strategies, and by seeking opportunities to share information, resources and tools that might help them in their efforts. With more coordination, we can meet the needs of the most vulnerable today as we prepare to meet the needs of the most vulnerable tomorrow.
Our world is intertwined, in an incredibly disorderly fashion, so solving our shared problems requires us to begin practicing coordination, transparency and communication across aisles, borders, cultures in a radical fashion. Luckily, these are traits we can practice as individuals, organizations and nations. Let’s start small as we begin to build a healthier, more fair and just 21st Century.
Interested in becoming a more transparent, connected and cohesive organization? Let’s talk!
