Practising Humility

Extract from our new publication ‘Power.’

upside-down black umbrella with a tap on the handle and a ball of paper falling in the umbrella

— Aided and abetted by Nick Martlew, author of ‘Creative Coalitions’, a handbook for people seeking to work with others to change the world.

You discover an injustice. You think something should be done about it. You want to do something about it. You’re a teenager or an adult, a diplomat or an NGO or someone or something else. You ask: what can I do?

Approach 1: Me

NGO: We can fix it! We’ll do this, this and that…
Diplomat: Thank you for raising this important issue. I’ll mention it to my country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Adult: I’m busy working for a living. There’s nothing I’d be able to change anyway. But I’ll make a donation.

Teenager: I think it’s wrong, but how can I challenge it? I’m just a student. I can’t even vote. I don’t even get enough pocket money to make a donation.

Approach 2: You

NGO: Another organisation can address it. We don’t have the time or resources. Plus, it’s too controversial and isn’t part of our strategy.

Diplomat: Maybe I don’t need to raise it, as Sweden or Uruguay will probably address it anyway.

Adult: There’ll always be someone else who takes on the issue, and kudos to them.Teenager: I have exams coming up, so I can’t. Plus, again, what can I do as a student.

Approach 3: Everyone

NGO: Let’s do a joint letter. We should denounce the problem and ask a high-level United Nations figure to express concern too.

Diplomat: I could talk with several countries’ delegates to see if we all agree and could support the same statement.

Adult: I have friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues with whom I can discuss it and see if we can all do something together. If that fails, I’ll join a protest.

Teenager: I’ll talk about it with my friends, and they can talk about it with their friends. Who knows, with all the world’s youth-led protests going on, maybe we could spark one too.

Approach 4: The reality

NGO: Who are we kidding — we can’t fix this issue alone. But we also shouldn’t wait for another organisation to act; we should start doing something now. A joint letter is OK, but it should lead to something bigger, like a collective.

Diplomat: Sweden and Uruguay are two countries among 191 others — let’s get more ambitious. However, I don’t want to risk straining diplomatic ties with some countries because of this issue, as we’re working on an economic deal. Plus, the USA might threaten us or write a mean tweet.

Adult: Doing something on my own doesn’t mean doing it alone. There’ll be others on their own too. We just need to learn about one another and potentially join our efforts.

Teenager: While I am a student, and even though I can’t vote, I have a voice, free will and more energy, optimism and drive than most adults. If a protest is what I can do, then I’m going to protest hard!

Or, maybe there’s another way. An approach that’s not about you, them or us, but about the change that needs to happen. An approach that doesn’t start with ‘what can I do?’ or ‘what you should do’, but with ‘what needs to be done?’, and brings all actors — whether a teenager or an NGO — together to draw on their respective strengths and experiences and their social and professional circles.

It’s a liberating question. Freed from any preconceptions, you can think creatively, politically and collaboratively. You can connect with others to find the best answer to ‘what needs to be done’, identify who’s best placed to do it, and only then — only then — can you see: what’s my role in making this vision of change a reality.

And who knows, maybe that does mean a joint NGO letter or a protest.