I started reading Connecting to Change the World right after I had successfully launched an initiative to make college tuition free by 2020. I figured that accomplishing that task would certainly qualify as trying to harness the “power of networks for social impact.” Our organization, Redeeming America’s Promise, had a website and was deep into Facebook and Twitter publicity so we certainly believed in the power of social networking. I thought it was just another wonderful case of serendipity in the world that had led one of its authors, Pete Plastrik, to send me an advance copy at that particular moment in time.
Although I wasn’t wrong about the serendipitous nature of the arrival of this wonderful book in my life, I quickly discovered as I read each chapter with increasing interest, that I hadn’t a clue about what organizing around networks really required and just how powerful such generative networks could be.
Still, the sequence of decisions that Connecting to Change the World suggested leaders of such networks need to make bore a remarkable resemblance to the decisions that our group had had to make as our idea went from a dream to a possibility to a real movement in a little over a year. Furthermore, the evolution of the nodes of such networks, from connection to alignment to production, that the book described was exactly the strategic challenge we were about to confront in our own development. And the detailed advice on how to nurture and grow such networks seemed to me to provide us with an invaluable tactical roadmap on how to go about our work over the next six years. That’s when I realized that if we or anyone else was planning on creating a community-based, bottom up initiative for change, we might as well follow the advice that the authors provide based on their own experiences in taking on such challenges in order to do it in the most effective and efficient way possible
It’s too early for me to report that the epiphany I had on the plane when I picked up Connecting to Change the World has led us to sustained success and the creation of a generative network. Our own mission statement makes it clear that it’s way too early to claim victory for our cause. But reading the book did reinforce my belief in serendipity and gave me a greater feeling of confidence that we will achieve our goal.
I look forward to reading more stories from leaders who followed the path provided in this book and learning even more lessons on how to succeed in making the world a better place, together.
Morley Winograd is President of Redeeming America’s Promise .