Community – a deep sense of community – is what
will sustain us in an ever-increasingly complex and stressful future. That is
what leadership author and inspirationalist Meg Wheatley says,
and I agree with her.
As chaos and its consequences manifest themselves
(think our federal government gridlock, economic uncertainties, environmental
issues, and global unrest), the larger context of our daily lives grows more
unsettling. Simultaneously, everyday life in our country seems to grow a little
more unpredictable on a regular basis with technological advances and
accelerating social changes. The issues and problems can seem overwhelming, but
Wheatley also posits that “whatever is the problem, community is the answer.”
The values of collaboration and community lead to win/win solutions if people
are willing to deal with a little uncertainty and trust in principles of
community.
MVCC is an anchor institution in this region – influential
companies and other entities have come and gone, but this College has
persevered. We have the word “community” in our name and we are inextricably tied
to the Mohawk Valley. Our vision statement speaks to our commitment to meet the
rapidly changing needs of our community. For us to pursue and carry out that
commitment to our community, we must model the way for the region with the approach
that this area needs to move away from a win/lose orientation that only goes to
protect turf or the status quo. For this region to truly prosper, notions of
either/or and yes/no need to be replaced with yes/AND – true to the values of
collaboration and community. Resources are indeed scarce, but they will be even
scarcer if we work within a competitive, isolated, self-serving mindset.
We’re starting to see this more cooperative approach
as governmental agencies are increasingly dipping their collective toes in the
merger/collaboration waters; the local agribusiness sector is also modeling the
yes/AND mindset as they find ways to support one another and complement related
lines of business; and increasingly the business and education sectors are
rapidly coming together to find new ways of collaboration and partnership to
better prepare the workforce for accelerating, exciting, and even daunting changes
on the horizon.
A yes/AND mindset doesn’t always mean that everyone
always gets exactly what they want when all is finished. However, through a
commitment to collaboration – with a little give and take and a willingness to
shift in order to accommodate the needs of others in some manner – this larger
context allows for a deeper sense of community that moves its members from
simply surviving to a far more desired state of thriving.
Richard Florida’s recent presentation to the
community at the Stanley Theater tied all these ideas together as he spoke about
what distinguishes cities from one another and attracts what he calls the
creative class. His framework said communities need to focus on the three Ts:
technology, talent, and tolerance. He closed his remarks by saying that not
only does this area have the foundations of these three concepts, we also have
a very distinct history that is part of a continuing narrative for this
community.
He said that in the past, many communities used to be defined by
large employers, and when those employers would leave, the sense of community
would have to be reborn. We have certainly seen our share of large employers
leave, but the essence of this community has remained – through events like the
Boilermaker and the Heart Run/Walk; through organizations like MVCC, other
colleges, and countless service organizations that have existed for
generations; and local assets like the incredible homegrown restaurants, the
Stanley Theater, the Utica Auditorium, exquisite public parks, to name just a
few! As Florida reminded us, up-and-coming cities can’t recreate our sense of shared
history that helps to draw a community ever-closer – and in the end, amidst all
the chaos in our world, isn’t a sense of belonging what we all long for as
humans?
If you have any comments or questions, please
contact me directly at presblog@mvcc.edu.
