(Cross posted from The Next Right.)
I got a lot of feedback on this post. Seems like people are eager to Reboot. Rebuild. Rebrand. But one thing folks told me they’d like elaboration on is the following: “Rules, tools and best practices give rise to all the good stuff that comes from the bottom up.” So let’s elaborate.
Rules
- Keep the Vision & Mission on the horizon at all times. Such includes formulating strategy and tactics. Formulate subsidiary Missions (sub-Missions) at each project, level of organization or “node” in the network. (Where the Vision, to repeat, is liberty/limited government and the Mission is getting people to think and vote like us.
- Empower people to be evangelists for your Vision. Empower people to act.
- Distribute memes, messages, inspiration and best practices throughout your network.
- Align incentives with the Vision & Mission.
- Put the Movement before personal ambition. Identify and reward high performers.
- Enable innovation. Create feedback mechanisms for innovation. Allow the best innovations to rise to the top. Drive “creative destruction.”
- Prioritize based on limited resources. (Need I write this?)
- View everyone as a customer.
- Leverage your network.
- Offer tools for 1-9.
Tools
It’s very simple: whether the tool is a technological, organizational or a human resource, answer this question: What helps you implement the rules? Investment in tools will have opportunity costs. If using X social media tool yields better results than Y for a similar outcome, use X. If you don’t understand the tool, find someone who does. It’s important to parse whether the chosen tool is merely a fashion or effective means of executing the Mission.
Best Practices
Sadly, most people thinking positive social change happens through gaining political power. As a libertarian, I find this unfortunate. But since this is the reality we’re given, we must play the game. So the Freedom Movement must offer our team as a product people want to invest in. We must offer them not just negatives like “anybody but X,” but something positive. That’s the product. But how do you do that? Look left. What are they doing well? What are the best practices? You may have to take a shower after you stare into the beast, but find out what the left does well and embrace/extend it. (Just don’t forget the context you’re working in, i.e. tailor it to your audience.)
When it comes to rebuilding, we need to treat our movement like a business. The left does. They are peddling something—which is to say they are offering something of value in exchange for something else of value. (Nevermind the bollocks about selfless activism. People got high on Obama like some Christians get high on Jesus. The money rolled in and so did the votes.) Well, are we giving our customers what they want? Are we creating new customers? And how do we deliver the best product, both within our Movement and without?
Comments