Warning: this is a rant.
During the Student Government Association’s executive board training this past summer, we took a personality/leadership style test, and out of the possible results (“Model the Way,” “Inspire a Shared Vision,” “Challenge the Process,” “Enable Others to Act” and “Encourage the Heart”), I received equal scores in “Inspire a Shared Vision” and “Challenge the Process.”
To “inspire a shared vision” is to envision a future with exciting possibilities and encourage others to share that goal.
Meanwhile, to “challenge the process” is to seek innovative ways to improve current systems and to take risks by trying new things.
I think the “challenge the process” is coming out in me right now – I’m willing and raring to try new things and take risks in SGA initiatives, the future of the New York Times, The College Voice’s new website, etc. because right now I feel like we’re (“we,” being students, the administration, faculty and trustees) in a rut and scared or unwilling to explore new possibilities.
We have some broken systems.
We are constantly reminded of our limited budget.
We don’t always get what we want.
Let’s acknowledge these things, but then move on.
I’m getting frustrated watching students, administrators, faculty and trustees alike as they stare at something broken, talk about how and why its broken, and either brush it off to someone else to fix, or pull out twenty reasons why it will take too many resources (human, monetary, time, etc.) to repair.
We waste so much time creating subcommittees of subcommittees and focus groups of focus groups to fixate on finding ways to resolve things, but end up arriving at a solution that is identical with or similar to the way “it’s always been done.”
In some cases, that’s fine. But generally the way “it has always been done” or resolved is part of the problem itself.
Everywhere I turn, I see people bringing up issues to make others aware of them, but not offering viable, fresh solutions.
So in order to not make myself one of them (as in, writing this article bringing up a point and then offering no solution or creative suggestion), I have a few ideas for what we should do:
– Think more about collaborating, either with someone, with another group, etc. I’ve seen such lack of communication between departments or student clubs/organizations, which is disappointing considering our college’s small size.
– Imagine how you would tackle a problem if you didn’t know the “proper” or “previous” methods.
– For every complaint or concern you have, talk about it, but then think about what can be done to fix it, or brainstorm with someone.
– Question everything. Challenge every process.
This isn’t just a problem at Conn – this is a universal problem, with people demanding change, wanting change and pointing fingers at everyone except themselves.
Let’s point the fingers at ourselves and make change happen at the micro-level.
After all, if we can begin creating new methods of thinking and problem-solving techniques here at Conn, we’ll bring this mentality to the “real world.”
/End rant.
