It’s mid-month, so time for another of our RAP sessions (Review and Process). In our Global SKILLs training, we emphasize how ‘Review and Process’ are key components of strategic planning and implementation. Each of these mid-month RAP sessions revisits a cross-cultural theme or topic from a previous Connect, going more deeply into what we’ve begun to explore.
Since I have worked on a number of different community building activities this past week, I thought we would revisit and go a bit more deeply into this topic. Last summer we reflected on cultural challenges in the communities where we currently live and in December, we viewed an example of a dynamic multi-cultural business community (see Aug 8 & Dec 2, 2020 posts here.
Yesterday, I was interviewed for a podcast on the “Power of Community” within the global tiny living movement. One cross-cultural consideration we discussed which can be explored in pretty much any type of community anywhere is what kinds of bonding activities and commitments we will decide together to participate in. I think of things like gardening - in Africa as elsewhere around the world, gardening is an intricately staged and timed group activity drawing different participants together; and celebrations, be they religious or historic or another focus; and shared needs, especially perhaps in times of crisis or major transitions. I
t’s a very helpful exercise, if you are planning on joining a new community or if you’d like to renew commitments in an existing community, to identify the options for participatory activities including seeing different cultural facets of these activities, and then explore together how they can happen.
How about you ~ what cross-cultural community commitment have you made lately - or would you like to make? Share that with a friend or with us here.
And check out the LINKs below for some global community ‘snapshots’!
Until next week! Betsy
Global SKILLs LINKs
~ A wonderful example of several communities (nature foundations, environmental groups, and those working with the disabled) coming together to serve everyone: https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2021/06/02/human-factor-birdability-map-virginia-rose-wellness.cnn/video/playlists/the-human-factor/
~ Napping Elephants?! How they form one type of community, and are impacting several other types! https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=ij5McKMEc2M
~ A community impact project in the Philippines, meeting needs created by the pandemic: https://outsourceaccess.com/culture-corner-may-2021/
2021 ~ Celebrating 40 years of working in
intercultural communications and global community building
Connecting, Collaborating, Cultivating Community