11/29/11
Don't Shoot: One Man, A Street Fellowship, and the End of Violence in Inner-City America (Daivd Kennedy. Bloombury USA 2011) is a powerful and important book. Harvard researcher, David Kennedy wondered why our approaches to dealing with gang violence were so ineffective. With some 25 years of research on the streets, he found that our assumptions about gang members were wrong, therefore our approaches to improving conditions didn't work. He found that the criminal justice system couldn't take a "massive one-size-fits-all" approach. An effective strategy had to be highly focused. Here's what he said: "It was narrow - don't shoot. The normal frame said, don't be in gangs, don't commit crimes, don't sell drugs, don't carry weapons, don't violate your probation, don't drink and drug. Turn your life around. . . . This cut to the chase: Don't hurt people. Say any more - don't carry guns, don't sell drugs, don't recruit kids into your gang - you couldn't back it up. There was just too much of it, and too little of us." Once gang members (and others in the community) realized that law enforcement couldn't possibly deliver on all those threats and promises, people felt they had been lied to. Kennedy said programs that worked used "focused deterrence" - focus on one problem and on a small group of core offenders. The statistics suggest that this highly focused approach which includes law enforcement, family, community leaders and key offenders is making a significant difference in those communities. I think there are lessons in this for those of us who work in organizations. If you'd like to read my thoughts, go to my blog: Don't Shoot - Lessons in Leading Change and scroll to the blog posts at the bottom of the page.
Live Webinar with the Author of Don't Shoot  Robert Jacobs is holding a live conversation with David Kennedy on December 15. Jake was kind enough to allow me to invite you to attend. I hope you'll take advantage of this. And it's free! I look forward to hearing Jake talk with Kennedy. Here is the link to register: Influence. Action. Change! We just completed the first Influence. Action. Change! at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. It was one of the most amazing programs I have ever been part of (in fact, it may be the most powerful practical learning and application process I have ever been part of). It combined distance learning, face-to-face active learning and practice sessions, work back on the job with the support of one of our coaches, and a final face-to-face meeting. The results were off-the-charts. People came in with strong desires to make positive change in their communities, countries, and organizations, and most made significant progress in moving their dream projects forward. I'm sure I will tell you more about it over the coming months. Sorry for all the adjectives, but I am still really happy about how well it all went. I am delighted to announce that Influence. Action. Change!, will bee offered again next year. We will meet in Cleveland March 18 - 21 and May 21 -23, 2012. (The online portion of the program begins on March 1.) And we are seriously considering taking this program on the road. If you'd like us to work with you and your organization on Influence. Action. Change!, please give me a call. Here is a description of the program. I recorded a short video describing this program.
New Facebook Page
I just started a new "professional" Facebook page. This will allow me to hold conversations with you about change easily. All you need to do is visit. If you like what you see click "like" and you will be notified of updates. I hope you'll take a look. www.facebook.com/rickmaureronchange
Warm regards,
Rick Maurer
President
Maurer & Associates
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