Team up for local impact
To improve local life, you must team up with other People. Based on my experience, the main challenge is not to resolve the issues encountered by local folks. The main challenge is to get People to align on what the issue is and to get them to work together toward a shared outcome.
That is why this section is important.
Some of you think you can do it alone. You can indeed trigger some level of change by yourself. You may have money or decision power to bring change. As you grow in life, you realize that teamwork is always the best option.
This page will help you to build the team you need to improve local life together.
Team up with folks who share your values and vision
A core team may initially drive an initiative to improve local life. The members of this team must share similar values.
If you already know People who share fundamental values inside society, like empathy, trust, and courage, then you may want to talk to them regarding an initiative to improve local life. Ask them for their perspective on how to improve local life. Share with them the link to this Peoplelyzer section so they can read it, too.
You must team up with folks who are trustworthy and have a sense of empathy. If you do not do this, you are delaying problems. You want to trust these People to do good for other People and not prioritize their interests over the well-being of others. You can sense when someone is in it for their wallet, ego, or glory. You do not want these types of folks. Even if they seem friendly, have resources, and promise to help, your intuition should tell you not to engage with them. You will pay the price at some point.
My friend, it’s like a poor country’s relationship with the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund. As a leader in a poor country, you may see these folks with deep pockets and be tempted to let them help you. What happens next (economic dependency or slavery) is a good reminder to not team up with the wrong People even if their resources look very appealing.
Here are a few questions to help you identify the right People
Without filtering out any person, ask yourself:
Who do you trust locally?
Who cares about the well-being of local People?
Not just someone who talks but takes actions that demonstrate it.
Who contributes to improving the well-being of local People?
Who do local People talk to when they need help or advice? Not because this person is the chief but because this person is helpful.
Who is locally well-known for listening to People?
Take Your Time: Quality Over Quantity
Take your time when assembling your team; quality matters more than quantity. It's better to have a small team of dedicated individuals than to bring in people who prioritize personal interests over the goal of enhancing local life.
As you initiate change, you'll naturally draw in individuals who share an interest in your mission. View this as an opportunity to incorporate trustworthy and skilled individuals. Trustworthy people tend to gravitate toward one another, fostering a team built on reliability and competence.
You want to have a defined process in place to add People to your team. Don’t just take any first-comer. Don’t just ask 2 or 3 questions and add them to the team. You need to be serious about adding People. People are your most important resource. I would suggest you run an interview and put them on a trial period of one to two weeks. The trial period is a way to assess the person.
Skills
You should identify the skills required to deliver the initiative. You may be able to grow some of the skills internally. The rest of the skills will be found in the local population.
Beware of self-serving interests
Please refer to the common mistakes section. There is a paragraph named “Personal interest versus local People’s well-being”.
Addressing challenges head-on
When encountering individuals who do not align with the team’s ethos, address the situation transparently. Reiterate the team's values and mission, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and community focus. Maintaining open communication and clear expectations helps preserve a team that is genuinely committed to improving local life.