FOCUS : Community
There are a variety of options for how we might organize or structure ourselves when we gather together for some purpose. Different structures bind and guide the people inside them differently. Each is effective in its own way, but one is the default.
Hierarchy is arguably the most prevalent and enduring of all the structures we use. It is the oldest and most common. The classroom has a hierarchical structure and so does the workplace. From birth to death, we are surrounded by hierarchies. So without even noticing, we assume hierarchy is present. It is a structure ideally suited for allocating and tracking the use of resources. The larger and more complex the task, the more critical the need for an effective hierarchy. It is only when hierarchical relationships are used for other things, that the structural problems begin.
Community supports the context of shared purpose, accountability, partnership, and belonging. It is an ideal structure for getting things done while at the same time honoring our full humanity. There are rules about what is to be expected from one another when working together. There are roles, outcomes, measures, and assignments. But in community, everyone is responsible for the shared purpose, for bringing their gifts forward, and for utilizing the gifts of others.
Certainly there are variations on these choices, as well as entirely different choices. No option is intrinsically better or worse than another. What is critical is to realize that we have a choice. We don’t have to assume that it’s impossible to have community inside of hierarchy and vice-versa. We don’t have to accept the default as the only way. We can choose.