The Right People or The Best Planning

2011 Day Of Caring (Hampton, VA)

I had the privilege a couple of months ago to participate in a one-day housing rehab blitz that rallied over 200 volunteers to spruce up over 25 homes in a 5 block radius, in less than 8 hours. I was blessed with working as the on-site logistics coordinator for the event (I was given this task less than 1 week before the event). Regardless of communication and logistical challenges that this project faced early on, the event was a relative success: several residents received a much needed hand, volunteers we able to give to their community, the local housing stock receive a touch up, and the community benefited from a sense of care and concern during tough times. I learned a very valuable lesson from this project that serves as a continual reminder for how we do community building. I realized that good planning means little when you have great people involved. I could have planned and prepared for most challenges, had plans B through Z lined up, but without motivated and passionate people fueling the initiative, it would grind to a halt.


Good planning serves an important purpose: to be prepared for issues, barriers, or challenges and enabling us to capitalize our assets in overcoming them. However, great people are the key to moving any good plan forward. Great people overcome challenges and can give of themselves beyond your expectations. Instead of watching the clock they monitor progress. These are the people that see challenging times as a time to support and thrive rather than a time to simply survive.


Many accomplished authors have tried to unlock the secrets to building a great team of such people, so I won't even attempt to start. However, I have experienced, in the last few years, the real and tangible power of social capital in moving projects forward. Social capital, in a nutshell, is the intangible currency that we trade through our relationships, a sort of relational spending money. To me social capital is the currency that is used to motivate, compel, inspire, or even guilt others into action. When social capital is used well, it serves as the conductor of win-win solutions and partnerships. When dealt through malice or ignorance, it corrodes the structure of the relationship, often leading to guilt, regret, or mistrust. I admit that the mastering of using social capital eludes me as it seems some are natural wielders of it, whereas, others, such as I, have to develop their skills in applying it appropriately. (see Romans 12 - especially verse 20)


I believe we need to reconsider the power of people over planning and social capital over financial reserves. Each are important in any organization in their proper place, but focusing on developing great people will lead to greater returns on any investment.