Be an Influencer
Posted on | February 2, 2012 | No Comments
People don’t like being told what to do. I know I don’t.
But what people do like, is believing they have decided to do something for themselves. And do you know what the biggest influencer is on people’s behaviours? Other people.
People do what they see people doing.
If you want community members, co-workers, neighbours, friends, family and others to do something … you need them to see other people doing it.
How?
Highlight groups or individuals who are taking action, encouraging others to join in. Ask for ideas and feedback … and let folks know who said what. Develop a specific event to encourage the action or behaviour you wish to see.
Sometimes, your biggest influence … is your subtle influence.
Tags: Community Building > influence > Leadership > rural > rurban > subtle
A Recipe for CED
Posted on | January 30, 2012 | No Comments
While getting groceries the other day, I patiently waited while other shoppers lined up their purchases by the till. More often than not, it seemed to be a mish-mash of items (hot dog buns, cottage cheese, pepper, and toothpaste, as one example) which led me to think … this is what communities do.
That is, many communities like to pick and choose a hodge-podge of projects, ideas, or approaches … in the hopes that the mix will turn out to be a success.
But like the buns, cottage cheese, and pepper – an interesting mix does not necessarily guarantee a tasty result.
Too often, picking and choosing when and where to throw resources, develop partnerships, or invest talents – without a larger vision or goal in mind – ends up in failure.
For example, what about those communities who pick and choose to apply their land use controls and zoning authority to limit activities in certain areas? Does this realistically address sustainable and desirable community growth while minimizing any longer-term social or environmental impacts? It may, if it is part of broader vision, or it may not (and cause more harm) if such actions are taken independently of one another.
Community Economic Development (CED) is often thought of as such a mix – a dog’s breakfast, if you will – of policies, systems, and best case scenarios. And I reluctantly admit it can be.
But the process of CED also encourages regional, collaborative strategies so that participants can increase their overall economic clout.
While the goal of a business is to pick and choose the best location, staff, and resources in order to make a profit in the marketplace, a community is the whole kit-and-kaboodle … you’ve got businesses, the unemployed, rich, poor, clergy, criminals, children … it’s a situation that requires different development and planning methods.
And through strategic planning, regular communication between partners, and resource coordination, for instance, items, projects, or issues of community importance can be prudently addressed.
Yes? Or no?
Tags: CED > community > community economic development > leaders > Leadership > plan > rural > rurban
‘Rurban Round Up: ROI’s, Intermunicipal Resources, Creative Economies, Civic Engagement, and More
Posted on | January 19, 2012 | 2 Comments
With so much going on this month, please read on to discover …
- The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is looking for organizations who have done a return-on-investment (ROI) or social-return-on-investment calculation (SROI) on their programs and services … examples and calculations will be compiled and shared to assist other agencies with demonstrating the value of community economic development approaches. Contact Kirsten Bernas at kbernas@ccednet-rcdec.ca.
- The Cultivating and Sustaining Your Creative Economy event is being hosted in Toronto, ON on February 28th & 29th, 2012. Visit www.creativecitiescanada.com to view the agenda and to register.
- As local governments are faced with ever-increasing pressures, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) has developed a webpage of resources to support inter-municipal efforts – including sample agreements, research reports, publications, and links to additional programs and services. The information can be found here.
- A recent report, released by the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, presents information aimed at better understanding how university students from rural backgrounds view the relationship between rural communities and civic and political engagement. Learn more here.
- New information has been released on the Community Information Database (CID), a free Internet-based tool providing social, economic, and demographic data for all communities and regions across Canada. Resource-reliant indicators, residential property taxable values, property tax revenues, and updated population estimates are now available.
- An interesting podcast – Understanding “Rural” Canada: Terms, Trends, and Policy (Centre for Open Learning and Educational Development, University of Guelph).
- Farmon.com is looking to hire an online business coach to serve rural clients! Click through for more information. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2012.
Tags: AUMA > CCEDNet > civic engagement > Community Information Database > creative economy > farmon.com > inter-municipal > rural > rurban
Do Highway Bypasses Bring Benefits?
Posted on | January 16, 2012 | 3 Comments
My community has gone through several agonizing months of presentations, consultations and the like in order to determine the best possible scenario for a proposed major highway realignment. I won’t lie, it’s been heated at times, with residents arguing for - and against – the proposals.
But do highway bypasses really create unimaginable damage to communities? Or are there there hidden benefits to such schemes?
From listening to many transportation, engineering, and land-use planning experts recently – as well as doing some investigating of my own – the answers are as diverse as people’s opinions on the topic; effects can be both positive and negative as well as short-term or long-term.
As I’ve noted before, the more dependent a community is on drive-through traffic, the more likely it is to feel negative impacts from a highway bypass.
The concerns of local businesses, especially those that rely on drive-through traffic, are most likely to be voiced. However, studies have shown that if the community is viewed as a trading centre for the region (which my town has grown to become), consumer impacts are lessened as there is a typically a wider range of businesses from which to draw customers.
Even more interesting … downtown business districts - take note! Those of you with well-developed downtown cores are even less affected as you have already built up a local client base that isn’t dependent on traffic patterns. Some studies also note that the presence of a local economic development agency has been beneficial for businesses forced to adjust to such a transition … different communities experience different adjustment processes.
Overall, much research – including that which focused on smaller, agricultural-based communities – indicates modest negative effects on most communities.
A situation like this reminds me of a popular saying … never waste a good crisis. It’s precisely in such times that quality leadership is valued as folks rally to come up with a solution for their specific situation.
Do you agree?
Tags: community > construction > development > downtown > Economy > highway > Leadership > planning > rural > rurban > traffic
3 Words to Live By: 2012
Posted on | January 12, 2012 | No Comments
2012 is here … have you made any New Year’s resolutions?
Admittedly, I’ve started this year with the vague aspiration to help my family eat healthier and remain active … but I still hate resolutions. 
Instead, as my regular readers may know, I try to choose three words to act as themes to help guide my personal and professional development during the coming year. Chris Brogan laid down the original challenge and I found it a great take on the more “traditional” ways we tend to set goals for ourselves.
This year I plan to …
Partner – No one can reach their goals by themselves. This year I aim to consciously focus on what I can bring to partnership ventures as well as review what I can receive from them, in return. My time and attention is valuable and I want to purposefully place it where I feel it makes the most difference … for myself, for my family, and for those I work with.
Productive – Following along those same lines, I plan on working smarter, not harder. I know, I know, it’s an old cliche, but I want to increase my freelance writing and blogging and want to ensure I’m meeting all my other obligations, as well. Any tips out there?
Open - Who knows where opportunity will strike? In 2012, I want to remain curious and open to new possibilities … whatever they might be.
And you? What do you do to start the New Year?
Click through to find my words for 2010 and 2011.
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Community development, growth and communication in the rural-urban fringe landscape.
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