Insights Gleaned from a Pivotal Figurehead: Avoid Sidelining Your Top Valuable Players
Revamped: Putting the Pieces Together for Movements that Matter
Vanessa Daniel, renowned founder of Groundswell Fund and author of Unrig the Game, is shaking up the game with her bold calls for a complete transformation in leadership and social movements. Here's her blueprint for building powerful movements, pulling from her extensive experience spanning two decades at Groundswell, one of the nation's most progressive funders.
Daniel attributes the success of women of color leaders to three core traits:
- All-Encompassing Vision: The ability to see issues as a network, crafting solutions to simultaneously dismantle systems of white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism, eradicating oppression at its roots.
- Boldness: A relentless pursuit of radical change rather than settling for tame reforms, aiming for transformative change for both human well-being and the planet's survival.
- Generosity: Fighting for change in a way that includes all, refusing to abandon vulnerable groups like immigrants, trans kids, or pregnant people to win.
However, organizations are still holding back their most valuable players, creating a leadership void that will be costly in today's tumultuous environment.
Daniel offers five essential lessons learned from organizing and leading Groundswell Fund to achieve stronger, more functional organizations.
Mind the Talent Gap: Put People in Their Proper Places
A notable barrier to organizational effectiveness is misaligned talent. As Daniel puts it, "Some people are fighting to excel in a workplace that values sustainability, while others are content to be destructive in a place without accountability."
Leaders can no longer pretend these types of employees are interchangeable. Movement organizations must refine their selection processes, setting clear boundaries on who can handle the tough work that lies ahead.
Scaling the Intake Filters
A fire department would never hire a firefighter who faints at the sight of flames, and movement jobs should be no different. Movement positions require individuals capable of handling the pressure, engaging in political education, taking criticism, and being accountable to vulnerable communities.
Beyond Movements: Ensuring the Right People Lead the Charge
In any organization, be it social impact or beyond, success hinges on more than just skill fits. Leaders and employees must also align with the organization's values, demands, and mission. Just as movement organizations can't afford to hinder key roles with people without the necessary skills and commitment, all organizations must prioritize strong vetting, continuous development, and accountability.
Find the Sweet Spot: Balance and Sustainability
Daniel acknowledges the tired struggle of past generations of organizers, working grueling hours with meager benefits. But today's organizations can't afford to slip into either extreme. Organizations should find a balance between fairness, sustainability, and profound dedication to their mission.
Solidarity: United We Stand, Divided We Fall
In times of layoffs and resource scarcity, Daniel insists organizations should collaborate rather than compete. There's significant redundancy in progressive spaces, with many groups duplicating administrative functions rather than pooling resources. Organizations should consolidate and reduce back-office costs wherever possible to create a more unified movement.
Finally, organizations must embrace solidarity as a guiding principle. That means forming coalitions, supporting vulnerable communities, and defending leaders from politically motivated attacks. Daniel warns that backlash is inevitable, but organizations should face it with reason and courage rather than letting fear drive them.
Stand by Powerful Leaders: Women of Color at the Forefront
Want to support women of color leaders? Daniel offers guidance:
- Study the job description in Unrig the Game
- Recognize the ways women of color leaders are often benched and step in to prevent it.
- Value the unique strengths of women of color leaders.
Supporting these leaders means providing them with the resources and training to overcome the obstacles they face and creating cultures of solidarity.
Preparing for the Long Haul: Building Capacity
The power of movements has never been about money. It's about people. The future of movements depends on retaining and nurturing those people. Daniel emphasizes the need for ongoing grassroots organizing infrastructure to sustain participation and move the needle on progressive values.
In Unrig the Game, Daniel warns of the dangerous erosion of grassroots organizations, leaving many with no option but to be influenced by conservative media. Building capacity for the long haul requires:
- Investing in training for employees at all levels
- Clarifying values beyond empty statements
- Reinvesting in grassroots organizing infrastructure
- Holding organizations accountable to ordinary people, not just funders or political insiders.
The stakes are too high to bench our MVPs. Let's learn from Vanessa Daniel's insights and build a better world.
- Vanessa Daniel, an influential leader in the social movement sector, emphasizes the importance of all-encompassing vision, boldness, and generosity in women of color leaders, traits that have contributed to their success.
- Daniel advises movement organizations to mind the talent gap, placing individuals in roles that align with their skills and commitment, to foster stronger, more effective organizations.
- In times of resource scarcity, Daniel advocates for solidarity among movement organizations, suggesting they collaborate rather than compete, pool resources, and consolidate to create a more unified and sustainable movement.
