Neighborhood Flow
As an board member of three neighborhood groups, I am beginning to understand neighborhood dynamics. It is similar, but a little more complex, to understanding fluid flow.
The idea is to get everyone moving in the same direction. There are little gyrations within flow, but people are generally happy if things are moving in the right direction. This is analogous to linear flow. You know where it is starting from, where it is going, and what is going to happen along the way.
Problems arise when neighborhood flow is obstructed or divided. Obstructions and divisions allow internal turbulence to reign. As a result, you no longer understand where your neighborhood is coming from or where it is going.
Now, your neighborhood is beyond comprehension, a roiling mess trying to break out of itself. Your neighborhood is Crystal Rapids in the Grand Canyon in 1983 (3-ton rafts flipping, tourists dying). You don't want to be anywhere near it.
So what does this mean to an neighborhood leader.
First, avoid divisive issues. Obstacles and divisions will set your neighborhood off. The result is a roiling flash flood that takes houses, cars, and livestock. Expect it.
Second, when the flood comes, tame it. Break it up into component flows. Get the flow back into distinct channels. Once it is in channels, you can understand it (where it is coming from and where it is going). Then you can work the channels to control the flood.
2:18:51 PM 
|
