Success will depend on building strong and sustainable coalitions both online and up the street. We no longer own the messages or how messages are shared. Time to stop being insular, our survival depends on it.

 Outward is the new black.

Smarter people than I have said this, but it bears repeating.

This can be hard for some of us to understand. We are so use to standing alone, feeling alone, being alone. Seems like our own voices are the only voices we hear some days. We spend so much time crafting messages that only reach people who look like and think like us.  

New voices are mandatory and new language is required. New tools must be created.

Coalition builders will be the winners.

 Will you be ready? Will your organization be ready?

 “Shocks” will continue to be a driver for change. These could be the economy, natural disasters, the environment; a host of systems are being pushed to the limit. Some systems will break. Others will grow stronger.

 What should you be doing right now?

• Joining forces with others –for impact, for influence, for profit, and to change the world
• Creating stronger internal systems so that you do your work more effectively especially the use and tracking  data
• Engaging new voices and demographics. Stop talking to people that only look like and talk like you. Invite others to the table and let them speak.

 I once heard that success comes through the application of power, and power is attained through the cooperative efforts of other people. Expand your tribe and better position yourself through partnerships so that you are ready to strike when an opportunity presents itself.