Strategy Workshop

Questionnaire for Progressive Activists

Final Questionnaire

Top 27 Suggestions

Highest Ranked First:

• Evaluate and keep doing it. 9.78
• Learn how to conduct short and productive meetings. 9.6
• Treat individuals from other groups with respect. 9.6
• Use the knowledge of individual cultures. Deep knowledge will produce great results. 9.56
• Remind yourself to be a good listener. Step outside of your personal issues and listen objectively. Advise or respond as you would to a friend. Try to see that many people have many different perspectives and validate their thoughts. 9.56
• Laugh. 9.54
• Keep an open mind. 9.4
• Get to know people on their turf. Find out what they want. Ask them what you could do to help. Listen. 9.4
• Establish relationships with other groups and organizations: support their issues, become allies, be active in those organizations on behalf of shared interests. 9.4
• Adjourn on time so decisions aren't made after some have left. 9.4
• Don't propagandize reporters. 9.33
• If you have a website &/or blog, keep it up to date. 9.33
• Only ask for quick action when it's urgent, then say why specifically. 9.33
• Celebrate victories. 9.23
• Use individual talents and connections to their fullest. Find or create important roles for other participants (even if smaller than some others), so we are relying on one another. This reliance requires reliability -- trust and trustworthiness -- which in turn rests on the development of strong and multidimensional relationships among us. 9.2
• Establish teams who are empowered to make decisions to take on individual tasks, such as recruiting, media, etc. 9.2
• Set up phone/email trees, email lists, & car pools before they're needed. 9.2
• Delegate responsibly. 9.2
• Use technology to cut down redundancy. 9.2
• Understand that some things take a lot of time. 9.2
• Team up people with limited social skills with more socially skilled folks who don't mind presenting what needs to be presented. 9.2
• Recognize that most people want the same things in life: equal rights. 9.11
• Creation of action to address issues of the moment. 9.11
• Respect the need for news value. 9.11
• Develop compassionate listening [http://www.compassionatelistening.org/]. 9.11
• Go to other organizations especially places where folks underrepresented in your group congregate. Listen to what their concerns are and figure out how your group could be helpful to them. Then recruit. Ask to get time on their agenda. 9.08
• Pace yourself -- realize that we are in this for the long haul. 9.08

Comments: To give feedback or make a suggestion concerning this page, click here.