Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)
August 21, 2008
Last weekend I attended a regular monthly meeting of the Organization Change Alliance, and listened to a presentation by the COO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Rob Johnson. Rob discussed his experience with Asset Based Community Development, or ABCD, a methodology that blends organization development theory with improvement of the community at large.
Rob listed the following basic principles of ABCD:
- Focus on Gifts: Every person and group (and community) has existing gifts and abilities – social capital or assets – that can be identified and used to build from within stronger communities.
- Associational Life: Groups of people voluntarily coming together to make a difference (vs. systems of well-resourced professional services) are more likely to provide a critical sense of care, belonging.
- Power in Our Hands: Sustainable community improvements occur when citizens – not waiting on professionals or elected leaders – discover their own power to act and begin producing their desired future.
It was fascinating stuff, which opened my eyes to a use of change management techniques that I hadn’t considered before. It also creates interesting possibilities for “grass roots” organizational change.
Eight Fundamental Ingredients Of A Successful Change Initiative
August 20, 2008
Organizational change is a complicated endeavor. The forces at work that continue the status quo are formidable, but not impossible to overcome. Set yourself up for success by laying the foundation with these eight fundamentals. Read more
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