I am completely tuned-in to the upcoming Presidential elections in the United States and I cannot help but look back upon the platform of the campaign of the previous election that brought us to where we are in America today. The platform was based upon “change,” and looking over these past few years, things have definitely changed in America.
I am reminded of a quote by the late inspirational author, William Arthur Ward, when he wrote,
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
I do not blame any one person for the mess we are in today in this country because I believe a whole host of people and factors came into play. Let’s face the fact, the entire world is struggling financially. Having said that, we needed a different strategy to prevent the ship from going too far off course.
I actually stumbled upon the Polynesian Voyaging Society and they offered up some very wise advice and to quote Mr. Ward again,
“We can learn much from wise words, little from wisecracks, and less from wise guys.”
Here are some of the guiding steps that the Polynesian Voyaging Society follows. They are committed to steering the ship and state:
“Before beginning any project there must be a clear vision of the destination, and a strong commitment to reaching that destination. Our values steer our actions.”
Secondly, once the vision is established the entire group will determine what information is needed, what tasks must be done and who will be responsible for the doing. Sounds simple enough, don’t you agree?
Thirdly and in my humble opinion, most importantly, they make sure that everyone is a part of the same team by building the “community of people.” There cannot be a successful journey with a community of people supporting the vision. Or, in their words:
“In order to succeed at any large project there must be a community of people who support the vision and are willing to take responsibility for working toward it.”
The Fourth Step is the preparation phase where everyone is trained and all of the foundations and vessels are checked. They even keep an eye on any approaching storms (perhaps the financial storms in Europe that blind-sided our nation?)
“Much preparation is needed for a safe voyage. The kind of preparation is determined in the planning phase. To prepare for a voyage we dry-dock the canoe to ensure it is seaworthy, train the crew and navigator, and study the wind and weather patterns of regions where we plan to sail.”
The Fifth Step is the most difficult but is applicable to any situation and involves having a back-up plan in the event that you need to adjust the sails. The Polynesians refer to the “wayfinder” as the person who is using all the available clues and signs that new decisions must be made to reach the destination safely.
“There comes a point when we must let go of the lines and set sail. In every voyage there is risk, but by being well prepared, we do our best to minimize the risk. During the voyage, conditions constantly change and new challenges, with new risks, arise.”
When they finally arrive at the destination the journey is not completed until they share and teach a new generation of voyagers.
We all have much to learn.
Sources:
http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/index/guiding_process.html
http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/index.html