Who is a Movement Builder?

Shane Walton over at www.movementbuilders.com wrote this article on the characteristics of a movement builder. I found it helpful enough to repost here.

Movement Builder Defined

The Institute for Democratic Renewal, a national collaboration supporting movements for racial and social justice, published a list of the most common characteristics of successful movement builders. While a few of the Institute’s points were omitted because they relate exclusively to social movements, the majority (in bold below) apply to all kinds of movements.

A Movement Builder understands that suffering and oppression are not enough to create a movement. In creating your movement you cannot afford to focus exclusively on the problem. You must offer your audience a solution — a vision of positive change — for them to rally around.

A Movement Builder is conscious of the need to go beyond slogans and to create programs that transform and empower participants. I have written previously on the difference between marketing and movement building. Most importantly, successful movement builders are not simply creating brand recognition; they are providing a positive change that their audience is passionate about.

A Movement Builder can accept contradictions that develop in the course of a struggle. Movement building is a dynamic, ongoing effort that is more a collaboration than a centrally controlled hierarchy. As such, there may be contradictions that arise because your supporters — in other venues or on other subjects — disagree with each other or with you. But successful movement builders are able to accept and at times even embrace those contradictions.

A Movement Builder is able to take advantage of historical moments—the convergence of time and events. No movement is created in a vacuum. More importantly, no movement COULD be created in a vacuum. Your audience’s passions come from the problems they are facing right now, in a particular culture, in a particular point in history, in a particular location. A successful movement builder uses the current context to generate support and interest.

A Movement Builder chooses boldness over timidity. Many sports t-shirts profess, “No guts, no glory.” The same could be put on a movement building t-shirt. You need to be willing to get out there, speak up, and take risks in order to build the buzz that is essential for a powerful movement.

A Movement Builder calls forth a vision that is larger than the issue at hand. The truth is that your nonprofit’s current campaign or your business’ current product will not always be relevant to your audience. The most successful movement builders engage their audience’s passions by solving current issues while simultaneously pointing to the larger vision that will lead the movement into the future.

A Movement Builder strikes a balance between control and autonomy. As mentioned above, movements are informal group actions that cannot be controlled in a strict hierarchical manner. You can guide and influence your growing movement, but you cannot fully dictate its course. The most successful movement builders have learned to walk the line between letting the movement run free and trying to control its every step.

Movement Builder Expanded

In addition to the Institute’s list, there are a few other characteristics that successful movement builders share.

A Movement Builder is strategic. Cultivating a movement is a complicated process, and without a plan to guide you the task becomes even more challenging. You need to be willing to alter your plan when circumstances change, but you must always be following a strategic vision.

A Movement Builder seeks help. The essence of a powerful movement could be described as people working together to achieve a common goal. As such, you are not just getting your message out to a receptive audience (that would be marketing) — you are assembling a group of people to help you spread the message. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner your group begins to grow.

A Movement Builder believes. Passion is contagious. If you believe in your product, your nonprofit’s mission, or the political candidate you represent, people will be able to tell. If you don’t believe, they will pick up on that, too. Passion is contagious, and successful movement builders have it.

This is a solid list of the most prominent characteristics shared by successful movement builders. Of course there are many other important traits — please add in the comments below some of the ones you have seen to be valuable in your work.