Day #147

The Other

We tend to act, with confidence, in the light: we form our opinion, formulate action, then take it, and keep an eye upon the impact we have.

Around us lie the other: the people we act upon, the people who observe, and those who support or actively oppose us.

Sometimes we are aware of who the other are, as they stand in plain site, but at other times we are judged from afar, or from the shadows.

Of course, the term ‘the other’ is really just the flip side of the coin that represents ‘us’. When we gather together we form communities, and those communities find their identity through boundaries: inside is ‘us’ and outside is the other.

Our strength as a Social Leader may lie in our awareness of our own boundaries, and hence a clearer awareness of the other, as well as a willingness and ability to reach out beyond the known.

Use your sixty seconds today to think about your boundaries: the boundaries of your communities, of your connections, of your visibility or the reach of your own voice.

Awareness is a foundation for action: in this case, we could consider how we will hear different voices, how we will find new conversations, or how we may discover new communities or views.