If you first scroll down to the bottom of this post and read the quote from Seth Godin you may understand in better context and purpose this chapter. You will have picked up by know that what I am advocating is an extended election process for your First Nation leading up to your next election, including and not least of which a well formulated communication strategy and strategic elections plan that accomplishes a few basic outcomes:
- Community Building – Acceptance and Endorsement of Elections Process
- Extended Reach – Use of Modern Communication Tools to Reach All Your Members
- Engagement and Input – Build a Stronger United Nation
- Self Governance – Own the Importance and Processes Governing Your Elections
- Successful Elections – Conflict and Anxiety Free Elections – Eliminate Appeals – and Save Money
The alternative is to once again have another election that while technically elects another group of (or affirms some) people to leadership positions and governance office does very little to build and strengthen your community, nor add trust and acceptance of your elections process. In fact the opposite is true – the election process continues to divide the community, reinvigorate feuds and distrust, and worst of all enhances apathy toward the Nation!
Often before a Member reaches the point of indifference they have already experienced plenty of frustration, mystery, and confusion about their Nation’s elections processes, rules and purpose. The number one complaint in every election I have every conducted is always the same basic sentiment…
“No one told me there was an election…and I don’t understand the process…and who decided this anyway!?!?!?”
I am not sure why this complaint continues to surprise me…regularly the complaint will emerge with Nation’s who have had the same election regulations since the 1970’s or earlier? With modern custom election codes and treaty election acts it is equally evident as there language is often very tedious and lengthy (it is my opinion that simpler is better, but it seems lawyers and bureaucrats have a different opinion) and members are perplexed and remark the process seems very alien to being ‘Indian’.
Regardless of your acceptance of my last observation, it seems deplorable that in to today’s era of modern communication and countless media channels to select from that a better effort is not being utilized by the Nation to connect with, share, and dialogue about such an important matter – it’s never been easier or cheaper to engage their members.
The argument of high cost can easily be debunked – considering most if not all of modern media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Blogs are FREE – and that the nominal increase in cost to your entire election process if you follow the prescription of appointing the Chief Electoral Officer at least 1 whole year in advance (as laid out in Chapter 1) is only about 7%!
The idea of sticking with the tired notion of conducting your future election processes unchanged because this is “the way we’ve always done things” is not only lazy and demonstrates weak leadership – it’s slamming the door an opportunity to build a stronger community. It is also not a trait shared or celebrated by successful, high performing, wealthy organizations and communities. What this means of course is that if you want to see a different attitude, perception and understanding of your election processes you must choose to take a different approach to executing your elections.
Like all governance and leadership decisions – the easiest and first evident choice is not always the best decisions – and sometime the best decision can not be rendered until a couple wrong decisions have been made. The challenge for First Nations (and for all organizations) is to make the most effective decision possible in that moment in time – and given that the landscape is always changing and evolving – simply defaulting to do things like they have always been done is a proven recipe for failure. In the final analysis, the legacy left by any Council will be the decisions it made and equally the decisions it did not make.
Chose now to do things differently – use the processes provided here in this Elections Manifesto to create a new and excited culture of continuous learning and engagement about your election processes (and in fact all your governance processes). Take this opportunity now to build and strengthen your Nation.
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Lawrence Lewis
“The less people know, the more they yell.” — Seth Godin
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂