When doing this work we have learned that we must have some principles to which we will base our
work. These 7 Tasks put forth a healthy foundation for persons and groups to use as a guide to
understanding expectations and accountability within this work, between people, and among all the
relationships around this work.
We believe that if everyone follows these tasks, we will see quality work that will help us overcome our obstacles in life.
Lead by Obeying
- Leadership requires listening to everyone and proposing ideas that respond to all, no matter who they are
- Leadership requires discipline to follow the direction of the group.
- Leadership is struggling in the best spirit to carry out the decisions of the group.
- Leadership is NOT power; it’s responsibility.
Serve, but don’t serve yourself.
- Serious people must strive to serve others and not themselves through this work
- A person must separate their wants and needs from those of the people they are struggling to serve
- Give totally and completely to others
Convince, but do not Conquer
- No one can genuinely accept ideas under pressure
- No one can be made to believe by force or just because they are told to believe.
- Dialogue and reflection, although it may take a long time, are the processes of convincing.
- If not D and R, then you are expecting people to believe without being a critical thinker.
- Everyone must decide for themselves.
Build , do not Destroy
- In the process of struggle, no one should operate by simply destroying the work and proposals of others.
- Instead, one should build new proposals and propose alternate ideas
- One must struggle to build unity, not break it
- One must offer more than critiques; one must provide solutions
Represent, don’t replace ideas with your own
- When given the PALABRA one is taking on a serious responsibility
- Having PALABRA is to speak, work and report on behalf of others
- One must represent the ideas asked to uphold and pass on to others without substituting ones own ideas in any way
- Everyone must be held accountable for their words and how they represent the word given to them by the group
Start from the Bottom
- When dealing with issues, go to the root of the problem – go beyond just looking at what’s happening here and now
- Find out from those who are directly affected by an issue what they want before making plans or placing demands on those who are “above”
- Do not look for a solution from “above” when those who are “below” can solve it themselves
Everything for everyone, and nothing for ourselves.
- All of your struggle must be for the benefit of others and you must never expect anything back
- The struggle isn’t about you as in individual, so do not expect individual rewards.
- The only sure reward you’ll get for good work is more work.
