Exec Committee members reflect on organizational change

Spring is upon us and as nature awakens, we find ourselves at the dawn of a new KFTC. We are digging deeper into our Organizational Change Initiative (OCI) and considering what it will take to create the inclusive, multicultural organization that we aspire to be. However, we are finding that the actual practice of creation is much more complicated than the theory.

Tiffany Duncan, At-Large Representative, and Rebecca Tucker, Secretary-Treasurer, attempted to talk through these complications on a recent call and this article is a further attempt to shape our ramblings into something that might make sense.

We agree that our OCI process is critical. We want to do the work to create an organization where everyone finds belonging, one that is welcoming and inclusive. We recognize that this is not the experience for some of our members, and we believe them.

The work needed to change our organizational structures and culture is hard. It is done by talking to people and getting people together in the same rooms and Zooms. It takes a lot of personal work and it is stretching us. We are mindful that some people will be asked to stretch more than others, and it is worthwhile to consider how we support each other and ourselves as we continue to walk this path of change.

We are all coming out of our own winters of discontent. KFTC is moving through staff changes, the Commonwealth is facing disheartening political strife, we are being plunged into change whether we wanted it or not, and personally, so many of us have been affected by the pandemic. We lost jobs, we got sick, we lost people. Many of us are grieving, exhausted, confused, etc. So how can we stay hopeful?

We think we need to help ourselves be curious. We should be curious enough to see the goodness of each other and to recognize our humanity when we make mistakes. We should be curious enough to respond to harms that we have caused or created and find ways to make something better together. We will make the road we are walking, and it is likely that we will make some (or a lot) of blunders along the way. There is not a supreme guide that we are following, but do not let perfectionism get in the way. Be curious about what is around the corner and eventually we will find the path we are looking for.

We know we can do this because we are also the leaders we are looking for. We have gifts that we can share, and as leaders, we can lift others and appreciate the gifts that they can share. This will be key as we continue to move through the process of Organizational Change. We are so thankful to our member-leaders and staff who are stepping into the unknown together.

This process is calling upon all of us to take up space in different ways, but it is also an opportunity to help new folks step into leadership. We want to build an organization that is inclusive and welcoming for the full spectrum of humanity, and it will be reflected in our own beliefs and actions. We challenge all of you to think about what it means to support someone as they grow into a leader and to celebrate their gifts. We can look forward to who and how we want to lead, show up, and share the responsibilities and the victories. We are growing together to win together and remembering the best of KFTC, ourselves, and each other so we can bring it with us as we cross the bridge into our tomorrow.