How to Get Something Done

Lights, cameras, ACTION

We know the scene: a group starts up to support a cause. Meetings are held, talk is talked, plans made, task assigned, deadlines are not met, arguements begin, accusations are flung, names are called, people drop out, meetings are not called, nothing happens. Same old, same old.

Now, I realise that many of today's young activists figure old lefties like me are just too 20th century, with nothing but nostalgia to offer today's movement. I figure folks who managed to turn out hundreds and even thousands to demonstrations, force border closures, pressure the government into legistlation, are not without some ability. So, I am about to offer a little advice on how to get things to happen, advice that appears, from my limited experience, to be needed.

First, someone has to care about the cause. Not just in a general way, but specifically -- enough to put this cause first. It is not sufficient that lots of people think this is really a good idea, in a general sort of way, and will lend what support they can around the rest of their commitments. Someone has to care enough about this cause to put it first on their list of things to do, to make calls, and call and call and call until there is an answer, to make meetings, to hustle information and people, to harass laggards, to act on whatever needs to be done.

If there is no one like this in your group, then forget it right now. Grow vegetables in your back yard, instead -- it will accomplish more.

Second, bury the hatchet somewhere other than in your colleague's back. Who cares who is a Trot, a Unionist, a Green, a feminist, really? You are planning to do something to help real people, most of whom haven't an ideological clue. Your goal is a specific action or actions to further a cause. If you must argue, argue tactics, not ideology. Once ideology dominates your discussions, you are doomed to sectarian infighting and real-world ineffectiveness.

If you have ideological disgreements with your co-workers, don't let them interfere with the work. The aim is a specific action for a specific cause. Whatever the ideologies, everyone in the room is in favour of this particular action. The action must come first.

Third, if you promise, deliver. If you say you will do something by a certain date, do it. I don't care how many other causes you have, what else there is in your life, what excuses you can offer. If you fail to deliver on promises, no one else can do their part because they don't have what they need to get started. And, you let everyone else in the group know that this cause is not important to you. If you don't care, why should they?

If you can't deliver, don't promise. If an emergency occurs that really screws you up, call someone as soon as you realise your problem and hand off the task. -- that way, someone will get it done.

Fourth, consensus is democratic, but not particularly practical. Why are so many multilateral international organisations structured so that they have to have consensus to do anything? Because one or two powerful member nations don't want anything to get done. The best way to accomplish inaction is to demand consensus.

If you really believe the cause is just, and the action worthy, you should be prepared to compromise to get things done. Sometimes, one has to give in on a point to allow the disucssion to progress. Sometimes, one has to accept the rule of the majority to get something happening. It's not as if the others are not at least in the same general ideological field as you: so how important is it that you get your way on this point? Important enough to demand purity over action? Not likely.

That's it. Four points. Necessary, but not, I realise, sufficient. One still needs people who can organise, people who can publicise, printers, posterers, and all the rest, to make one's action successful.

But one needs to follow these guidelines if there is going to be action at all.