EB80517 Vision Without Implementation

This blog is based on my 20 years frustration. The major players in our culture could support risky transformationi for real results but blunt advocacy efforts by floating pipe-dreams with no substantial details, not even a road map.

 
There has been a major PR burst from United Way on their 10 year Goal based Vision of solving the major problems addressing the Common Good – K-12 education, lower-income families, and healthy youth. Their expressed mean to pull this off is: stating bold goals, working within partnerships, and publish annual data. After reading their 24 page report rich with assertions, charts and graphics on the past and poor in details of implementation I sent a question to their staff.

 Their reply and my response follow. 

 
Dear Mr. Kraver:

 Thank you for your inquiry about the goals.  I am attaching a pdf file of the actual report we released today.  You will see that there are 3 bold goals that we are setting for our nation to reach by 2018.  We have put a stake in the ground around very specific goals that we think will truly advance the common good.  We will work with local United Ways and with partners from every sector (business, government, nonprofit) to completely reshape the way systems and collaborations operate.  We are sounding a clarion call to action for these sectors and for individuals to realize our interconnectedness and to Live United. 

Again, thank you for your question.  Please let me know if I can be of more help.

 
Sally F. Fabens

Director, Media and Public Relations

Brand Leadership
United Way of America
701 N. Fairfax St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
tel 703.836.7112 x 401
fax 703.683.7821

sally.fabens@uwa.unitedway.org

www.liveunited.org

 
Dear Sally:

 I appreciate your response. But I need to renew my question because it was not answered.

The United Way situation assessment, goal setting and call for partnership is all well and good. But it has been done many times over the past 25 years by organizations with the scope and power equal or greater than yours on the issues of education, economics and health. Little progress has been made

 The critical question is: "What are you actually going to implement that will address problems that have been intractible since civilization began?"

 Education is a $700,000 billion industry trying to improve itself but getting no where. The issues with healthcare and economic privation are rooted in education but also have their own issues as your report elaborates.

A recent study LA Times May 15, 2008, shows that welfare children by the age 3 had heard 10 million words; working-class 20 million and professional class 30 million words. In the same classes the negative feedback to children 13-18 months was 80%, 50% and 20% respectively. Literacyi development is all about talked to and tone; words and words used. 
A colleague of mine, a Professor at Purdue, did a meta-study a number of years ago. He found the only data-based metric that made a significant difference in academic performancei of students was if the mother was Asian or Jewish. Are you taking on the challenge of transforming the psychology of 30 million American mothers to be zealots in supporting and motivating their children to excel in learning during their preschool years and work hard, smart, and long hours in their formal school?

So please tell me the theory, means, methods and  resources that you will be using that will make a difference over the next ten years. Data based metrics is all well and good.  But measuring and reporting will just track the same dismal results of no-change if you don’t implement a profound transformation our culture.

If you have any insights on how you will accomplish your vision I would really like to understand them.

Cheers  Ted