By Tom & Carol Braford
The above titled book demonstrates that cooperation outperforms and outlasts competition every time in business and in Community Building. That is why at Irresistible Community Builders we are following this manual for success in both areas.
The book relies heavily on the research of evolutionary anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, that we have reported on previously and his four levels and scales of social support needed by every individual organization and community for peak performance.
The authors say that if we shape our organizations in this way from the bottom all the way up to the top, our organizations will intrinsically shape us and surrounding communities of practice in similar ways, which is exactly what we are aiming for.
The challenge for us, as well as for many others in a world that demands that we attend to everything everywhere all at once, is where do you start?
Like it or not, the answer usually is either that the squeakiest wheel gets the grease or you have got to go with the biggest bang for the buck.
Luckily for us and possibly many of you, the two are coinciding with our smaller newer project, Hummingbird Ecovillage in Fox Park and more specifically with an interim use project that will bring the existing two-family and four-family back on line. They were converted years before we bought them into single family, self-managed rooming houses, which are now legal again under certain circumstances in the City of St. Louis.
The circumstance that we are counting on is as hands-on workforce training projects leading initially to workforce medium term rental housing and a shot at permanent family wage jobs, leading to co-op ownership for those so inclined in one of 5 of ICB’s breakthrough building technology divisions that will transition to 100% worker ownership over the next few years and affordable homeownership opportunities in this or other ICB developed climate resilient, Islands of Coherence Communities of Practice (IOC-COP) over time.
So if you, friends or family are interested in getting in on the ground floor of this suite of opportunities as trainers or trainees, future residents or patient social impact investors, please contact us soon. Initial opportunities will fill up fast, so do not hesitate. You can contact us at braford@sbcglobal.net or at www.ArizmendiEcovillage.com.