For the innovative peacebuilder, the truly important switch must happen in how thinking about products and services cross the chasm.
Most of the time, processes (such as mediation, negotiation, or dispute resolution) are confused with products.
A process is, in essence, a service.
Sure, there are sometimes opportunities to grow a process past a service and into a product, but this is rare.
The idea that content focused around “how-to” can be a product, is supported by the digital reality we live in now. With digital platforms, developing digital components for processes we already think of as services, should become second nature.
But for many it hasn’t.
At least not yet.
There are four ways to cross the chasm in thinking, from a strong consideration and focus on services, to a strong consideration and focus on products.
- Deep listening requires surveying clients (formally and informally), compiling that data, and executing on the results of that listening. By the way, deep listening is beyond active listening, and is something that peacebuilders are increasingly seeing as a tactic for clients at the table.
- Deep understanding is the corollary to deep listening. Deep understanding requires accepting that crossing the chasm is the only way to scale. Plus, it requires accepting that one-offs, workshops, seminars, and more of the traditional ways of engaging with audiences, clients, and scaling a “lifestyle” business, have changed irrevocably.
- Deep advice requires accessing the wisdom contained in the organizations peacebuilders may already be working in. It also requires listening to, and reading, advice that comes from non-traditional places. Accessing, and considering deep advice is strategic and tactical. Deep advice not only comes from outside the box, but also it comes from looking in another box entirely.
- Deep courage is the last way to cross the chasm. Execution is about courage, and many of the reasons that serve to “stall out” the crossings peacebuilders attempt, is less about not doing the other three things listed above, but is more about the lack of courage to pull the trigger and execute on a truly scary idea.
Philosophy first, tactics second, and courage always to change how peacebuilding happens in our digital world.
