A good starting point for understanding the model presented in this book is that it views the role of individual aspirations as the core of personal empowerment, which in turn lies at the center of prosperity for communities, nations, and, by consequence, Society. If individual empowerment and collective welfare are pursued with a holistic understanding of the shared value of connectedness for all involved parties, and a correspondent shared responsibility, these two concepts nurture and complement each other. Individuals who consciously seek the best interest of others end up benefitting from better quality of lifeāphysically, mentally, and emotionally. Societies that systematically invest in the well-being of their members thrive.1
To make the link between individual aspirations and social welfare, the bases of individual behavior need to be unpacked. This is achieved through the understanding that aspirations, emotions, thoughts, and sensationsāor soul,2 heart, mind, and bodyāare not merely connected but part of one and the same micro-universe. Their constant interplay influences who we are and what we do; what happens inside finds its manifestation in our behavior, hereby influencing the outside. Our internal reality shapes our experience of external circumstances, and conversely, what happens outside influences our inner realm. While acknowledging the impact of meta-,3 macro-, and meso-level dynamics, the following pages offer arguments about the central role of the micro-level in the pursuit of sustainable and equitable social change at the macro- and meta-levels.
As a result of this understanding of human behavior, the conceptualization of individuals as passive onlookers to their situation, in particular those living in fragile states which are traditionally portrayed as basket-cases in need of charity, can be challenged. This book offers a path to shift mindsets, from victimization to the promotion of harnessed personal power. Noting the significant potential of nonprofit organizations (e.g., non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, foundations, bi- and multilateral funds) dedicated to social causes, this book then looks at the factors that hinder organizations from living up to the inspiring mission statements that are often enshrined in their mandate, and at tools that may serve to improve their institutional culture, which is one of these factors. Finally, we will look at certain aspects that influence public opinion, such as the problematic forces that condone a globalized bystander syndrome in the face of inequality. The logic of this book may serve to reshape decision-making architectures to be conducive to more inclusive decision-making.
Current scientific evidence and research show that the actions of an individual, pursued in the interest of others, are beneficial to all parties involvedāfor the individual who acts, the one who has been acted for, and broader Society. In other words, pursuing the prosperity of others is a win-win-win situation. Firstly, it serves the one who acts, secondly the one who benefits, and finally the Society they both live in. Humans have not only evolved to cooperate in the pursuit of survival and common interest; it also is in their personal interest to nurture this innate urge to help others.
As we will see, acting for the sake of others is the best guarantee for a healthy and fulfilled life, or āthe pursuit of happinessā. This logic provides novel insights about the nexus of development and humanitarian aid, peace building, and social transformation. Thus, a case for an alternative path to sustainable change, and therefore an inclusive global Society, is proposed.
Putting into practice the present logic requires several interlinked shifts in perspective. Linkages include the relationship between individual aspirations and acting on behalf of the collective good, as well as the ever-ongoing connection of soul, heart, mind, and body. These elements help to explain how individuals behave. They also shed light on how a person can be transformed from a passive onlooker in life to a genuinely empowered agent of change. Thus, a model that places individual resilience at the center of the nexus of humanitarian, development, and social transformation as well as the nurturing of social peace can be developed. Such a model seizes the multiple opportunities for positive synergies (win-win scenarios) which exist. Consequently, the aim of the present pages is to support a maximization of the positive outcomes that come with a systematic outlook, and specifically with the systematic use of ongoing interplays between the internal and external ārealitiesā.
In the context of this book, this multidimensional paradigm is termed POZE. It offers a different approach to life, a philosophy or lifestyle focused on individual happiness as a route to collective well-being, and vice versa. Derived from the Haitian Creole word for āinner peaceā, POZE has been further expanded here as an acronym for Passion, Om, Zoom, and Expression, bringing together the core human motivation of purpose (Passion), the universally recognized word for emotional unity (Om),4 a focus on the essential (Zoom), and the experience of now, which underpins an individualās authentic Expression. POZE is based on the understanding that human beings are a composite of four dimensionsāsoul, heart, mind, and body. It offers a framework for individuals to identify their aspirations, work with their emotions, train their thoughts, and learn from their sensations, to unfold their best self and share it with the World.
The main features of POZE deal with channeling Purpose for Power, guiding Compassion for Change, maximizing Influence for Impact and harnessing Honesty for Humility. These elements, on top of a communication and dissemination strategy congruent with the proposed model, are tools to achieve prosperous societies, sustainable development, and effective humanitarian aidāby inducing in people the genuine desire to take part in social change.
In the pursuit of this ambition, it employs four activity components of the same nameāPurpose for Power, Compassion for Change, Influence for Impact and Honesty for Humility.
Purpose for Powerālooks at the challenges that prevent many empowerment programs from having a lasting impact. This component makes the case for social change that begins with the aspirations of the individual (inside out) and which is nurtured by the behavior of that person toward others (outside in).
Compassion for Changeā addresses the need for development and humanitarian organizations to walk the talk of change by living up to the values they proclaim. This component investigates the status quo of the nonprofit sectorās growing disillusionment and dwindling impact, offering a practical way forward to transform organizational cultures with a return to passion and meaning.
Influence for Impactāanalyzes the aspects that directly and indirectly shape how individuals affect each other, consciously and subconsciously, actively and passively. Introducing the concept of action along the āScale of influenceā (a concept which applies the POZE methodology to interpersonal and institutional communication strategies), this component proposes an approach to systematically use and shape how decisions are made, in the aim of nurturing among audiences the genuine desire to be part of social change efforts.
Honesty for Humilityāis a cross-cutting feature which underpins the other three. It is anchored in the four fundamental questions that form the framework of individual and collective transformation: Why am I here? Who am I? How do I want to be? What must change to align my current setting and behavior with my long term aspirations?
In summary, this book offers a broad multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary...