Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Cohousing-L digest, Vol 1 #316 - mission staements

[miriam stucky (miriam]

Hi,
A personal note on the semantics of a "Mission Statement"
I understand the goodness in setting out what a community is about, in
words, but i balk at the term 'Missions Statement'. It calls to mind the
spirit of discovering and conquering 'new worlds', of the ickier side of
star trek, of military operations.
Might you consider 'Mandate' or simply "We are...". "We want..."
Thanks,
Miriam in Peterborough

-----Original Message-----
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Sent: December 15, 2001 2:01 PM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: Cohousing-L digest, Vol 1 #318 - 6 msgs


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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Big name stars willing to make appearance for
       cohousing? (John Ullman)
   2. RE: Big name stars willing to make appearance for cohousing? (Greg
Cohn)
   3. Re: RE: Big name stars willing to make appearance for
       cohousing? (Sharon Villines)
   4. Re: I don't buy the "stages of groups" theory. (Kay Argyle)

--__--__--

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 10:16:26 -0800
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
From: John Ullman <jsu [at] speakeasy.org>
Subject: Re: [C-L]_Big name stars willing to make appearance for
  cohousing?
Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org

Diane Simpson wrote:           (On 11:43 PM 12/13/2001 -0500)
>Does anyone know of any big name stars who would be willing to make an
>appearance on behalf of a cohousing group?  We will be signing a joint
>venture agreement soon and the idea (although a long shot) came up of
>paying a big name star to come in to Boston and make an appearance on our
>behalf in order to attract some media attention.

As a manager of small name stars, my opinion is that bringing in even a big
name star would not necessarily do much for you cause. First of all, their
fees are going to be at least in the tens of thousands of dollars. Second,
they might actually interfere with getting your message across since the
media will see the story as about the star, not about you. (Brittany: I'm
here to promote cohousing. Reporter: That's nice. Tell me about your latest
navel piercing.)

Do you have a clear idea of what the purpose of getting publicity is? Have
you a clear plan for what you will do with media attention when you get it?
Do you have a way to respond to a lot of inquiries quickly and
appropriately?

Are you interested mainly in attracting new members? I would suggest that
your money and time might be better spent targeting groups that are likely
to have members interested in cohousing and offering them a seminar or a
speaker at regular intervals. Bring in a cohousing star, an author on new
ideas in affordable housing, an architect, etc.

By spending 5% of what a star might cost, you could hire a first rate
publicist who would help place stories about your efforts with local media.
There have been ocassional stories about cohousing and related issues in
the Seattle areas in recent years. Cohousing is interesting to the media in
itself. And for the cost of "PR for Dummies" you could polish up a media
pitch or two yourselves. There are "right ways" to approach the media, but
they are not rocket science. Perhaps a friend knows a reporter or news
staff person who would help. There may be a PR or fundraising professionals
organization that would be helpful.

Hope this helps,

John



--__--__--

Message: 2
From: "Greg Cohn" <greg.cohn [at] verizon.net>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 16:21:53 -0500
Subject: [C-L]_RE: Big name stars willing to make appearance for cohousing?
Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org

You can find out the agent and/or manager for almost any American actor
through the Screen Actor's Guild.  I have 2 numbers for their New York
office, but I'm not sure if they're current:  212/944-6797 and 212/944-1030.
Ask for the agency department.  If there's potentially good publicity in it,
you might also try some of the larger Los Angeles PR firms, which you should
be able to find with some online digging.  Good luck!

Greg Cohn
recently arrived lurker

Email:  greg.cohn [at] verizon.net





--__--__--

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 16:45:37 -0500
Subject: Re: [C-L]_RE: Big name stars willing to make appearance for
        cohousing?
From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org

> If there's potentially good publicity in it,
> you might also try some of the larger Los Angeles PR firms, which you
should
> be able to find with some online digging.  Good luck!
>
This looks like a good idea -- go from a different angle -- start with the
agencies who represent people -- a mailing?

Of course a personal contact is more likely to get you a free appearance.

Sharon.


--__--__--

Message: 4
From: "Kay Argyle" <argyle [at] mines.utah.edu>
To: "cohousing-L" <cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org>
Subject: Re: [C-L]_I don't buy the "stages of groups" theory.
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 17:07:57 -0700
Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org

In my observation, people tend to be burning souls on particular issues, not
at large (some do ignite more easily and often than others). They commit to
the group according to (a) their belief the group will fulfill the goals for
which they joined, and (b) how big a part of their life the goals are.
Goals when joining cohousing are typically an individual's private
definition of community -- socializing, looking out for each other, working
together, sharing resources.

As people invest emotion, effort, and time into the community, they become
more committed, and in turn are willing to invest more.  As the community
shows it can be trusted with their dreams, they entrust more dreams to it.

When/If enough members shift to an increased level of commitment on a
particular issue, it tips the balance in the group.  Power shifts.
Sometimes that pulls other members through the transition, and sometimes it
polarizes the group.  Observance of formalities at such a time can alter the
outcome.

Societies use formalities (process, law, tradition) to teach and reinforce
their values.  By submission to process, a new power-holder signals respect
for the society's values, and people are more likely to be supportive, or at
least take a wait-and-see attitude.  (Consider changes in head of state --
the more orderly the change, the more foofarah surrounds it.  Violent coups
don't usually throw inaugural balls.)

The process of course reflects the society.  "Gimmicks" like talking sticks,
poker chips, or egg timers underline cohousing values -- nobody dominates,
everyone gets heard.

> 3.  Pacification, conflict avoidance, "assumed consensus"....
> "groupthink", ... people withhold feelings and thoughts.
> Decision-making is done quickly and without thought on major
> issues, ...  lengthy debates about relatively meaningless things.

I like Howard's phrase "dead-end rathole" -- though I might choose the
metaphor of an unpaved detour that'll rip the community's undercarriage out.
It's an attempt at the form of community without the substance, and is
neither healthy nor necessary.

It mimics true community, the way elections in a one-party state mimic
democracy -- or the way teen smokers mimic adulthood, or angler fish mimic a
worm.  If you're fooled, you get eaten alive.

In a later post by T. R. Ruddick, stage 3 was described quite differently:
"--Everyone agreed to work together (stage 3)."  That I can look forward to.

Kay
Wasatch Commons
Salt Lake City, Utah
argyle [at] mines.utah.edu
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*



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