Every week we are bombarded with data, descriptions and labels that attempt to tell us who we are. For many neighbourhoods and organisations, these descriptions come in the form of official assessments that highlight nothing but failure and scarcity. The final, non-negotiable step of a self-determining citizen is the outright refusal to let these external characterisations dictate the bounds of what is possible.

As we close this week on shifting our focus from deficits to assets, we anchor ourselves in a powerful reminder from two of the most significant voices in asset-based community development.

“Refuse to allow others to use maps of misery to define you. Define your course of Discovery by starting with what’s strong, and you’ll be in better shape to face life’s inevitable challenges.” Cormac Russell and John McKnight, The connected community

Reclaiming the power of definition

When we accept someone else’s map of our neighbourhood or team, we inadvertently accept their destination for us. If an institution maps a street as a zone of poverty and high crime, the only logical destination they can offer is a series of intervention programmes to manage that misery. The map itself limits the imagination of what can happen there.

Refusing to be defined by these maps is an act of quiet defiance. It does not mean denying that life can be difficult or that resources are tight. Instead, it means declaring that our identity is not summed up by our problems. We are more than the worst things that have happened to our communities, and we are certainly more than the statistical averages on a council spreadsheet.

Charting a course of discovery

The alternative to accepting a map of misery is to chart our own course of discovery. Discovery is a fundamentally different action to service delivery. Delivery assumes an empty vessel that needs filling from the outside, whereas discovery assumes a treasure chest that needs opening from the inside.

When we begin our team meetings, community projects or neighbourly interactions by asking what is strong, we change our trajectory. We unearth gifts of the head, heart and hands that no outside agency could ever accurately budget for or replicate. This inside-out discovery creates a solid foundation of mutual reliance, meaning we are no longer left exposed and helpless when external support inevitably fluctuates.

Citizenship as readiness for challenge

Starting with what is strong is not a guarantee that life will suddenly become easy. As the quote notes, life brings inevitable challenges. Economic changes, organisational restructures and personal crises will always occur.

A team or a neighbourhood that knows its own assets is, however, in a far better position to weather these storms. When we know exactly who carries which skill, who can be trusted to organise a response and where the internal pockets of resilience lie, we face challenges as capable producers rather than vulnerable victims. We move forward not with a sense of entitlement to be saved, but with a deep, grounded confidence in our collective ability to survive and thrive.

Questions for reflection

What part of your group’s “map of misery” are you ready to completely peel off and reject today?

How does starting with what is strong better equip your team to handle the challenges you cannot avoid?

Think of a label that an institution or external observer has placed on your community. What is the counter-narrative or asset that directly disproves that label?

What is the first practical step you can take tomorrow to ensure your group’s course of discovery is led by residents or team members rather than outside experts?

Inspired by: Russell, C. and McKnight, J. (2022) The connected community: discovering the health, wealth, and power of neighborhoods. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.