Over the past many months, we’ve all been called on to shift on a dime, change what we do and how we do it, with little notice, few resources and while worrying about the health and safety of our communities.
If I’m being honest, there’s a part of me that went into this year never wanting to hear the word “pivot” again.
But, recently I was reading a book called The Four Pivots, by Shawn Ginwright, and came across a basketball analogy that (admittedly, as a big fan of the game) really spoke to me.
Dr. Ginwright talked about basketball players pivoting in order to advance down the court, and pointed out that when slowed to a snail’s pace you can see that the pivot requires 1) stopping and reflecting, 2) awareness of one’s relationship to other players, 3) staying focused on the goal, and 4) a calm and confident “flow” into another direction (p.17). If you know the game of basketball, you know all these steps happen in a momentary flash, and, when effective, a player who was perhaps trapped or stuck creates some space, finds an opening. As Ginwright points out, there’s a renewed sense of what’s possible.
When I think about it like this, I not only like the word “pivot” better, I feel more able to articulate what I’ve witnessed occur within New Leaf during the pandemic. There’s been a “moment”—or more accurately, many moments—of pausing to reflect on who we are and who we want to be, what we’ve done and what else we can do… a period of inner growth as much as outer growth. Staying focused on our values and commitments, we’ve embraced a willingness to try new things, fumble, learn, succeed.
These pauses to reflect and reassess are so valuable but not often permitted or encouraged for grassroots organizations where the hustle is real, grant obligations are looming and we are often measured solely on our output versus the quality of our internal and external organizational relationships, mindsets, or how we take care of each other so we can do our work in a good way for the long term.
This year, we embraced the pivot and created space for new learning and new directions.
Some of that will be reflected in what you read over the course of the report below, and some—like the pausing, questioning, imagining, and caring—is more intangible but no less important and no less felt and experienced by our team, our partners and the communities we engage.
I continue to be so proud of our organization and the ways that we stay committed to evolving, especially in these times of flux.
Thank you for your belief in us and your support of our work,
Laura Sygrove
Executive Director