The Peril of One vs. The Peril of Many

"If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."

Mother Theresa

Do you ever wonder why people react to the peril of one individual, but often, won't respond to a condition that affects many:



500,000 in the Tri-County area living in poverty - 30% of those individuals are children.



Graduation rates in any city in America.



Genocides in Darfur and Rwanda.





Recent research by Paul Slovic, President of Decision Research and professor at the University of Oregon, sheds light on the issue.

"Most people are caring and will exert great effort to rescue individual victims whose needy plight comes to their attention. These same good people, however, often become numbly indifferent to the plight of individuals who are "one of many" in a much greater problem. "

Slovic's research tells us that when confronted with compelling statistics or mass trauma, our response is not near the level when we are confronted with helping one individual.

Slovic tells us, "People are much more willing to aid identified individuals than unidentified or statistical victims." The research tells us the contribution is nearly half when it is focused on the large scale problem.

Clive Thompson of Wired Magazine recently wrote about the unusual approach that Bill and Melinda Gates are taking with their philanthropy. They are willing to tackle large scale issues that kill millions ----often preventable issues (malaria, diarrhea...). They have embarked and attacked the statistical world of human need.

Thompson asserts that Gates has the unique capacity to imagine large scale issues with a large scale response. He says for most of mankind, "We're very good at processing the plight of tiny groups of people but horrible at conceptualizing the suffering of large ones."

Instead he says: "Gates looks at them and runs the moral algorithm: Preventable death = bad; preventable death x 1 million people = 1 million times as bad."

One of the leadership issues we face at United Way is to take the conditions we face as a region --- large scale poverty, education gap, financial gap --- and translate it into work, results and stories that individuals can relate and respond to.

This is in many ways our work: creating pathways of engagement and understanding for individuals so that we can improve our collective community.



One person at a time. One step at a time.

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Big Aspirations and Difficult Goals

I read this morning an old note I recorded years ago ---" just because it is difficult, doesn't mean one shouldn't try."

Appalachian State found that out this weekend in the Big House. Long odds did not stop the belief that success was possible.

I strive to start each day with a focus on our mission of "Mobilize the caring power...." And our priorities of "Meeting Basic Needs", "Financial Stability" and "Educational Preparedness." These are big aspirations and difficult goals.

In my daily travels throughout the region, I often hear comments like --- "do you really think this region can change?" "Educational Preparedness --- good luck!" "In this environment, do you believe "financial stability" is possible?"

My answer is yes.

But I will tell you from a leadership standpoint, you had better believe it at your core --- otherwise the headwinds will wear you right out. The inertia of the current state does not embrace the work of the future state. Hence, one had better be prepared to make decisions not just for today, but for the long haul.

I often think about this region 50 years from now. 2057. What are the decision today that will play out then. I think about that because I face every day the consequences of decisions made 30, 40 and 50 years ago. Some of those are positive. Many are not.

If you believe your actions today influence success 10, 20, or 50 years from now, how does it change your daily decisions? In the world of quarterly returns and drive through service, leadership must seek a daily balance of looking between short vs long term benefit.

For example, do you work on a prevention strategy by focusing on children when they are below the age of five? Or do you focus on the young adults that struggle with academics or social development? The former gets you long term impact at a lower cost. The later, you get shorter term impact at higher cost. Both important --- but the decision on where to place energy and resource is a daily tension of leading social change.

Make your decisions count. Be aware of the intended and unintended consequences of today and in the future. And remember, just because it is difficult doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.