What if… instead of centering our organizations around single stars that cast a shadow on everyone else, we created environments where many sparks together could light up the whole room?

In the book, Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown (amb) writes about how many of the organizations working for social change rely on one single charismatic leader. It's the rock star who is put on a pedestal and expected to solve all our problems.

The idea of a single rock star doesn’t just show up in social change organizations. Presidents, sports stars, celebrities, CEOs… all positioned as the ones who will create a better country, company, or community for all of us. It’s the water we swim in and the ripples are pervasive.

The single rock star narrative doesn’t just create a power imbalance. It also creates an environment where according to amb “Rock stars get isolated, lose touch with our vulnerability, are expected to pull off superhero work, and generally burn out within a decade.” It creates a weak system that stands or falls (which it sooner or later does) on the shoulders of one person.

DesignShift 12: from one star to many sparks.

The best missions won’t be illuminated without a depth of knowledge and a breath of people. Through distribution we can create a sustained light that illuminates every corner, not just the corner offices.