THE Social Change Model

Oh Social Change Model! Where do I start? I guess I’ll start by answering the first part of this blog prompt. “What have you learned about the Social Change Model?” you ask? Well, to start, I learned that the Social Change Model existed, and that it is a leadership model based in the belief that leadership development occurs in tandem with positive social change. As the quarter has passed, I’ve learned about the Seven C’s of Change – Citizenship, Common Purpose, Collaboration, Controversy with Civility, Consciousness of Self, Congruence, and Commitment. I think the most important thing I’ve learned this quarter, is that the SCM isn’t like a Hollywood diet. It isn’t a bunch of words and ideas with nothing backing it up. On the contrary, the SCM is a guide with real world evidence showing us how to be better leaders and how to create true, lasting, change within our world.

I personally find the most meaning in the areas of Consciousness of Self/Congruence, Collaboration, and Commitment. Before being exposed to the Social Change Model, I had never really sat down with myself and pondered my values. I always knew I had values, and generally I’ve acted according to those values, but I never took the time to list those values out and think about why and how they’ve become so important to me. After learning about SCM and Consciousness of Self, I firmly believe that before you can set out to be a true leader, you must know yourself and your values. Congruence goes hand in hand with Consciousness of Self. In a way, I think that these two Cs are almost necessary to combine because a value that you don’t act according to is not truly one of your values. That said, I recognize that no one is perfect, and that I am going to make mistakes as I walk through life. What is important is that I recognize these mistakes and learn from them. Collaboration is the ‘C’ that I found most interesting. This was because at first glance the notion that collaboration is more effective than competition sounds crazy. Our society relishes competition; it creates competition where there need be none. Yet in the end, the drive to be better than the next guy leaves me feeling empty, while working together for the common good is empowering. Collaboration is the realization that we are all in this together, and that working together is, frankly, the only option. Finally, I find Commitment very meaningful as well. I think if you grouped together 50 of the most well known names of social change, the ‘C’ that would stand out as most common to that group would be Commitment. Whether it was Betty Williams and her work creating the Global Children’s Foundation, or the founders of Amnesty International and their work to protect human rights, social change cannot have occurred without commitment.

Overall, the most important thing, to me, to take from the SCM is that anyone can cause social change. We just must take action. There is nothing more powerful in the world than a group of people with a vision. So, as we finish this class and take what we’ve learned to the Greek Community, we must take our collective vision and share it with our community. No doubt others will share our vision and together we can, and will, make positive change.