Power & Structures
Authority granted through laws, rules, or constitutions.
What is Formal Authority?
This connects personal struggles and values to broader societal change.
What is self-interest?
A base-led plan to achieve a goal under uncertainty with limited resources.
What is Strategy?
Intentional conversations that build trust and identify leadership potential.
What are one-to-ones?
The foundation of organizing, consisting of people who take on leadership.
What is the Base?
Influence from reputation, charisma, or status.
What is Informal Authority?
Self-interest drives leadership, risk-taking, and this form of self-care.
What is self-love?
The formula “If we do A, they do B, we respond with C” describes this.
What is BIWP?
A clear statement of values, issues, and vision for a campaign.
What is a Proposition?
One-to-ones uncover this driver that links personal concerns to collective action.
What is self-interest?
Potential power from resources, knowledge, or networks.
What is Latent Power?
Ganz defines leadership as enabling others to achieve a shared purpose under this condition.
What is uncertainty?
This framework connects inputs, actions, goals, and long-term impact.
What is a Theory of Change?
A direct request for specific action in a campaign.
What is an Ask?
A strong ask often requires this from participants—sustained or one-time.
What is commitment?
C. Wright Mills analyzed this group that concentrates influence.
What is the Power Elite?
Asking someone to take action is not just about tasks but also tests this.
What is commitment?
A strong proposition is essential for motivating people to move from awareness to this.
What is active participation?
This framework uses a metaphor to guide people toward deeper roles over time.
What is the Ladder of Engagement?
Organizing ultimately relies on this as the core source of power.
What are people?
Power is rooted in relationships, resources, and this collective strength.
What is people’s ability to transform systems?
The base consists of members of an identity/constituency who do this alongside organizers.
What is assume leadership?
Organizers respect this by always making the ask but leaving the decision to individuals.
What is agency?
Data gathering, coalition building, and leadership mapping are part of this.
What are Assessments?
Building the base is how organizers turn relationships and shared values into this.
What is lasting change?