Writings
Choices for Worcester, page 5
Who Are The Players?
Steering a city of Worcester’s age, size, and diversity from the Main Road to the High Road is a formidable task. Who are the players? What are their interests?
There is another question that must precede “who are the players.” Should we design a “master plan” at the top and then implement it from the “top/down”? I think not. First, we don’t know how to design such a master plan (and many cities have spent fortunes with consultants trying to concoct one (and I know none that worked) and second, we have no messiah who will infuse the spirit of the plan into our community.
Let me digress. I am old enough to remember when the federal Government worked, i.e. implemented programs that solved problems. Social Security and Unemployment Insurance, introduced in the thirties, provided a safety net for the disruption of income that has been affordable to society. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) programs have enabled a larger proportion of Americans to own homes than citizens in any other country. After World War II the Marshall Plan guided an unprecedented successful economic reconstruction of Europe. The last Federal program that I recall working was the Federal Highway Program introduced by President Eisenhower in the late fifties. Today, I seldom meet anyone who has any confidence that the Federal government will solve our current problems with drugs, schools, poverty, or homelessness.
If top down government programs have not worked in the past thirty years, have any major societal issues succeeded?
The answer is clearly yes. The nonsmoking movement, civil rights for minorities, economic rights for women, and legal protection for the environment are all significant achievements. Every one of these movements was driven from the bottom up and engaged the minds and spirits of individuals who worked together toward a desired and worthwhile goal.
What is the point of this digression from the issues at hand in Worcester? Master plans, conceived at the top, and implemented from the top down have not generally been effective in improving governance and the delivery of government services over the past three decades. What has worked has had the spirited input and support of a substantial number of citizens. It is interesting that success stories about transformed inner city schools center on independent principals who engage parents in decisions and activities.
To get on the High Road, I am convinced we must raise the civic aspirations of a large number of Worcester citizens. We must engage their spirit and help them make informed choices. Will it be a lot of work? Yes. Is it impossible? We don’t know unless we try. Is there a better alternative? I’m open to it.
Now let’s go back to the question, “Who Are The Players?” Obviously, there are many people who influence the viewpoint of citizens. Position in the pecking order is helpful but not an accurate measurement of leadership that begets followership.
Here’s a list of the obvious – the Mayor, City Council members, heads of institutions and corporations, upper and middle management staffs of the institutions and corporations, heads of unions, city administrators, clergy, business owners, bar owners, civic club leaders, members of professional firms, the municipal research staff, college faculties and administrative personnel, public school faculty, private school faculty, hospital technical staff, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and just about any group of citizens whose concerns about the city rise beyond personal interest.
I would avoid only one group – the press and media. Why? Discussions about what should constitute the High Road, about the driving forces, about how to achieve them should be conducted directly between people – not through the press. We need an atmosphere of dialogue where mental models can be shaped to put Worcester on the High Road, not a debate for political posturing.