One Street News
June 2009
Vol.2, Issue 6
New Interactive Website
One Street’s new web site offers countless added features including ways for supporters to create and post content. We’ve also included a search mechanism, a calendar and a Speakers Bureau to help connect bicycle leaders around the world.Leo Sobottka, our former intern from Berlin, developed this new website using the open source Joomla. We had a few bugs to work out before we could launch it which is why our old site got a bit stagnant for a while. That won’t happen again! Now we can update the site with ease, ensuring all the great resources you send us get posted while they’re hot. We’re still polishing some rough spots, but for the most part, it’s ready for your enjoyment at: www.onestreet.org
Tax Deductible Status Official
One Street finally received our IRS 501(c)(3) tax-deductible designation letter! Here’s the take home from our personal journey through this process: Don’t submit your application as a new federal administration takes office. Doh! Well, at least we got a really good workout for our patience muscles. And for all of you very patient supporters, your donations are now tax-deductible, even retroactively, to the full extent of the law. Here’s another positive: We’ve been so eager to start writing grant applications, they’re actually fun! If any of you have suggestions for funders who might be interested in our programs, either broadly pertaining to our coaching of organization leaders or specifically for our Social Bike Business program, please email their information to our executive director Sue Knaup: sue{at}onestreet.org.
Resources Highlights – Freeway Removal
Freeway removal? What? But they’re made of concrete; immovable; there for eternity! Or are they? Take a look at some inspiring stories on our new Traffic Evaporation web page in the Resources section.
Hot Topics – Throwing Wrenches
Communication breakdown is often the culprit when organizations falter and projects fail. But what does this mean and how can it be avoided? Like the prevention of any problem, communication breakdown must be stopped from its very beginning. In our coaching sessions with leaders we’ve found that many early communication problems can be categorized as “throwing wrenches.” We all know the saying about throwing a wrench into the machinery to bring it to a halt. Unfortunately, most of us have also witnessed communication wrenches that have halted organizations and projects. Such wrenches take the form of problem statements that have no solution attached. Here are some examples:
“That’s great that the newsletter is complete and ready to print, but I think an article written by one of our members should be added.”
“I’m so glad that the transportation department wants to meet with us about our design of the path, but I don’t think such a meeting should take place until the bike map is complete.”
While these statements might seem harmless, consider the reaction of most staff, board and committee members: silence and a mental erasing of the project from their personal task list. There’s really no diplomatic way to argue against either of these statements and few staff or volunteer board or committee members would dare offer to take on solving a brand new problem presented to them like this. And so the wrench jams the machinery and the project comes to a screeching halt.
To prevent the throwing of wrenches, first learn to recognize them. If you find a wrench in your hand at a meeting, shift your message to include your part in a viable solution. If you cannot form a solution or find the time to ensure a solution, put... the wrench... down... and let the original plan more forward.
If one of your fellow team members throws a wrench, speak up! Ask this person to offer a solution and their contribution to the solution. If they can’t, then have the courage to request that the group stick to the original plan.
As leaders who work closely with other leaders in our organizations it’s easy to fall into traps caused by our not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings. Stopping a wrench from being thrown can seem harmful to your peer’s feelings. But realize that most (emphasis on most) leaders of organizations have no intention of throwing wrenches into the works of great organizations and projects. They’ll appreciate your speaking up to ensure all problems are presented with viable solutions and commitments to carry them out. Otherwise they go back in the wrench drawer where they belong.