A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this book certainly paints an inspiring picture. It’s encouraging to think of leveraging the unseen networks all around us to bring real transformation. Using numerous real-life examples, Greg Satell explains how “small groups, loosely connected, but united by a common purpose… grow as the density of connections between small clusters increases, eventually hit a critical mass, and finally explode”[1] thus creating what he calls a cascade. However, he quickly adds a word of caution: “Successful movements, however, don’t merely wait for lightning to strike, but develop clear strategies to gain support long before circumstances trigger a window of opportunity.”[2]
Since reading this book, I’ve been genuinely curious to know, how are you all, my cohort, applying this to your contexts? I don’t know that any of us are aiming to start a revolution or turn the tide of a war. Yet, we are all hoping to affect change in one way or another. How are you leveraging this reading in your own contexts?
At first, I struggled a bit to know how to apply the cascade principles to my own leadership. Then I thought of Jesus (good option when you feel stuck, right?). I thought of all the times that he taught about the Kingdom of Heaven. He was certainly working to bring about transformational change. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Jesus was painting a picture of a better future reality when he taught about the Kingdom, just like Satell talks about: “To create meaningful change, you must put forward an affirmative vision for what you want the future to look like…You have to define an alternative that is actually better, not just for those who agree with you, but for the vast majority of those who will be affected by the change you seek.”[3]
What is the affirmative vision for the future that Jesus teaches? What is the Kingdom of Heaven like? “The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44) Could this be related to what Satell was talking about when he said, “movements tend to start slowly, sometimes taking years or even decades to gather strength”?[4] What powerful, unseen networks lay dormant in the years leading up to Jesus’ ministry, only to cascade at just the right moment in response to Jesus’ itinerant teaching?
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.” (Matthew 13:47-48). Jesus’ Kingdom revolution certainly reached “fish of every kind”. It seems like Jesus knew that he had to reach the “unconvinced, the skeptical, and the oblivious. If the desire for change remains with the zealots, it won’t go anywhere. It’s only when everybody else joins in that a transformational change can take place, whether that change is in a community, an organization, an industry, or throughout society as a whole.”[5]
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) While much of Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven focuses on its surprising and unpredictable nature, He also underlines that we as His followers have an active role to play. We have agency, and as David Rock taught us, a sense of agency and particularly being able to determine the future, increases our general sense of well-being.[6] That sense of hopefulness, of being able to change your future reality, is foundational in any cascading movement.
If my reasoning was a bit circular in this post, it’s because I’ve taken you along on my mental journey as I seek to apply Cascades to my current context. None of us know the future. I don’t know if my team’s church plant will spark a movement, which has been our vision from the outset. I don’t know if my NPO work with parents will bring about real and lasting change on a grand scale. I do know that I can lean into Greg Satell’s three clear principles for affecting transformation: “Look at any successful movement for change, and it contains the three elements we’ve discussed: a clear vision for fundamental change, breaking through increasing thresholds of resistance within the Spectrum of Allies, and institutional shifts within the Pillars of Support.”[7] I might add one more very important principle: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22).
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[1] Greg Satell, Cascades: How to Create a Movement That Drives Transformational Change, 1 Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2019), 19.
[2] Ibid., 20.
[3] Ibid., 117.
[4] Ibid., 19.
[5] Ibid., 91.
[6] Rock, David. Your Brain at Work. (New York: Harper Collins. 2009), 86.
[7] Greg Satell, Cascades: How to Create a Movement That Drives Transformational Change, 1 Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2019), 138.
About the Author
Kim Sanford
9 responses to “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”
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Kim.
I love this: “Then I thought of Jesus (good option when you feel stuck, right?). I thought of all the times that he taught about the Kingdom of Heaven. He was certainly working to bring about transformational change.” This example is spot-on and you are right! When in doubt, turn to Jesus.
Hi Kim,
I enjoyed your post. I was thinking about Jesus and cascades while I was writing my post as well. Jesus had a clear vision, and plan, gathered a small group of people around him that grew into larger groups which continue to spread. I keep thinking about mustard seeds and the power of small groups. Anyway, I enjoyed this book and found many connections especially to the idea that small groups are necessary for change. My NPO is about creating small groups so it got me pretty excited and encouraged. It has been wonderful getting to know you and I have looked forwarded to catching up in person in Oxford! Enjoy your summer. Personally, I am still waiting for spring to show up!
You got me thinking about all the parables that Jesus told involving small things that made a big impact.
Seeds that become orchards.
Small faith that moves mountains.
A leaven that causes the whole batch to rise.
Never underestimate the power of small faith in a big God.
Be encouraged that what you are doing now Kim will have eternal ramifications. You and I may never see the results – and if we do, it might not be huge and noteworthy…but I’ll tell you what…Denise (my wife) and I periodically get notes, emails or social messages from students that we pastored in a tiny youth group when we were in our 20’s – they tell us of the impact we had on them. I can’t believe it. We didn’t know what we were doing. Not a clue! But somehow God took our little offering – a few loaves and fish – and multiplied it! I’m believing for the same in your context!
Grace & Peace,
JOHN
Great post, Kim. To answer your question, “how are you…applying this to your contexts?”, I am drilling down on the weak ties Satell mentioned, referencing the work of Mark Granovetter. I think the presence of weak ties matter a great deal for the flourishing of a network, or association of churches, and leaders have to make room for them and leverage their leadership to bring them in, especially for new connections and new information.
Beautiful post, Kim. I especially liked this question: “What powerful, unseen networks lay dormant in the years leading up to Jesus’ ministry, only to cascade at just the right moment in response to Jesus’ itinerant teaching?”
Think about Elizabeth who was waiting in the wings to do her part in the ministry, or the man waiting at the temple to see his savior before he died… It is good to think about our small bits in the network of the cascades we are called to be a part of. Thanks for sharing!
Kim, I love your connections between Satell and Jesus’ parables. Would have never thought of that. Brilliant.
I struggled with finding connections to my ministry and NPO but on a second look through, found a number of helpful things that I wrote about in my blog post.
It’s been awesome to be in class with you.
Hi Professor Kim,
You are the second missionary I have met that worked in France. I am told that it is a “slow walk.”
My hat is off to you! God bless the work your are doing.
You asked how we are applying Satell to our NPO’s.
In short, my newly revised NPO is Refugee Resettlement – 1st 30 days of U.S. Resettlement.
Satell’s book is encouraging me to find “hubs” of churches, like minded S1 thinkers who are heuristically responding to the biblical mandate of welcoming the “alien amongst us.” Perhaps together we will engage our S2 thinking to effectively assist refugees in their resettlement process.
I have currently discovered these at least one coalition of churches In Portland (west), Minneapolis (North), Dallas and Houston (South) and Washington D.C. (East).
I will have to go much further if I am to get my “Cascade wave” on. But prayerfully, more hubs will be willing to Beta test my Interlinkt Telephone App.
I am deeply appreciative of all the cohort teachers that have led me through this semester in the readings. Their personal experiences have put leadership principles into action.
Have a great summer…Shalom…Russ
Great posts, and I love how you connected the passages concerning the kingdom of God with the book and your thoughts.
You said, “Since reading this book, I’ve been genuinely curious to know, how are you all, my cohort, applying this to your contexts?”
I was thinking about this very idea the whole time I engaged this material. At the moment I am looking at how to frame my NPO so that it can focus on the fact that Christians and educators are all trying to solve the same issue, rather than argue and be threatened about our different solutions to it. I’m still in process, but this was helpful to shift the focus to common ground first and work from there.
Great posts, see you in Oxford!
Hi Kim….great post and great question. While I appreciated some of Satell’s points, I did personally wrestle with the notion of ‘creating a Cascade movement’. In some respects, I am trying to do that….I’m a pastor after all! But I more quickly and easily resonate with a Mother Teresa vision of ‘doing my small part’. I think I am reacting, in part, to North American Pastors grandiose visions of greatness (for themselves) that get couched in Kingdom language. That’s my issue!
As it relates to your question…I think I’d like to explore the ways we can lower control in some of the systems of our church and increase the understanding of the vision…and let people create more unique experiences that achieve our shared vision. That’s what I’ll be process with our team in the months ahead.
Have a great summer!