Natik: Timing is everything!

Greetings! 

When I was a kid, we used to skip two ropes spinning in opposite directions. I’m often reminded of the sensation of waiting for the perfect moment to jump into the double-rope paradigm when I’m reflecting on all the many ways that Natik must be careful about timing.

Our role is to bridge two paradigms, and those paradigms consistently spin in opposite directions.

On the one hand, our donors, board, and advisors belong to a world that is firmly rooted in the importance of the individual and that world is spinning faster by the minute. Videos are watched double time, deep reading has been replaced by skimming, and phone calls have been replaced by texted abbreviations. Speed and intensity are recognized and rewarded.    

On the other hand, our partners live in cultures that value collective responsibility and always find ways to slow things down if the pace and expectations get too fast. The reward for slow and steady is maintaining harmony and balance within the collective.

 It’s often curious to experience how those differences play out. When we need to communicate something important to people in the fast-paced world, we must deliver clear, concise descriptions before the initial conversation. Proposals and reports almost always precede verbal exchanges. Things aren’t real until they are in writing.

With our partners, the first step is to have a conversation, ideally with more than one person. It’s an opportunity to introduce the concept, get a sense of interest, and be open to ideas that could be integrated into the formal description that is usually shared after the initial conversation. Things aren’t real until they’ve been talked about and there is a consensus agreement.   

Just like the two ropes spinning in opposite directions, neither way is better than the other, they are just profoundly different.

About ten years ago, I was sitting on the grass on a beautiful sunny day in a local park with students as they reflected on all they had learned that year. Students who are the first generation with education past second or third grade must assimilate more layers of cultural lessons than the children of parents with formal education, so there were many rich exchanges that day.

One of our activities was to go around the circle and say if we were an animal, what would it be, and why. The coordinator laughed and said she’d be a turtle, since anything fast made her extremely uncomfortable. During the decade since then, we sometimes remember that moment when we’re talking about pending activities that need to be done.  She smiles and says “just give me time to get used to the idea…”

Here's hoping your timing is all you need it to be! 

Saludos,

✨💫✨Anita Smart

Executive Director