A New Era of Political Collaboration
September, 2004
Donna Zajonc

This is an excerpt from my new book The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy which will be officially published Oct. 15. I will have a few autographed books available from this web site in early October and will publish the on-line links for easy purchase in my October newsletter.

Thank you for your support! Many of you have sent this newsletter to your friends. Hundreds of new subscriptions have joined in the last few weeks!

Can you envision a world where presidents and prime ministers work together for the good of all; where collaboration and the common well-being are the focal points of political conversation? Do you yearn for a world that honors noble leaders known for their honesty and integrity as the norm? These would be the qualities of leaders in a new era of political collaboration.

Are we there yet? Most Americans would say no: far from it. Almost 100 million Americans will not vote in this fall election. Rather than a new era of collaboration, some would say we are in an era of political depression and polarization.

But if we are uninspired ourselves, how can we expect to elect inspired leaders in office?

The Politics of Hope is a vision in which our leaders reflect the spirit of collaboration, mutual inspiration, and an unwavering concern for the collective good.

The laws of evolution tell us that when a breakdown occurs, new breakthroughs appear. That is what is happening in our government systems. Viewed in this way, our broken political systems are a symptom of progress and we are drawing closer to our primary aim of true democratic government.

When the old systems don't work anymore, that is actually reason for hope and celebration, for it is then that we begin to envision a new and ennobled political future. The fact that we are involved in a process of evolution is what propels individuals, nations and whole cultures to move steadily from what doesn't work toward a new vision of governance.

A critical mass or "tipping point" of our citizenry are beginning to understand this revelation. We know that the leadership styles that worked in the past cannot lead us successfully through the chaos and complexity of the 21st-century global society.

What will inspire us to see the world differently so that we enter a new era of governance? What will quiet our individual egos and will call us to work together for the collective good and our survival, reshaping us into grateful collaborators rather than fearful combatants?

Such citizens understand that the same evolutionary principles that apply to all species and cultures also apply to our political culture. They recognize that this is a pivotal time in world history, and that ordinary citizens affect the creation of a new era through simply shifting from fear to hopeful anticipation, from resignation and depression to believing a new era is not only possibly, but just over the horizon.

Our first step in creating this new era of political collaboration is to relinquish our disappointment if the election does not go our way. Surrendering our fearful judgments will give way of listening and learning from those with whom we disagree.

There are seeds being sown toward this new conversation by organizations such as Let's Talk America (www.letstalkamerica.org) and Conversation Café (www.conversationcafe.org). There are new ways to cultivate these seeds of service that do not require the winner-take-all partisan war. A new day will come if we counter the culture of fear with our hunger for a hopeful new vision of political collaboration.

Please help cultivate the growing Politics of Hope community by passing on this newsletter.

Many thanks!

Donna Zajonc

Coming Soon: In the October Issue of this newsletter there will be special information about how to order a personally autographed copy of The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy. Stay tuned!

Donna Zajonc is a Political Leadership Coach, a former three-term Oregon Legislator and was her party's nominee for Secretary of State. She has also managed several campaigns including a highly visible governor's campaign. Donna challenges her clients to prepare for public office with the same rigor that all professional seek. Her new book, The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy will be available at the end of August, 2004.