The Blog

Our nation was founded by stoic individuals who had the optimism that we could succeed, in fact prosper without a crown.  We should not forget how revolutionary that thought was in the world at that time.  Although democracy was known, it had not been a foundational part of a government without a sovereign since the Greek and Roman Republics. The earnestness to not only shed the crown and colonial government was remarkable enough, but to seek a government of the people, by the people, and for the people was stunning.  The British King and fellow regents in Europe were not only...

During September, the School of Statesmanship, Stewardship, and Service (SOSSAS) will sponsor and present a series of classes titled “Rights With Responsibilities.” In our “Rights With Responsibilities” series, we will discuss the concept of social maturity and what needs to occur to bring about a more enhanced model of collective or cultural maturity in a community or a country. During our classes, we will endeavor to discuss questions like whether communities are willing to relinquish ease-promoting standards brought on by established beliefs and conventional ideas for the unsettling and...

In preparation for our Awakening Democracy series presentation to the Longmont community, we created guidelines for conversation. We did this beforehand knowing the participants who attended the presentations would bring many differing perspectives.

This week, Vogue published an exquisite piece titled “Meet the ‘Mwani Mamas,’ a Group of Zanzibari Women Changing Their Lives Through Seaweed Farming”. The expertly written and photographed article unveiled the moving story behind the batch-created luxury skincare line called MWANI Zanzibar, macroalgae & plant-based skincare made by the ocean, in nutrient-rich micro- batches, by the Mamas of Zanzibar. (This is not a sales pitch for the skincare line, though I have no doubt its efficacy is remarkable.) Rather, it illustrates what can happen when individuals seek to shift culture if they...

As we rethink the cultures we find ourselves in, whether that be professionally, personally, or communally, it is imperative to have a vision that expands the horizon for what is possible. In an attempt to cast such a vision, I am suggesting a list of characteristics we hope for as we transcend the present culture. It is by no means exhaustive, but it is a start. Goodness and kindness prevail A soft place to land People deeply care about each other Polite and respectful There is a spirit of natural generosity Adult-like behavior where people want to contribute to the good of the whole People...

Co-founder, Carol Engel-Enright talks to Michelle Deines on her podcast, Serving Locally, with Michelle. Listen in the embed above, or click here to listen on Spotify Podcasts.

During my time as Longmont’s Public Safety Chief, I shifted my department’s philosophy, policies, and practices to embrace the activation of the common good. I believed the reality and the perception of safety were mostly the responsibility of citizens, both individually and collectively. The department would identify neighborhood connectors, citizen activists, cultural brokers, heads of nonprofits, along with others who wanted to be involved and bring them together to talk about what role they could play in surfacing, activating, and coordinating the social capital in their neighborhoods,...

Are you satisfied with the current culture? What would motivate you to explore ideas and strategies for shifting culture in your family, workplace, neighborhood, community, state, nation, and the world?  SOSSAS is excited for our new classes coming in April and May that will expand your mind, knowledge, and skills in creating the COMMON GOOD. Research shows that 83% of Millennials in the workforce identify the culture of an organization of people (humans) as the most important aspect when choosing a position, more than pay and benefits. But what is culture?  Where does it come...

SOSSAS is a non-political organization working to create unity, accountability, respect, and compassion in our society among citizens, leaders, and organizations by educating all stakeholders on civility, servant leadership, civil discourse, and much more.  As we have been working on the programming and development of our course offerings, we have heard time and again how much the world needs this education and movement. It seems that we, as a society, have hit the breaking point from the ill-effects of the ever-increasing divisiveness between different groups. SOSSAS courses are...

The word ‘transparency’ is often utilized when characterizing the attributes of a good organization or perhaps as a component of integrity. Transparency was certainly a part of what was important for us in our police department in Longmont, but what really helped us emotionally connect with our community was our evolving vulnerability. I think back to those early days of first becoming a police chief and the meetings with citizens in the community, the media, representatives from other organizations, and our own staff. Almost to the person, people expressed a variety of feelings and...