Tracey Greene-Washington - Choosing Purposeful Alignment: The Messy Middle of Transformation

Choosing Purposeful Alignment

The Messy Middle of Transformation

Tracey Greene-Washington

Choosing Purposeful Alignment:

The Messy Middle of Transformation

Copyright 2020 Tracey Greene-Washington

All Rights Reserved. Published 2020.

The contents of this book are for educational purposes and nothing contained herein should be construed as business or life advice. The information provided in this book is not a complete analysis of every material fact for any industry, business, or life situation. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. Statements of fact cited have been obtained from sources considered reliable. No representation, however, is made as to the completeness or accuracy of any statement or data. This publication may include technical or other inaccuracies or typographical errors. Author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this publication or other documents, which are referenced by or linked to this publication or the related website.

Nothing contained herein is, in any way, a guarantee or assurance that following strategies outlined in this book will create success or security, and readers should understand that they are responsible for the actions they take or do not take as a result of reading this book.

Tracey Greene-Washington

400 Gilead Rd, Suite 1624

Huntersville, NC 28078

IndigoInnovationGroup.com

In association with:

Elite Online Publishing

63 East 11400 South #230

Sandy, UT 84070

EliteOnlinePublishing.com

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020920425

ISBN: 979-8692309006

Printed in the United States of America

What people are saying about

Tracey Greene-Washington and

Choosing Purposeful Alignment

With the vulnerability we know is required in leadership but is often hard to summon, Greene-Washington shares stories, questions, and insights, becoming the visionary healer you need, want, and wish to guide you in your own beautiful surrender. Greene-Washington leads you through thinking and rethinking permission to change, sustaining your own transformation, and the constant vigilance required to make choices leading to purposeful alignment of your actions with your values.

Mebane Rash

CEO

EducationNC/NCCPPR/Reach NC Voices/First Vote NC

This book is a breath of fresh air, acknowledging and giving words to new ways of knowing that blossom in the fertile ground of people-centered, system change work. Tracey Washington brilliantly lays forth key strategies and tools to grow your leadership by trusting community, asking critical questions, and pushing through the messy middle to transformational change.

Ashley Shelton

Executive Director

Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

Tracey s experience as a community change agent comes through in her powerful and inspiring stories. She puts forward practical and actionable strategies for all social leaders, novice and well-seasoned alike, to identify and eliminate distractions that can impede the hard work leading systemic social change and not lose ourselves in the process.

Kristy Teskey

Innovation Catalyst

Faster Glass

My favorite line in this book comes early. It is the line, I m not selling anything, ma am. I wanted to invite you to a meeting about tutoring resources for children in the community. I love it because the simplicity belies the complexity. The statement is both true and untrue. It reflects the paradox of leadership. In fact, Tracey Greene-Washington was selling something that day. Not something that would require an immediate cash investment, although that might have been the long-term outcome. In the short-term, she was peddling hope.

As one reads this book, it is clear that hope comes at a cost. For the seller, and for the buyer. Guiding us through the realities of those costs, Greene-Washington provides rare insights into the work of community organizers and change makers. The struggle for them is as real as the struggle for the communities they serve. We owe this author a debt of gratitude for bringing light to a struggle that is so often hidden in plain sight.

Anita Brown-Graham

Professor of Public Law and Government,

UNC School of Government

Director, ncIMPACT Initiative

For the decade that I have known Tracey, she has been a true game-changer. As a colleague and coach, I witnessed firsthand her commitment to self-discovery and mastery, which is only matched by her love of family and community service. Tracey has developed into a lifestyle the disciplined practice of emotional acceptance, deep reflection, personal awareness, strategic communication, and aspirational visioningthe most salient characteristics of transformational leadership.

History may prove that there is no more timely invitation than this one to clarify purpose, align values, and activate our voices to drive complex social change. Indeed, our collective personal transformation may be exactly what is required to transform communities, institutions, and social systems around the globe.

Marcus F. Walton

President and CEO

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

To my family, to my collective circle of influence,

and to CoThinkk for your forever support.

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The Proposition

T his book is a proposition for all aspiring, new, emerging, and seasoned game changers. You are called to intentionally create and lean in to a new space to grapple with purpose and alignment. It is a call to navigate through the necessary messy middle of change, which is the gap between your current state and your desired purpose. This proposition is grounded in the belief that purposeful alignment is a choice, a tenet, and an important anchor to becoming a transformational leader, or as I like to say, a game changer.

What is a game changer? I pondered this question as I sat in church and listened to our pastor teach a series titled Game Changer. This life-changing message forced deep contemplation as I reflected on leaders who drive some of the most innovative work to address complex social change. I quickly realized game changers understand it is imperative for them to activate every resource at their disposal to drive transformational change. And what is transformational change? It is the type of change that drives long-term impact and is void of transactional and performative activities meant to create the illusion of strategy and change. Game changers understand they must constantly work to evolve and align their values with their actions, while solidly anchoring their calling and their faith. And they understand they must get proximal to the messy middle.