PITW #90

By Lindsay Gray, corps members serving on the CSX Team at Turner Elementary School

Putting Idealism to Work #90-Constantly Put Yourself in Other People’s Shoes – “Moccasins” Everything.

"The essence of City Year is found in the Native American prayer, “Great Spirit, grant that I will not criticize my brother or sister until I have walked a mile in his or her moccasins.” What would the world be like if everyone truly walked in each other’s moccasins? It would be a truly “aware” world of justice and peace. The practice of identifying with someone else is a powerful tool for social change — and it is a key element of good leadership. When planning anything, first conduct a “moccasins” exercise — challenge yourself to be in tune with the unique people and environment you are working in."

I really love this PITW. Mostly because I know that for myself, it is something that I can always work towards. Imagine, truly mastering the art of NEVER criticizing someone without first looking at things through his or her eyes—that is a skill, if you ask me. Empathy is an idea that seems simple in theory, but in practice takes, well, practice. This year, I have been in numerous situations in which I had to make a conscious effort to see things from a different perspective, and it has not been easy. I never realized how much of a challenge it is to truly put yourself in someone else’s shoes, especially when you disagree with them.

 One of my teammates brought up a great point; our team works better if, instead of being critical, we are first concerned.

If a teammate is late to service, ask why before getting upset with them. If you feel like someone dropped the ball in a certain area, find out what happened and try to help instead of badmouthing them. Like the PITW says, “the practice of identifying with someone else is a powerful tool for social change – and it is a key element of good leadership.”