Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana is the chief advisor for the U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan. In her post, she advises Secretary Duncan on preschool, elementary and secondary education matters.
 

Six degrees of separation
 
I like to think that most people are familiar with this theory even if it is often related back to a Kevin Bacon reference. The theory is that through six connections every individual is connected to any other in the world.
 
I am of the belief that other than simply doing something yourself it takes one of two resources to get things accomplished: relationships and/or resources (often financial). 
 

A key component of systems building is change. The moving parts of the system (e.g. the people, the organizations, etc.) must be willing to change and adjust in order to improve. As I mentioned in a previous blog, change shouldn’t be forced just for the sake of change, but in order to improve functioning and therefore outcomes for young children and families.
 

I have been trying to feel rather than think my way into a more effective way to work with paradox. 
 
My thinking (rather than feeling) on this got started in a conversation with leaders from other states regarding a paper Charlie Bruner (of the Build Initiative) was writing on the paradoxes of system building.    As soon as the title of the paper was shared it prompted one of those moments where suddenly something that I didn’t even know was fundamental to my work, was revealed, in one quick instant. 
 

Recently I received an unexpected phone call from an individual whom I had not heard from in years, and instantaneously I knew to whom I was speaking. 

 
“Assume positive intent.” These were words I first heard in a real way 8+ years ago when I began working in a local community. I was told this was a value that the human service providers tried to follow when working together. Basically what it meant in practice was that before judging each other harshly based on what was seen, that you give each other the benefit of the doubt.