We Can’t Change The World (Henri Nouwen Quote)

I saved this Henri Nouwen quote this week and wanted to share it. Nouwen is a Dutch Catholic priest and theologian I may need to learn a bit more about. 

This is a great inversion of the “you can’t control what happens, but you can control how you feel about it” idea. 

It’s also a beautiful reminder about how most of our “change” work relies on our ability to give others safe space to explore thinking about something new. 

We cannot change the world by a new plan, project, or idea. We cannot even change other people by our convictions, stories, advice and proposals, but we can offer a space where people are encouraged to disarm themselves, lay aside their occupations and preoccupations and listen with attention and care to the voices speaking in their own center. 

I think about this all of the time at work. We like to think, as experts/professionals that we have the answers. But if the people we serve don’t already know the answers, it’s our job to give them the space (and sometimes nudges) to find those answers themselves. 

You can’t force it. No matter how badly you want to. 

Set the table. Know what matters. Keep them focused. 

Bonus points: Salt Shaker Theory

^^^this “Salt Shaker Theory” post being one of my most enduringly popular posts makes me SO happy