Lesson 6: There are always Options

There are always Options

Options grow out of understanding our Actions and Behaviors.

Generating options is done better by teams.
We can make new decisions. Nothing is irrevocable.

There has never been a perfect project and there never will be. We can always do what we are doing right now even better. We can always make new decisions, better decisions.

There are always options.

When we identify a problem, we have the responsibility to find options. If we see that we are doing harm, either reinforcing Dividers or undermining Connectors, then we must change what we are doing so that we do not cause that harm.

Do No Harm does not allow us to shrug and claim powerlessness while people suffer. We can and must change.

When we identify local capacity, we have the responsibility to support it. Ultimately, people are responsible for their own lives in their context. We need to respect that and assist people to reach their own goals.

Do No Harm shows us the way.

The patterns of the ABCs (see Sections V and VI for a full explication) are the key. When we identify a change in a situation, we can identify the pattern of our Actions and Behaviors that affect that change. We can then use that understanding of the pattern to make the necessary changes in our own actions and behaviors, to result in a better program that is more responsive to and supportive of the wellbeing of the people with whom we are working.

Change is always possible, and we can lead it. Options are the lifeblood of Do No Harm and of all good work.

Adaptability is one of the key underpinnings of Doing No Harm. People who study and practice Do No Harm are adaptable. They have a larger store of options because they have already thought about them and weighed their impacts. They have assessed the context, they know the critical details of their own activities and behaviors, and they consistently pay attention to the patterns in the social dynamics around them.

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