Welcome to the new website for Peacebuilding Ventures LLC.
As founder of this Northeast Ohio-based organization, I'm delighted you're vising this site and blog.
My philosophy starts from an understanding -- informed from my Christian heritage -- that human beings are intended to flourish. The American Heritage Dictionary defines this verb in three ways:
"To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive"
"To do or fare well; prosper"
"To be in a period of highest productivity, excellence, or influence"
Yet, while we're intended to thrive and prosper and achieve the highest levels of productivity (not in the workplace alone!), excellence, or influence, many people face direct and/or structural impediments to flourishing. These can be rooted in outright discriminatory practices based on gender or gender expression, skin color, ethnicty, sexual orientation, or national origin. They can be rooted in the defensive practices some folks adopt when they have an anemic oreintation to power and feel another's gain is their loss. Hubris certainly gets in the way of allowing not only the Other but also the self to flourish in response.
Systemically, human flourishing is impeded by systems intentionally designed to be exploitative. These allow some (management) to hold power over others (workers), rather than embracing a power-sharing model where power with can lead to greater self-expression, innovation, and creative problem solving. The myth of the effectiveness of the command and control model of management, for example, has been debunked by scholars and practitioners for generations, yet it continues to be a powerful force -- if not structurally, then at least in the way some choose to comport themselves.
In the coming weeks, I'll explore this in greater depth by drawing on the thought of innovators claiming freedom from direct and structural impediments to human flourishing. So stay tuned! More is on the way.
Good luck with this venture Steven!