Never doubt the power of a small group composed of committed, thoughtful citizens to change the world. It’s the only way it has ever been done.
Context
Margaret Mead’s quote is an inspiring call to action for social change and grassroots activism. It also demonstrates the power of collective efforts. It is often used in campaigns to promote civil rights, environmental injustice, and public health. However, it also finds a place in workplace activism.
The phrase is gaining in popularity among UK employees, amid a renewed push for employee participation in decision-making, and a growing unionisation effort. It’s not the executive team that is shaping company culture, but rather small groups within an organization.
The word “meaning” is used to describe the meaning of the phrase
Mead’s quote captures a simple, but powerful concept:
- It is not through consensus that meaningful social or organisational changes can be made, but by a few committed individuals who are willing to act with vision and integrity.
- Those with moral conviction, experience, and persistence often have the greatest impact, even if they do not hold a position of power.
- In times of uncertainty and institutional inertia it is the courage of small groups that drives progress.
The quote serves as a reminder to HR professionals that innovation and engagement can come from unexpected places, and that giving employees the power to drive change is not a luxury, but rather a necessity.
The Implications
Employers who want to navigate the modern workforce dynamics will find this message very useful.
- Empowering Employee Voice: Organisations need to provide mechanisms for staff to voice concerns, share their ideas, and advocate change.
- Shifting Leadership Culture: Human Resource teams must help leaders to see themselves as facilitators for employee-led actions and trust-based collaborative collaboration, not just as decision makers.
- Supporting authenticity: Several of the most popular internal movements today — such as those around mental health, equity and climate — started out as grassroots initiatives. Supporting them authentically can increase engagement and improve organisational credibility.
In an age of social accountability and transparency, the ability of a company to listen and learn from their own employees can be a key feature of resilience. Mead’s quotation is timeless, because it doesn’t concern scale but rather sincerity and determination.
