Impact the World. Carrie Rich
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at the same time, individuals have the power like never before to step into the void. These circumstances create opportunities for the rise of citizen statespeople: individuals who are well equipped to take on and engage with the most complex issues society faces.
The Citizen Statesperson
The citizen statesperson is not just a superpowered individual; the citizen statesperson is a superpowered individual who is committed to improving one's community and the world. Not content to sit idly on the sidelines as a mere critic of events, the citizen statesperson is an active participant in the work of the moment, and the epitome of Teddy Roosevelt's “man in the arena” who labors in the pursuit of a worthy cause:
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Of course, not every challenge comes with dust, sweat, and blood, and not every person in the arena will share the same characteristics, but there are certain qualities that tend to mark citizen statespeople and enable them to create an effective impact. We identify 10 of those key traits:
1 Drive. Citizen statespeople are driven, both by philosophical integrity and by the desire for practical experience, to understand other perspectives firsthand. Citizen statespeople share a deep commitment to an internal moral compass; they are equally dedicated to truly understanding peoples' perspectives and struggles in order to advocate on behalf of others. A citizen statesperson wants to change the status quo, and the inertia behind it. If you want to have a positive impact, you need to generate enough kinetic force to push against institutional forces. That requires relentless drive.
2 Practicality. Citizen statespeople believe in progress, optimism, and catalyzing the change they seek. They are doers who want to effect real change in tangible ways that impact peoples' everyday lives. That means being grounded in what is possible as well as understanding the levers required to make an impact. Citizen statespeople are not ivory tower philosophers cut off from the real world around them. Instead, they are connectors and achievers who view progress as the next logical stage of development—and are committed to take the actions necessary to achieve that progress.
3 Perspective. Citizen statespeople possess a sense of scale, recognizing global contexts and local impact alike. They are capable of seeing the interconnectivity of the world around them; understanding that the universe is bigger than they are, while also recognizing that they possess the capacity to catalyze important change. A citizen statesperson understands that they cannot make change at scale all by themselves—and also recognizes their potential as a catalyst and an agent of progress.
4 Realism. Citizen statespeople are realistic about where power and influence reside, and clear‐eyed about the difficulty of creating meaningful and enduring change. By homing in on critical details and recognizing the way people, communities, institutions, and power structures operate, citizen statespeople help identify tangible steps along the road to progress. Realism helps differentiate idealists from citizen statespeople; by closely observing the world around them, citizen statespeople weave components, ideas, and communities in new and impactful ways.
5 Focus. A citizen statesperson's most valuable resources are their time and energy—both are limited. As a result, citizen statespeople focus on their objectives and commit wholeheartedly to their goals in order to “move the ball forward.” That doesn't mean citizen statespeople are incapable of doing multiple things at once; it does mean that they are capable of persevering through distractions and disruptions.
6 Leadership. Very few large‐scale issues can be solved or addressed by one person working in isolation. Instead, a citizen statesperson builds a coalition of like‐minded people to create change together. That process involves persuading, encouraging, and galvanizing others to comprise part of a larger solution. By exercising their own leadership, citizen statespeople advance and evolve society at large.
7 Scale. Making change in a person's local neighborhood or community is a great way to learn the basics of citizen statespersonship. Beyond that local focus, a citizen statesperson is also committed to taking their individual or group message to a larger audience to find how they can positively impact a greater number of people across borders or across stakeholder groups. That effort requires not only an understanding of how to broaden messages and scale change, but also a desire to shift from intimate local impact to extensive, far‐reaching transformations. It is not an easy journey and it is often uncomfortable—commitment to pursuing progress at scale is at the heart of citizen statespersonship.
8 Prioritization. Here's a hard truth: you can't do everything at once, and you can't help everyone at all times. We're all pulled and tugged in a variety of directions. Many causes and needs concurrently compete for our limited attention. A citizen statesperson recognizes that, if we are always chasing the squeakiest wheel, we'll never be able to move in the most efficient or effective way. Instead, a citizen statesperson envisions a path towards progress, and then takes deliberate actions that are necessary to reach their goals. There may be times when priorities must be reassessed or reordered as a result of changing circumstances, and a citizen statesperson shouldn't be so committed to an initial planned route as to be incapable of flexibility—even in the most challenging of times, citizen statespeople can course‐correct to plot and navigate a clear path forward.
9 Openness. Citizen statespeople believe that by engaging with problems and collaborating with others, they can find or create constructive solutions. In order to do that, they need to be open to new opportunities, new relationships, new communities, and new ideas—capable of interacting with people, places, and stories outside of their own lived experiences. That's why citizen statespeople are willing to leave their comfort zones, walk in multiple worlds and contexts, and parlay their understanding of real‐life conditions to make a difference.
10 Values. Values are at the core of everything a citizen statesperson does. They guide our behavior when no one is watching, and drive our commitment to progress. Values help determine how we want to achieve our goals, and help decide what kind of leader we want to be. Values create clarity of purpose, and keep us focused on the priorities that matter. Citizen statespeople position values at the center of the work that they do. Developing clear understanding of those values enables citizen statespeople to set a course that aligns with their views, ethics, and ideals.
These ten traits are not exhaustive, and do not constitute a magic elixir for creating progress out of thin air; rather, they are qualities that help an individual become an effective citizen statesperson. These traits help guide a citizen statesperson through risks, challenges, and hard decisions. They empower a citizen statesperson to build a network, to broaden their views, and to drive impact at a global level.
In short, people who have these traits have the power to change the world.
Becoming a Citizen Statesperson
What do you need to become a citizen statesperson?
Let's start with what you don't need. You don't need extraordinary wealth or resources. You don't need important social or political connections. You don't need an army of enthusiastic supporters dedicated to achieving your success.
What you do need is a commitment to create positive change, and the will to see it through.
Consider Reyhan Jamalova's story. In her small village of Baku, Azerbaijan, the schools didn't teach science, technology, engineering, and math. Girls were largely expected to be married by age 17 and to devote their lives to their families. But Reyhan was drawn to science—and when she received the highest score on