Bob Riley Jr. and I continue our series on the Seven Community Capitals with today’s discussion on Social Capital. The second of the three core capitals, often referred to as the three-legged stool.
Our conversations are shaped by the opportunities to move forward collectively & consciously in a post-Covid Aspirational World! You might say we are cautious optimists.
As originally introduced by Flora and Flora, and further defined in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Agricultural Economics article, “Social Capital reflects the connections among people and organizations or the social glue that makes things happen.”
A more in-depth article written in 2017, Social Capital, Community, and Place – A Primer, written by Jo Anne Schneider, Chrysalis Collaborations, lays out the three types of Social Capital:
- Bonding – Networks among individuals or institutions with close, long standing relationships and similar culture such as race and class-based groups.
- Bridging – Established, trusting relationships that cross boundaries of race, class, culture, or philosophy, regardless of power relations.
- Linking – Established, trusting relationships among people or institutions where one person or organization has power over the other.
Our guests joining the discussion today are:
- Deidre DeJear, Owner of Caleo Enterprises
- Angie Dethlefs-Trettin, Chief Community Impact Officer at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
Bob started off our discussion with a deeper explanation of the scope and content of Social Capital and stressed the important benefits of building a wide range of relationships; and how this adds value to the social structures within our communities. Deidre and Angie, two women who hold a deep understanding of social capital and who spend their days nurturing it, shared their experiences and insight to the discussion.
Some of their thoughts are shared below.
Key Takeaways:
- The world is co-dependent on everything else around it.
- The best way to build a bridge is to knock down the silos.
- Build trusting relationships with people you don’t know.
- Embrace the concept of grace in all your interactions.
As Jane Goodall has said . . .
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.
What you do makes a difference,
And you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Thank you for listening to today’s discussion.
Let’s continue to engage and learn from each other.