The term DNA is used intentionally, not only as a useful metaphor, but also because the philosophy underlying the hybrid model is that biological processes inform and can be used in social spaces. This is also because it is clearly based on the idea that The ecological metaphor is adopted from systems theory as practiced within biology and the natural sciences more generally. This is a type of biomimicry. „That's how nature works,“ Engler said.
Organic systems have structure and autonomy. Animals are born with DNA that is embedded in them with evolutionary intelligence that enables them to survive, preparing them from birth. This DNA is the product of generations of learning and adaptation.
survive
This entails that activists should establish a number of organizations, each with different DNA, and allow the movement process itself to „select“ the one that is most effective, the one that best „fits“ its purpose and process. Contains thoughts. It also means that a newborn animal already has a physical body, mental abilities, body, sense organs, and consciousness that allow it to survive in a particular environment.
However, once animals are born, they experience a high degree of autonomy, using these abilities in a variety of ways, such as learning new behaviors and modifying their bodies. Autonomy doesn't mean doing whatever you want. Animals are born with survival instincts and other predetermined needs and behaviors. While rejecting this naturalism, it is also possible to recognize the value of metastrategy in frontline campaigns.
A campaign begins when individuals or teams come together to use meta-strategy to design the actual strategy for the campaign. This first phase is called „frontloading.“ The group member is known as the founder of the new group and must use this social prestige to persuade new recruits to adopt her DNA strategy and maintain its structure. „The founding committee is tasked with keeping the organization's DNA as intact as possible, knowing that it will ultimately be distorted or even destroyed.“
An organization's DNA is at the core of its structure and is expressed through very specific elements. It is an organic whole, and each of its parts needs to function in order to survive and bring about change in the environment. These parts are grand strategy and theory of change. Meta-narratives and meta-brands. Principles including non-violent discipline. Team structure and extensive training program. action format. And finally, online infrastructure.
Founders and frontloading
Frontloading is necessary to manage the paradox that more decentralized and autonomy-based organizations actually require more structure, even if it is a different kind of structure. Activists have autonomy within boundaries, and these boundaries need to be negotiated, adopted, clearly defined, and resilient.
Founders, the first generation of core leaders, develop front-loading. They are the custodians of this movement. But they are not in control and are not the vanguard. „There are a lot of people who don't even know who they are.“ People vote with their feet and join the movement. A thousand flowers may bloom. But within each movement, there are certain things that need to be agreed upon or it will fall apart.
Engler explains: „A core leadership needs to be a committed team. They set the terms of the movement and enforce it. They can tell people they are destroying their DNA and this is what the movement When things start going awry, activists need to step in and explain the DNA and get things back on track. This can be difficult because I know that.
A corollary of this is that the leadership team should not be micromanaged, expected to make day-to-day planning and decisions, or even to be consulted. „A core leadership does not govern or make all decisions.“
The success of the Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization in 1999 can be attributed to the front-loading process that took place before the action began, and similarly, Engler attributes its failure to the incompleteness of this front-loading. he claims.
“That model had a lot of front-loading features,” he observes. “We already had a message developed, we had an action plan, we had a concept of what we were going to do with the actions and the campaign. It was a concert.
„It was developed by core leadership. In many cases, we didn't even know who the core leadership was. We just connected by foot. But many of the key elements were missing. It wasn't front-loading enough.“
grand strategy
Grand strategy is the most important part of your DNA. A grand strategy is needed to ensure that everyone in the movement has the same theory of change, the same basic objectives, and the same basic methods for achieving it. Many color revolution movements had large-scale strategies that spanned two to five years.
The campaign objectives should provide the direction and scope of all the organization's activities. The objectives can then be subdivided into a set of objectives. Each objective is achieved through its own stages and campaigns, which are designed as a series of tactics such as protests. Whether it's a trigger for an event or a whirlwind moment.
This well-known organizational structure can be understood as a pyramid. The pyramid has a specific singular purpose at the apex, cascading down into three phases at the next level, and then each phase in turn is interrupted by three or more campaigns, and finally each campaign has his three Or split into base tactics. structure. Large-scale training must ensure that people are „accountable to the grand strategy.“
According to Engler, the first principle of this approach is: “The Pyramid makes clear that everything a movement does, from the smallest nonviolent methods to the most intense campaigns, should support a grand strategic direction and move towards ultimate victory. ”
This means that the design of the campaign pyramid needs to align with a clear theory of change, and ultimately leadership needs to share that strategy with all members. However, this strategy is not a detailed master plan of all the actions to be taken and does not include campaign or action details.
Engler explains: “We need to teach people how to take responsibility for their grand strategy and how to do it collectively. People need to understand strategic thinking and how everything correlates to grand strategy. You need to understand what you are doing.”
There are four elements to grand strategy and four layers to the pyramid: objectives, phases, campaigns, and tactics. You need to understand what your moves will do to win and what the general steps are to reach that goal. And at each stage, different local groups have autonomy over which campaigns to work on and devise their own tactics.
The structure of grand strategy therefore allows for greater autonomy in tactics. Once you establish your purpose, your grand strategic goal, most people will agree on the steps. That way people can do whatever they want with their campaigns and vote with their feet to decide which campaigns to join and make happen. “Being strategic requires a level of collective responsibility.”
objective
The broadest concept of what a movement aims to win. Achieving strategic goals is the ultimate goal of a movement and is almost always the final victory achieved.
phase
Key goals that serve as benchmark achievements as the movement approaches final victory. This is your primary timeline to access your exercise progress.
campaign
A plan of action designed to achieve stage goals by imposing demands on those in power. It includes a range of nonviolent tactics used to apply pressure.
tactics
Limited plans for direct action, including non-violent methods. Usually includes target engagement and media presence.
As an example, Otpol! The ultimate goal was to overthrow the Serbian dictatorship. As they campaigned, they had clear strategic goals. There were four specific phases to reach that result. These were characterized as: 1. Personal resistance. 2. Unite the opposition. 3. General election. 4. Enforcement of elections by general strike. This strike actually overthrew the dictatorship. “They said they were going to do it from the beginning.”