Power In Numbers

The success of any system is found in numbers. Numbers create power. Power creates influence. Influence creates success.

You Be Aware recognized early on, that one individual acting alone will always be limited in potential. Some things can only be accomplished by a team, while others require large groups of people to succeed. YBA began as the result of a simple vision to help people devastated by hurricanes and other disasters, and succeeded in that cause when many people joined in the effort. It birthed the company’s core strategy of “people helping people”.

At the heart of this strategy is the power of numbers. YBA seeks out individuals who have a common need and creates an “action group” within the membership. These members receive appropriate alerts, links to research material, and access to workshops and professionals who can best champion their cause. Although many of our members may not need the specific service being provided, by being a member of YBA every member adds to the “leverage” needed to get things done. The logic is simple: if enough members come together with a common purpose, lenders are likely to want to negotiate an agreement. The YBA mortgage assistance group offers mortgage companies an attractive alternative to litigation and public disclosure, which can adversely affect their public image.

The process of developing a YBA member group encourages new alliances among groups that may care about different issues. Even if I don’t need the help a particular group is pursuing, by joining my voice to theirs, I can help them succeed. Then, when my group needs help, they can lend their support to my cause. This is critical because companies often use a “divide and conquer” strategy when dealing with groups, making just enough accommodation to gain the support of one group, while ignoring the concerns of others. When groups combine forces to increase their leverage it sends a powerful message to the business community. For example, look at the impact AARP has had in lobbying Congress on senior issues.

The comprehensive group model that YBA employs recognizes that a multi-pronged approach is needed to translate “group leverage” into positive change. Strategy, research, organizing, communications, litigation – all must be part of a successful organization’s tactical arsenal. Groups that engage in organizing without a research capacity, for instance, often find themselves stymied because they lack a strategic understanding of the forces arrayed against them. Others may have a strong research program but are limited without the base provided by a membership program. YBA seeks to balance the appropriate member needs with the appropriate resources and personnel so that we can win the fights we choose to take on.

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