When you values are tested
The very moment I got my mothers text, how are you? I Instantly knew something happened close by. And a few seconds later I realized a truck drove into the city mall close by, after a 500 m joyride that crushed peoples lives.
One week ago I luckily had no idea about the feeling of today after yesterdays tragedy in Sweden. I was in Granada to run a company workshop about how to “Storytell your values”. The twist in the workshop was “How do you handle situations when it gets difficult”.
How will you act in a difficult situation, in the very moment, when a point of no return decision needs to be made?
I saw this as a kind of “Riskiest Assumption Test” for your company foundation and values. To be prepared for how to act when your foundation and values are threatened.
I told my audience, you do not want to tell people washing-powder-commercials of success. Its the hard stories that catch us, how you stood up for your values and crossed barriers in difficult times. Those are the stories you should tell, how you won the battle, not only about your success.
When you find yourself in a moment where your values might be questioned, or even threatened, this is also your big opportunity to prove them.
When a lorry yesterday hit severals pedestrians on the shopping street Drottninggatan (Queens Street) in central Stockholm I was close by across the street to the central station. From the office I could see the flags from Åhlens city mall. The other day I had walked the very same street the truck drove, about the very same time. Now, information about what happened is still lacking. As far as I know 4 people are confirmed dead and about 15 wounded. But quite early people suspected another terror attack.
If this is another terror attack what is attacked is not Sweden. Its yet another attack of the freedom of people, of unity, of a global world.
This type of attacks are med for publicity, well designed footage and video to be spread with different rumors in social media, traditional media and through communities. Its tactics proved before to be effective to create fear, distrust to split people and shatter society.
But a lot of people in Stockholm understood the mechanisms of terrorism, that the very point with the attack, is to plant a seed to spread mistrust and fear. People know terrorists are fueled and created by polarisation, prejudices and groups of people turned into stereotypes. So people responded with compassion and adapted to the tragedy with calmness and action.
The days before yesterdays tragedy in Sweden we had horrible news about unimaginable life tragedies in Syria 8handled not so calmly as needed of people in charge). Instead, a lot of people around me in Stockholm felt very contempt with authorities and societies actions (except some sensational media reporting from a dying sector).
We understand that this is an attack on peoples values of diversity and equality and freedom all over the world.
And the spirit to fight darkness is with love and light. Hate feeds hate. Love feeds love. It does not matter the origin of violence, the reason for such a horrible crime. We will always stay stronger together, no matter religion, race or sex. Terrorism is fought by making as many people to a good life as possible, by making sure we care about people in need of support.
In #Sweden we believe in #values such as #diversity and #equality. Living those values gives us #freedom and #we will keep #OpenStockholm.
The world wide #violence & #terror are designed as #PR-stunts to split people, shatter #society & spread fear & mistrust. #We must #persist!
Combat crime by keep calm, resist rumors & hard #language. Offer support and inclusion. There is no ones fault but everyones responsibility.
Today I feel empowered by the people around me no matter religion, sex or gender. We will continue to stay up for those values together with the rest of the world. Its now we need to prove it.
With ❤ @mediepedagog