Long Island Congress: A Virtual Meta Think Tank

We've posted previously about how the Long Island Congress Idea may be used as a "virtual think tank" (perhaps even a virtual meta-think tank) that will have the ability to "break down the silos" and the provincialism which invariably cause progress to be slow, if at all, on Long Island.

Why is it important to create a "virtual think tank" in the first place? Don't we meet enough? Aren't there enough plans and proposals out there?

Again, yes and no.

As we've stated previously there are a lot of static reports out there and there are a lot of meetings going on. But how do you ever know if the correct information is being disseminated to the right organization? How do you know that there is the right mix of people and disciplines in the room. Most importantly, where is the follow-up?

Starting and stopping projects then starting again is the real killer. No momentum is created, no dynamism exists. Therefore, progress is stalled.

Add this to the fact that there are competing egos and agendas and that the general public has a pronounced distrust for most "traditional" sources of information and you have a prescription for stagnation. For the elected official being creative and taking chances is sometimes the "kiss of death" in Darwinian field of politics. Fear of failure is a big momentum killer.

A "virtual think tank" allows individuals and organizations to collaborate without conflict. Creativity is encouraged and rewarded. The end result is the key, not who accomplishes it or takes credit for it. ( "Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan." ). Fear of failure is eliminated to a great extent with our proposal. It also helps everyone to be less myopic and provincial in their views.

I refuse to believe that with the brainpower and resources we have on Long Island, that we can not find, promote and implement viable solutions to most of our present and future issues.

So yes it is important we have a "virtual think tank" here on Long Island (as it is important in other regions) no matter what we ultimately call it or the process we use to create it.