The Wisdom Council: a tool for creating Jim Rough & DeAnna Martin .

The Wisdom Council: a tool for creating

Jim Rough & DeAnna Martin

www.WiseDemocracy.org

‘We the People’ isall of us acting wisely

together

It emerges from a special kind of conversation that’s:– A “Time out!”… outside of the existing

System– Where we speak authentically from the

heart– Where everyone is involved… not just a

small group– Creative …where we seek win/win’s– Facilitated to produce unanimous

results!

Sound impossible? …

We’ve experienced this before…

The Wisdom Council facilitates ‘We the People’

in LARGE systems

• Democracies – City, local community– State– Nation

• Organizations• Populations

Opens new doors of possibility for…• Dialogue and Deliberation colleagues• Educators and facilitators• Social “investors”

The Wisdom Council is designed to …

• Facilitate ONE system-wide conversation that is creative and collaborative

• Involve EVERYONE… symbolically and actually• Generate UNANIMOUS views and new

Win/Win solutions • Build TRUST and the spirit of community• Evoke EMPOWERMENT, intrinsic motivation,

and deep systems understanding in all

And, it is ongoing…

The Wisdom Council has 12 Ingredients

1. Chartered... The members approve this concept

2. Microcosm... 12 members are randomly selected for two meetings

3. Empowered... They select and frame their own issues

4. Ceremony... The members are chosen in a ceremony

5. Non-coercive... The Wisdom Council has no power

6. Fishbowl... All know about the process and are invited to view it

7. Dynamic Facilitation... A “Choice-creating” conversation is established

8. Unanimous… The Council reaches unanimous conclusions

9. System presentation... People hear the Wisdom Council present

10. Self-reflection... All are invited to dialogue and reflect with others

11. On-going... A new Wisdom Council happens at regular intervals

12. Safe!... The process supplements what’s there. It replaces nothing

The Wisdom Council is based on

‘Dynamic Facilitation’

• The dynamic facilitator uses the power of crises by helping people choose impossible-seeming issues

• People talk naturally—he/she assures a heartfelt, creative, collaborative conversation

• “Shifts” and breakthroughs occur, including new ideas, “changes of heart” and redefinitions of the problem

• People reach unanimous conclusions and experience the spirit of “We the People”

‘Choice-creating’ is …

when people address a high-care issue creatively from the heart, seeking new

answers that work for everyone.

Consider the dynamically facilitated conversation

Context …1. How big is the issue? … impossible? emotional?2. How much time was available? … short? long?3. How many people? … small? large?Process …1. Was “everyone” involved?2. Were people authentic and passionate?3. Did people listen with respect?4. Did people grow in their perspectives?5. Did divergent opinions hinder? … or help?6. Was creativity evident?Results …1. Did points of consensus develop? 2. Did people develop more wisdom and clarity?3. Did trust develop … a sense of “we”?4. Were there shifts? .. Breakthroughs?5. Were there any action items?

Example #1: WA State Department of

Agriculture

Selected issues:

• Feeling locked in a career path

• The number of duplicate records

• Fair, efficient allocation of project vs intermittent resources• Hiring based on need but which is fee-based

• Eliminating the “rumor mills” and revamping “silo” communications

Ex. #2: Among citizens in the Rogue Valley, OR

Randomly selected citizens speak to their fellow citizens

…

Implications for

democracy

Time: 2 min

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are needed to see this picture.

Ex #3: Among members of a Food Coop

Time 2.5 min

Strategic

directi

on

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are needed to see this picture.

Here’s the plan … Facilitate experiences of ‘We the

People’

1. Within local communities …1. Madison, WI; Victoria, BC; St. Helens, OR; Port

Townsend, WA; Wolfurt, Austria; Brisbane, Australia, etc.

2. Within organizations

3. Within conferences

4. For the United States and other countriesWorking with Campaign to Reunite America

5. For ‘We the People’ of the World?

Society is facing BIG problems that move

us to change• Global temperatures are rising

• Increasing threat of terrorism

• Growing money pressure on middle class

• Declining natural resources … oil, fish, etc.

• Jobs going overseas

• Money dominating politics, etc.

A few of us can initiate the necessary transformation

1. The Wisdom Council frames the issues for Dialogue and Deliberation processes

2. It builds trust and the spirit of community

3. It builds the ‘Political Will’ for legislative change in the “public interest”

4. It makes new win/win solutions possible

5. It builds ‘We the People’… i.e. transforms the system

The Wisdom Council is unique, yet

complementary

Who’s involved?

Type of conversation

Ultimate Decision process

Impact

How many Conversations?

Results

Time duration

Many

Many people

Inquire into topics & weigh

the options

Majority vote

X% say “yes”

Influence the legislators

One-time event

One

Everyone

Creatively solve problems together

“Co-sensing”

Unanimous solution

“We the People”

Ongoing

Citizen Involvement

Wisdom Council

Call to Action

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