Sociocracy UK2024-03-29T11:27:02ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellockhttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2536403650?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://sociocracyuk.ning.com/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=2tno2o7oky2rj&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSociocracy UK alive in 2018?tag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2018-03-20:5625072:Topic:242482018-03-20T07:18:42.185ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p>Hi</p>
<p></p>
<p>I have been interested in Sociocracy for a few years and want to now get more actively involved.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It didn't seem that there has been much activity here for a while - just wondering if everyone is out building/transforming teal organisations in the UK or what?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I saw this and also wondered if there will be any UK training/events in 2018?…</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Hi</p>
<p></p>
<p>I have been interested in Sociocracy for a few years and want to now get more actively involved.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It didn't seem that there has been much activity here for a while - just wondering if everyone is out building/transforming teal organisations in the UK or what?</p>
<p></p>
<p>I saw this and also wondered if there will be any UK training/events in 2018?</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.conferize.com/international-sociocracy-online-conference-1/register">https://www.conferize.com/international-sociocracy-online-conference-1/register</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks</p> 30 May - 1 Jun 17, Glasgow Scotland: 3 day Intro to Sociocracytag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2017-04-28:5625072:Topic:223012017-04-28T17:26:46.226ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">With John Buck and Deborah Benham</font></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">£Sliding scale<br/> <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2922100" target="_blank">http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2922100</a></font></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p> Neighbourhood Parliament Systemtag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2017-03-28:5625072:Topic:222012017-03-28T13:07:40.119ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p>Saturday, April 1st (no fooling )</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Father Edwin John</strong>, United Nations recognized leader for his work in organizing more than 100,000 "neighborhood parliaments" in southern India that use sociocracy, is coming to Greenbelt, Maryland on 4/1, on his way to participate in events at the UN.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Join us from <strong>2 - 4 PM on 1st April</strong> for an inspiring talk in the <strong>GREENBELT…</strong></span></p>
<p>Saturday, April 1st (no fooling )</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Father Edwin John</strong>, United Nations recognized leader for his work in organizing more than 100,000 "neighborhood parliaments" in southern India that use sociocracy, is coming to Greenbelt, Maryland on 4/1, on his way to participate in events at the UN.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Join us from <strong>2 - 4 PM on 1st April</strong> for an inspiring talk in the <strong>GREENBELT COMMUNITY CENTER</strong>. Could we use his methods for Greenbelt neighborhoods? He will be available for questions and answers from 4 - 5 PM. FREE and no registration necessary.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Contact Aileen with any questions at: <a href="mailto:aileen@dynamic-governance.org" target="_blank">aileen@dynamic-governance.org</a> .</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Links to the Neighbourhood Parliament System:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.neighborhoodparliament.org/">http://www.neighborhoodparliament.org/</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Presentation last year by Father Edwin John to a session of the Heathy Power Alliance meet up group: <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8_RggDZnXHkZ0ZwMDB6aDc5VU0">https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8_RggDZnXHkZ0ZwMDB6aDc5VU0</a></p>
<p>Folder contains both slides and a video recording</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p> Free – Sociocracy Telecall – with James Priest of Sociocracy 3.0 Thursday September 1st 2016 4:00pm – 5:00pm BSTtag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2016-08-22:5625072:Topic:200122016-08-22T08:48:55.335ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p>The Kairos Project presents: A great opportunity to understand more from the people developing and implementing Sociocracy 3.0</p>
<p></p>
<p>James is leading our introduction and 3 day event later in September – discover what it is all about…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.<br></br> <a href="https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/295705189" target="_blank">Click here (4pm BST Thursday 1st September)</a> for free access to Sociocracy with James…</p>
<p>The Kairos Project presents: A great opportunity to understand more from the people developing and implementing Sociocracy 3.0</p>
<p></p>
<p>James is leading our introduction and 3 day event later in September – discover what it is all about…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.<br/> <a href="https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/295705189" target="_blank">Click here (4pm BST Thursday 1st September)</a> for free access to Sociocracy with James Priest</p>
<p>You can also dial in using your phone.<br/> United States : +1 (646) 749-3117 Access Code: 295-705-189<br/> Spain : +34 911 82 9890 Access Code: 295-705-189<br/> <em>First GoToMeeting?</em> <a href="http://help.citrix.com/getready">Click here to try a test session…</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Kairos Project</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thekairosproject.com/">http://www.thekairosproject.com/</a></p> Opportunity for freelance Organisational Development work - Call for expressions of interesttag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2016-02-26:5625072:Topic:191012016-02-26T14:42:30.363ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p><span class="font-size-2">The Transition Town network have put out a notice calling for freelance OD practioners to put in proposals for working with the TT. Here is the letter (email), further below copied from the TT website:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p>Dear Sociocracy.co.uk,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At Transition Network we are embarking on a three year process of organisational development - to look at our organisational structures and processes, and experiment with more helpful ways of working. We…</p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The Transition Town network have put out a notice calling for freelance OD practioners to put in proposals for working with the TT. Here is the letter (email), further below copied from the TT website:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p>Dear Sociocracy.co.uk,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At Transition Network we are embarking on a three year process of organisational development - to look at our organisational structures and processes, and experiment with more helpful ways of working. We think we may well be seeking a range of contributions and suggestions from different contractors, rather than just working with one person. However, this is a chance for us to find the extra capacity that we need to take us through the processes ahead. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our call for expressions of interest from contractors in organisational development is here: <a href="https://www.transitionnetwork.org/opportunity-freelance-organisational-development-work">https://www.transitionnetwork.org/opportunity-freelance-organisational-development-work</a> . It would be great if you could let your members and associates know about this opportunity please.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Best wishes,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nicola</p>
<p><br/> Nicola Hillary</p>
<p>Transition Network: Funding Manager<br/> Address: 43 Fore St, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5HN, UK<br/> Website: <a href="http://transitionnetwork.org/" target="_blank">http://transitionnetwork.org</a></p>
<p><br/> <b>Direct Line: 01453 821904/ 07976 771309</b></p>
<p>Email: <a href="mailto:nicolahillary@transitionnetwork.org">nicolahillary@transitionnetwork.org</a><br/> Skype: nicolahillary</p>
<p>Main Transition Network Office Totnes: 01803 865669<br/> company no. 6135675 charity no. 1128675<br/> ====================================================<br/> Subscribe to Transition news: <a href="https://www.transitionnetwork.org/user/register" target="_blank">https://www.transitionnetwork.org/user/register</a><br/> ====================================================</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">_________________________________________________________</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">Support a ‘new paradigm’ organisation to develop creative, collaborative and agile ways of working!</span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://www.transitionnetwork.org/sites/www.transitionnetwork.org/files/assets/21802319752_d35179d02e_b.jpg" class="colorbox initColorbox-processed cboxElement"><img src="https://www.transitionnetwork.org/sites/www.transitionnetwork.org/files/resize/assets/21802319752_d35179d02e_b-400x300.jpg" alt="Org Dev image" style="float: right;" height="300" width="400"/></a>Do you have expertise in helping organisations develop and embed change to become more creative, collaborative, self-managed and sustainable? Are you passionate about supporting an international movement for a healthier, low-carbon future? Can you work together with Transition Network staff and trustees to run an experimental, flexible and responsive organisational development process?<br/> <br/>We are looking for expressions of interest from freelance contractors with experience in “new paradigm” organisational development, who can work with the Transition Network team on one or more aspects of developing more agile organisational structures and processes, to help us collaborate well, support cycles of action and reflection, and be able to be more responsive to changing needs and opportunities. We have secured modest but ongoing funding for this work to December 2018.<br/> <br/>The need for this work comes from an exciting, challenging and complex set of challenges and opportunities which place pressure on Transition Network’s current structure, staff team and organisational culture, and require an open, imaginative and emergent response. This work will be taking place in a changing international context, where we hope to be working with national Transition Hubs to gather visions for the evolution of a more truly international structure for the support of the Transition movement. <br/> <br/>We’re keen to explore models such as sociocracy and holacracy and to identify and experiment with processes and structures which will help us be more effective. However, we want the experts who work with us to analyse and consider what is best for Transition Network as a particular organisation serving a particular grassroots social change movement and to be flexible in helping us develop our own culture and approach.<br/> <br/>We are interested in hearing ideas and contributions from contractors on how this work can be taken forward. It is possible that it might be most helpful for us to work with more than one contractor on different aspects of this organisational development work.<br/> <br/>Please read <a href="https://www.transitionnetwork.org/sites/www.transitionnetwork.org/files/TNorganisationaldevelopmentworkpackage.pdf" target="_blank">this document</a> to find out more and send us expressions of interest by 16th March.</p>
<div style="display: none;" id="raIcons"><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/evince" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/></div> Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 3 -- What else I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorntag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2015-11-24:5625072:Topic:189312015-11-24T23:51:15.620ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p><em><b>Here is the third report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy: Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 8), so I attach a PDF document of it instead</b></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Hello again,</p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is the third report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues…</p>
<p><em><b>Here is the third report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy: Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 8), so I attach a PDF document of it instead</b></em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Hello again,</p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is the third report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues who teach Sociocracy or are interested in it, and especially in intentional communities.</p>
<p> It’s about what else I learned during my visit to the Findhorn Community in July re how people learn and use Sociocracy in a community setting. As noted before, after the GEN Conference I stayed on to be a consultant with Robert Gilman for the "Working Group for Change” for the Findhorn Community.</p>
<p></p>
<p> This report focuses on what I learned about how some organizations there use or partially use some aspects of Sociocracy, the benefits and challenges they've experienced, and what this has shown me about teaching Sociocracy more effectively for intentional communities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b><i>Informal consultations.</i></b> East Whins is a relatively new 50-member cohousing neighborhood in The Park. They’d been having challenges in meetings so an East Whins member asked me to do an informal consultation, and I did. I also visited with the manager of Moray Carshare, a 40-member, nine-car regional car co-op. And I visited with the president and another member of the Titleholder’s Association, a governing organization for the four individual housing developments in The Park (where people own their own homes). All of these organizations use Sociocracy.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>For continuation see attached Pdf document .....</strong></p> Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 2 - What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorntag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2015-10-03:5625072:Topic:187312015-10-03T22:30:17.543ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p><em><b>Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy: Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 6), so I attach a PDF document of it instead</b></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hello again,</p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is the second report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues who…</p>
<p><em><b>Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy: Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 6), so I attach a PDF document of it instead</b></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hello again,</p>
<p> </p>
<p> This is the second report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues who teach or are interested in Sociocracy, and especially in intentional communities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> It's about what else I learned during my trip to the Findhorn Community -- in this case (unlike the previous report about the GEN Conference there), as a consultant along with Robert Gilman for the "Working Group for Change." This happened the week after the GEN Conference. And especially what I learned from the small informal Sociocracy consultations I did that week for various individual groups within the wider Findhorn Community. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> The "Working Group for Change" -- "Working Group" for short -- was created by the New Findhorn Association (NFA). The New Findhorn Association is a networking organization that organizes some community-wide activities and publishes a newsletter for the many individuals and organizations that comprise the Findhorn Community, which folks there call "the Community." One of these organizations is the Findhorn Foundation, itself -- the original spiritual intentional community.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>For continuation see attached Pdf document .....</strong></p> Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities at GEN Conferencetag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2015-09-12:5625072:Topic:186232015-09-12T12:06:30.964ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p><strong><em>Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:</em></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities at GEN Conference</span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>This report, the first email of three, is for friends and colleagues who teach Sociocracy, and especially those who teach it to intentional communities. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I want to…</p>
<p><strong><em>Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:</em></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-4">What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities at GEN Conference</span></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>This report, the first email of three, is for friends and colleagues who teach Sociocracy, and especially those who teach it to intentional communities. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> I want to tell you, first, what new things I learned at the five-day Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) conference at Findhorn Community in Scotland, July 4-10. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> And in the second email, most of what I learned as a consultant along with Robert Gilman for the "Working Group for Change" at the Findhorn Community the following week, and from the small informal consultations I did for various individual groups within the wider Findhorn Community. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> And in the third email, a bit more of what I learned doing informal consultations for individual groups at Findhorn, and what I learned specifically from a new friend from Austria who was visiting Findhorn at the time, Markus Spitzer, a Sociocracy trainer with the Austrian Sociocracy Center.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The <strong>July 4-10 GEN Conference</strong> was the 20th anniversary celebration of GEN International. This is the overall network comprised of five GEN Regions and NextGEN, the international ecovillage youth organization. There were 400 or so people from all over Europe, as that is the closest GEN region, and also the Middle East, Africa, Lain America, a few people from Asia and Australia & New Zealand, and some Americans too, and at least one Canadian (from La Cité Écologique, Francine.) </p>
<p> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920282?profile=original"><img width="555" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920282?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="555"/></a></p>
<p><i> </i> <i>Some of the conference participants in Findhorn's Universal Hall.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was in a GEN task group that met five times during the conference to consider issues of GEN's potential reorganization, both in terms of structure and content. I did a 45-minute overview about Sociocracy for the group one morning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Also, after a 10-minute presentation on ecovillages for the Findhorn video streaming service (later to be on youtube). At that talk I met Ilan Aron from Tasman Ecovillage in Australia, Gina. At Tasman Ecovilage they're learning Sociocracy and I think already using some of it, with Gina Price from Perth as their trainer. </p>
<p> <i> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920422?profile=original"><img width="484" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920422?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="484"/></a></i></p>
<p><i> </i> <i>At the start of my 10-minute presentation for the GEN conference in the Universal Hall.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p> There already was an interest in Sociocracy in some parts of GEN.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The GEN-Europe group had elected five new Council members by the Sociocracy elections process the day before the conference started.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> And C.A.S.A., the Latin American GEN region, is now using Sociocracy, which I think is in some part due to my teaching it in April, 2013 for Aldeafeliz Ecovillage in Colombia and representatives of CASA Colombia, their national GEN organization, there. I met many Latin American CASA people the first day of the conference, some whom I'd originally met when CASA was formed at another ecovillage in Colombia in 2012, and some from the Aldeafeliz workshop. </p>
<p></p>
<p> I was already talking with my friend Gio Ciarlo about doing a Sociocracy workshop for Huehuecoyotl Ecovillage in Central Mexico in November. However, when I met my CASA friends they said they wanted me to teach it for CASA Mexico too on the same visit, so I will. CASA Mexico is the national GEN organization of that country.</p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920654?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920654?profile=original" height="351" width="469"/></a></p>
<p><i>Some CASA members at the GEN Conference.</i> <i>That's Gio Ciarlo and Alberto Ruz from Huehuecoyotl Ecovillage in Mexico, second from left (with the hat) and third from left (with the colorful vest).</i></p>
<p><i> </i></p>
<p> The day after the GEN conference some new GEN Council members told me that five of them wanted to implement Sociocracy for GEN International, to replace their current governance structure (which is rather loose) and their current decision making method, which is a loose form of consensus. And they wanted me to teach it. The whole Council (5 or maybe 7 more people, I think), need to approve the proposal. </p>
<p></p>
<p> If the proposal passes (via their current decision process - consensus), I'll do an online training for the GEN Council members (board of directors), their steering group (like department heads), and their small international staff, in an online 12-week course starting in August. When I told John Buck he advised me to talk with he and Jerry Koch-Gozalez from TSCG, as they and TSCG already have a lot of experience now teaching Sociocracy online. I've taught Sociocracy online before, but will absolutely learn from John and Jerry for this proposed course.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I also met two European Sociocracy trainer pals during the conference, Frands Frydendal from Denmark and Fredjan Twight from Bergen Ecovillage in The Netherlands. Frands teaches in Denmark and also now Portugal. Fredjan has taught in The Netherlands and other places in Europe too, including Italy. </p>
<p></p>
<p> Frands and I hung out several times to visit and share what we've learned since the last time we met, which was when he, and Fredjan and another Sociocracy trainer friend, James Priest, were at my workshop in 2013 at Ängsbacka Ecovillage in Sweden.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920704?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920704?profile=original" height="295" width="504"/></a> <i>Frands, Fredjan, me, and James Priest after the Ängsbacka workshop in Sweden in 2013.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p> Frands is one of the three Sociocracy trainers I know of who has also studied Holacracy (I'm one and Gina in Australia is another -- and both Frands and Gina have taken the full-on four-day training with Brian Robertson). </p>
<p></p>
<p> Frands told me how he used some simulation exercises, an idea he got from Brian's Holacracy training, when he next taught Sociocracy in Portugal. It sounded very cool. Frands also said something very useful to me, which is that circles being self-organizing and semi-autonomous, means that while they organize themselves, they are only "semi" autonomous beucase they are created by and given their domain and aims by the General Circle. I knew this but it was helpful to learn this way of putting it. Everytime I visit with a Sociocracy trainer I learn something new and useful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> I also got to visit with Fredjan. When he and I talked Fredjan told me about two exercises he's done in recent workshops that help people understand the principle of feedback loops. One was the "lighthouse game." In this game someone becomes "it" and briefly leaves the room, while others stand in various places around the room. One serves as the lighthouse and others serve as buoys in the water. The person who was "it" returns, and with eyes closed has to walk through the room to find the lighthouse. The lighthouse person makes periodic high "beep" sounds so the person can move toward it from the sense of sound. Yet many buoy-people are in the way, and they make low "beee-ohhh" sounds like a foghorn, which means "Stop, go around, not this way." So the person slowly navigates through the room to avoid all the buoys and finally arrive at the lighthouse, navigating only by the feedback of the sounds. </p>
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<p> I had been scheduled to do a brief overview of the elections process for GEN-Europe the previous Saturday for their Council elections, and to then facilitate the process for them. But I got sick and Fredjan did it instead. thank goodness.</p>
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<p> He asked if I'd heard anything about the GEN-Europe elections, and I had, which was that they successfully used the process to elect five new Council members.</p>
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<p> He was also interested in hearing if there were any suggestions for improvement. I told him I'd heard that two Council members were proposed and consented to who, it turned out when they were asked last for their consent, couldn't do it or didn't want to do it. So some GEN-Europe people had felt frustrated because of the time it took to do that, only to find out the consented-to candidates didn't want the role.</p>
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<p> Fredjan and I talked about the pros and cons of asking the proposed candidate for their consent last. This is the usual way it's done, but this experience -- doing an elections process one by one with 30 people in the room -- made me wonder if in some circumstances it might be better just to ask the candidates right way if they'd be up for it. Food for thought . . .</p>
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<p> We also talked about the process of making clear at the beginning of the elections process not only the term length but also to list in a visual way and give consent to the tasks of the role, the requirements for the candidate that would be necessary to do those tasks, and also desired characteristics for the role (that is, optional things rather than requirements.) </p>
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<p> I had helped compile these lists for GEN-Europe online ahead of time with Robert Hall, the GEN-Europe president, and I would have brought it to the meeting. But when I got sick I didn't forward this information to Fredjan, and Robert Hall didn't bring it forth in the meeting either. Fredjan didn't bring it up either at the beginning meeting, but rather started the elections process. We talked about this, and I think it was more confirmation for both of us to always include this important part of the process.)</p>
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<p> I told him about a story from from a forming cohousing community in another country that had had a half-day workshop in Sociocracy, including the elections process, which the trainer facilitated. But for some reason he didn't ask them to first agree on the tasks, requirements, or desired characteristics for the role. Unfortunatey someone objected to the proposed person because of personal dislike rather than on anything regarding the tasks or requirements for the role. It created an awful conflict in the group right then, and my friends in the group tell me the fallout from the conflict continues to this day. </p>
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<p> My last conversation about Sociocracy the GEN Conference was when Nicoletta, a movement therapist from Sieben Linden Ecovillage in Germany, described her and Fredjan's workshop a few months ago in The Netherlands. </p>
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<p> She said she offered movement exercises in the workshop to add balance to the non-movement aspects of the workshop.</p>
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<p> She said something like, "As you probably know, most intentional communities that learn Sociocracy in workshops don't like it or use it because it's too theoretical and mental for them." She said her movement exercises counterbalanced all the theory and thus made it a really good workshop. </p>
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<p> I was surprised to hear this because I don't think Sociocracy is theoretical and mental, and know it can be taught in visual ways and with and lots of exercises for practice. </p>
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<p> I told Nicoletta I know intentional communities that have learned Sociocracy in workshops or study groups and now use it and like it very much, such as Pioneer Valley Cohousing in Massachusetts, Harts Mill Ecovillage in North Carolina, and Aldeafeliz Ecovillage in Colombia.</p>
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<p> One of the founders at Aldeafeliz wrote an article that appeared in <i>Communities</i> magazine, "Sociocracy to the Rescue at Aldeafeliz Ecovillage." <i>(I'll send a copy if you're interested; just email if so.)</i></p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920877?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2311920877?profile=original" height="353" width="523"/></a> <i>Aldeafeliz members doing Consent Decision-Making in their workshop.</i></p>
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<p> The next email will describe how some people in the Findhorn Community are now using some parts of Sociocracy or are interested in learning more. And what I learned about what has been helpful for the organizations that use it, and what has sometimes challenging for some, which seem have some misunderstandings of how to implement it.</p>
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<p> Diana</p>
<div style="display: none;" id="raIcons"><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/><img src="https://d2w7az12ink561.cloudfront.net/kolourpaint" class="raImg" height="32" width="32"/></div> James Priest introducing Sociocracy 3.0 on 12 & 13 June in Londontag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2015-05-13:5625072:Topic:186022015-05-13T21:28:45.539ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Discover sociocracy workshops - holistic organising and collaborating</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sociocracy is a powerful </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">framework that enables organisations to tap into their collective intelligence and…</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" dir="ltr"><strong>Discover sociocracy workshops - holistic organising and collaborating</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" dir="ltr"></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sociocracy is a powerful </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">framework that enables organisations to tap into their collective intelligence and facilitates co-creativity, transparency and equality in decision-making. As organisations of all sizes and shapes realise the need to move beyond hierarchies to new forms of organising, sociocracy offers valuable tools and processes to make this happen and to really realise the potential of people coming together for a common purpose. <br/></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" dir="ltr"></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For more detail and bookings:</span></div>
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<p><strong><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sociocracy-and-governance-for-organisations-and-businesses-tickets-16577338265" target="_blank">Friday 12 June</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong><a href="http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sociocracy-and-conscious-collaboration-for-projects-and-organisations-tickets-16577382397" target="_blank">Saturday 13 june</a></strong></p>
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<p></p> Collaboration of Forum Theatre and Sociocracy 1 Junetag:sociocracyuk.ning.com,2015-05-13:5625072:Topic:188032015-05-13T21:14:43.380ZIvor Kellockhttp://sociocracyuk.ning.com/profile/IvorKellock
<p>1 June 2015 in Endinburgh, with John Buck and Gavin Crichton of Active Inquiry</p>
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<p><span class="fsl">In the theatre we can live new legislative ideas and make decisions about them by feeling and thinking forward and back in time, jump different places, shrink or grow, play "what if". Join us as we put in theatre the question:</span></p>
<p><span class="fsl"><br></br> What if we governed Edinburgh with a network of circles? Not just a legislature! <br></br> Spend an afternoon with us…</span></p>
<p>1 June 2015 in Endinburgh, with John Buck and Gavin Crichton of Active Inquiry</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="fsl">In the theatre we can live new legislative ideas and make decisions about them by feeling and thinking forward and back in time, jump different places, shrink or grow, play "what if". Join us as we put in theatre the question:</span></p>
<p><span class="fsl"><br/> What if we governed Edinburgh with a network of circles? Not just a legislature! <br/> Spend an afternoon with us learning and playing with sociocracy, <br/> big brother/sister to democracy!</span></p>
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<p><strong><span class="fsl"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/915876025146307/" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a></span></strong></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sandbox-enquiries-collaboration-of-forum-theatre-and-sociocracy-tickets-16706155561http://" target="_blank">Book Here</a></strong></span></p>
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