Sociocracy in NVC

Update December 2011: The Board of CNVC is no longer using Sociocracy and has declined to use Sociocracy to organize the worldwide community of NVC Trainers. The Global Coordinating Committee/Circle (GCC) disbanded after the CNVC's Board decision. Many NVC Trainers and communities around the world continue to use Sociocracy locally, and the practice of Sociocracy continues to grow and spread worldwide. - Jerry Koch-Gonzalez

Outdated: The international NVC movement has recently begun integrating principles of Sociocracy with NVC. Our CNVC organization has begun using Sociocracy for Board/GCC meetings, and several regions of the world are creating Circles. This area on NVCwiki is for discussion of whether and how principles and techniques of Sociocracy might be added to NVC. Already there are many indications that this combination contributes toward more harmony and effectiveness in NVC groups and organizations. This wiki also has a Sociocratic Circle Area for Circles to collaborate, post minutes, etc.

Circles

The word "circle" is used in Sociocracy to describe a group of people using the sociocratic process as a strategy for ensuring everyone's needs are met. For groups forming or interested in creating or joining Circles, we invite you to participate in the Sociocratic Circle Area on this wiki.

Updates from Sociocracy Consultant John Buck

2006 - September 25 Update

Update on the GCC and development of sociocracy in the NVC community (as of September 25, 2006) The Global Coordinating Committee (GCC) has taken on the functions of what was previously called the CNVC Board, while adding a broader mandate. The idea for creating a GCC grew out of a special working session held with Marshall and Valentina at their home in Albuquerque last March. Other persons attending that session were: Jori Manske, Jim Manske, Stefan Wisbauer, John Buck, and Barbara Larson. Unlike the former board, the GCC will include delegates proposed by the NVC community from different regions of the world so that it becomes a voice of the whole community. The following report summarizes progress to date in creating the GCC.

Teleclasses

John Buck, Mitch Henrion, and Glenda Mattinson (certified NVC trainer) are offering teleclasses on sociocracy as a way to get training out to the NVC community more rapidly and less expensively. Two prototype teleclasses were held during June and July. Based on the experience with those classes, Glenda completely revamped the class materials. New 6-session teleclasses start on October 17 and 26 and are being offered through www.growingcompassion.org.

GCC & Sociocracy wiki pages

John Wiley has set up areas entitled “GCC Area” and Sociocratic Circle Area on the NVC Wiki for regional, area, or other circles to post their minutes and coordinate with each other.

SEA/O Delegate

Certified trainers in the South and Eastern Asia/Oceania region met by phone earlier this year and proposed Liz Gay as their delegate to the GCC. Liz has been serving on the GCC since June.

Francophile Delegate

Anne Bourritt, who was selected as a nominee to the Global Coordinating Council (GCC) from the Francophile region will be unable to participate on the GCC until 2007. An alternate nominee is being sought. The proposed alternate may be selected at a meeting in the Francophile region in September. Sociocratic consultant Gilles Charest will be supporting that meeting.

ENACC Delegate & News

Delegates selected by various local and area groups in North America met for the first time as the English-speaking North American Coordinating Council (ENACC) in August and proposed Jeff Brown as their delegate to the GCC. ENACC had its first meeting on Sunday, August 13. Jeff joined the GCC later in August. In its September 15 meeting ENACC selected a meeting facilitator, heard Jeff Brown's report, and began the process of assessing how it wants to develop itself. Some expressed concern that there was no opportunity to provide input about the format of the delegate selection process. One ENACC near term goal will be to develop a more inclusive selection process that ensures that participants will be better acquainted with each other.

UPDATE 6/25/07:

The ENACC disbanded in December 2006 and as far as I know has been inactive since that time.

-- Jeff Brown

Eastern Europe Liaison

At its September meeting the GCC invited Monica Reu to join it as liaison from Eastern Europe.

Deutsch (German) Update

Pieter van der Meche (sociocratic consultant from Netherlands) has been working with the German-speaking region to organize circles in preparation for selecting a delegate to the GCC - possibly at a regional meeting 4-5 October 2006. Per Marshall's request a project circle has been formed to coordinate his visit in 2007. Pieter is helping to incorporate this project circle into the circle structure that he has been helping to develop. Some voices in Germany have said that they do not think it is a good idea to select a delegate from Germany because it contributes to creating a hierarchy that they fear will start to accumulate power-over. Pieter is encouraging everyone to explore options. Jori Manske is planning to attend the October 2006 meeting.

Scandinavia Update

Annewiek Reijmer, (sociocratic consultant from the Netherlands) provided a training on sociocracy in Scandinavia, 16-17 September 2006. Jori Manske attended this meeting. The gathering selected Kirsten Kristensen as a proposed Scandanavian delegate to the GCC. She will not be able to attend the GCC face-to-face meeting October and will try to identify an alternate.

British Isles Update

Members of the NVC community in the British Isles are planning a training about sociocracy in Findhorn December 1-3. A number of NVC community members in that area have been meeting by phone and have discussed selecting a nominee to the GCC. The selection has been delayed due to concerns about inclusiveness. Mitch Henrion is supporting them.

Costa Rica Update

Juan Enrique Toro of Costa Rica is working to organize Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking members of the NVC community to select a nominee to the GCC.

Middle East Exploration

Jori has been working with the NVC community in the Middle East to explore their possible interest in further organizing.

Africa Update

Dunia Hategekimana, head of the NVC Africa project, and Mitch Henrion are planning a phone conversation about the possibility of forming a regional coordinating council for Africa and selecting a GCC nominee from that area.

Circle Structure Development

John Buck is assisting Jori Manske in building a structure of regional and local NVC circles. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about this process, please send them to Louise Romain at louise.romain@wanadoo.fr. Louise will compile them and provide them to Jori, John, and the GCC.

2006 - August 12 Update

Update on implementation of sociocracy (August 2006) All: Here is an update on implementation of Sociocracy as of August 12, 2006.

(1) Anne B, selected as a nominee to the Global Coordinating Council (GCC) from the Francophile region will be unable to participate on the GCC until 2007. An alternate nominee is being sought.

(2) John W set up an area entitled GCC Area has been set up on the NVC Wiki for regional, area, or other circles to post their minutes and coordinate with each other.

(3) Fifteen delegates to an as-yet-not-yet-met English-speaking North American Coordinating Council (ENACC) have been identified from around the U.S. and Canada. ENACC had its first meeting on Sunday, August 13. Jeff Brown was selected as as a nominee to the GCC.

(4) Pieter van der Meche (sociocratic consultant from Netherlands) has been working with the German-speaking region to organize circles in preparation for selecting a delegate to the GCC - possibly at the meeting 4-5 Octobe 2006. Per Marshall's request a project circle has been formed to coordinate his visit in 2007. Pieter is helping to incorporate this project circle into the circle structure that he has been helping to develop. One certified trainer in Germany and his wife have said that they do not think it is a good idea to select a delegate from Germany because it contributes to creating a hierarchy that they fear will start to accumulate power-over. Pieter is encouraging everyone to explore options. Jori is planning to attend the October 2006 meeting.

(5) Members of the NVC community in Eastern Europe have discussed the possibility of selecting a delegate to the GCC and a collective decision has been made to refrain from doing so at this time. Members are currently developing skill-sets (e.g. getting used to teleconferencing and/or sociocratic processes, finding ways to hook people who cannot afford international telephone charges into conference calls, etc.) that may allow participation in the future.

(6) A training is planned in Scandinavia 16-17 September 2006 that may result in selection of a delegate to the GCC. Jori will be attending this meeting.

(7) Members of the NVC community in the British Isles are planning a training about sociocracy in Findhorn in December. Several NVC community members have been meeting by phone and have discussed selecting a nominee to the GCC. The selection has been delayed due to concerns about inclusiveness.

(8) Juan Enrique Toro of Costa Rica has been working to organize Spanish and Portuguese speaking members of the NVC community to select a nominee to the GCC. I have not been contacted by anyone wishing to organize selection of a delegate to the GCC from other language/geographic areas: e.g., Middle East, Africa outside of the Francophone area.

(9) A Middle East Circle meeting is being planned for 26 August by teleconference. Jori will be attending.

(10) My associates and I are developing teleclasses on sociocracy as rapidly as possible as a way to get training out the to NVC community more rapidly and less expensively. Two prototype classes were held during June and July. Based on the experience with those classes, we plan to announce shortly the start up of new teleclasses in late September. - John Buck (with additions by Jori)

2006 - June Update

Update on implementation of Sociocracy (June 2006)

From the Representative for South & East Asia/Oceania - August 2006

Members in the S&EA/O Circle (formally established in May 2006) request clarity around the Board's intention/not to implement a sociocratic system INSIDE the US-registered 501c3 legal entity.

Members will also enjoy hearing what support, if any, the Board/GCC might be willing to contribute to those geographical areas that have yet to uncover the technological or financial resources that would allow them to participate in a sociocratic system.

- Liz Gay

From CNVC Executive Director - June 14, 2006

I am very excited to share one of the ways we at CNVC are developing opportunities for everyone who values NVC to be connected. Stronger connections within the NVC network have the potential to enhance significantly our ability to share NVC more widely, more quickly, and with more fun through increased coordination of activities, mutual support, and sharing of ideas and information. Through nonviolent "power with" governance and a representational organizational structure we hope to build connections which will increase the joy of cooperation, and contribute more broadly.

On May 10, 2006 after a period of open comment in the network, the CNVC Board approved the proposal to create a NVC Global Coordinating Council (GCC), which will eventually include regional delegates from all parts of the world, provide ongoing awareness of needs in the network, and contribute to devising effective strategies to support those needs being meet.

The current strategy is to form a GCC with initial delegates in the next few months. The initial delegates will have relatively short terms so that we can repeat the selection process later this year or early next year with a more inclusive process. The initial delegates will provide us with invaluable insights into what we need to consider as we design a process that will eventually include every person who would like to be involved. Liz Gay, selected from Asia Pacific became the first delegate to the GCC in May, and Anne Bourritt, has been nominated by the French-speaking region (including participants from Canada). Organizing activities regarding selection of GCC nominees are occurring in other language/geographic regions as well.

The initial delegates will be helping to develop ways to include individuals or groups who want to be involved (in selecting a nominee) to notify us of their interest, perhaps through our website.

We hope to then to have a process for connecting those individuals and groups with others in their geographical area (by telephone perhaps, as will be attempted in North America) to select a nominee from their local area.

A group of such local area reps will then select a representative for a larger geographic area. That delegate will then be part of a group selecting a delegate for an even larger geographic area. This process will continue until there are about five to ten people from around the world serving on the Global Coordinating Council.

To see more on CNVC organizational implementation of nonviolent governance since February 2005 go to: http://www.cnvc.org/sociocracy.htm and download attachment 3 in English or German

For more information on sociocracy and nonviolent governance, including organizational linking and decisions by mutual consent go to: http://www.cnvc.org/sociocracy.htm and download attachment 4 in English or German and http://www.sociocracy.info/about.html

In connection,
Jori Manske
Interim Director and Certified Trainer