Minutes 11/15/08 - Board Meeting with Regional NVC leaders - Part 2

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CNVC Board of Directors Meeting With NVC Regional Leaders Day 2 of 2, Saturday November 15, 2008 10:00 AM-12:00 Noon MST

In attendance:

Board Members:

Gail Taylor – Board Member
Margo Pair – Board Secretary
Marshall Rosenberg – Board Member
Robert Gonzales – Board President
Stefan Wisbauer – Board Vice-President
Valentina Rosenberg – Board Treasurer

Participants:

Anne Bourrit (Switzerland)
Barbara Larson (US – Washington)
Glenda Mattinson (Canada – Ontario)
Isolde Teschner (Germany)
Katherine Singer (Korea)
Louise Romain (France)
Martine Marenne (Belgium)
Nadine Helm (Germany)

Observers:

Georgina Forbes (US – Vermont), John Stevens (Canada – Ontario), Noam (Israel), Pan Vera, IT Coordinator (US – Vermont), Susan Livingston (US – Virginia).
Facilitator: John Buck
Notetaker: Elin Skappel


Announcements & Administrative Matters

  • The agenda for today: Strategies; how to achieve or move towards the goals proposed by the participants.
  • A spreadsheet that analyses and categorizes the issues and questions and opportunities addressed yesterday was distributed to the participants by email.
  • Afterthoughts and ideas were placed in the Google doc created for this meeting and also sent to Elin Skappel via email – this is attached to the end of these minutes.


Check-In

Gail Taylor: Grateful to have an opportunity to hear everyone's hearts.
Margo Pair: So glad that many are joining in on the conversation today, happy to get to work
Marshall Rosenberg: I hope the echo on the call goes away! I am here for the meeting.
Valentina Rosenberg: I am delighted to hear new voices and voices I've heard before and very connected to all that we are here to share and hopefully that we can continue to heartstorm strategies together so we can really feel included and feel like a team.
Robert Gonzales: I am looking forward to this call and feeling hopeful of the steps that we can make today
Katherine Singer: I am here and curious I am very happy to hear your voices and feel connected. It is two in the morning here.
Anne Bourrit: Feeling excited to be here but frustrated with the sound.
Barbara Larson: Good morning, I am excited again and grateful for everyone's presence.
Glenda Mattinson: I am also excited to be here and very curious of what we will learn from each other today.
Isolde Teschner: I am here, and happy and curious about what we will speak about today.
Louise Romain: I am happy to be here.

==Connectivity Issues: ==There were severe echo issues on this call, and the callers tried to resolve the issue by hanging up and re-dialing in, and then calling a different teleconference number. This only reduced the problem, and not all callers were able to stay on the call throughout the meeting

Strategies

John Buck
What I would like to hear from each of you today is strategies. You should have received a spreadsheet that analyses the issues and questions and opportunities that we addressed yesterday. This analysis includes in the right hand column a list of categories. There may be better categories but this gives us a place to start. So when you give your idea or proposal, please say what category or categories that you are addressing. So for example, you may say "I have an idea that may help us improve connection" - and then give your idea. If you have a different category name, then let us know that.
Are there any questions about these instructions?
Barbara Larson
Looking at the matrix I see a lot of interesting categories that we are sharing; regional centers and funding. How to use the internet to support. I would recommend, it looks like we are evolving into two organizations, like Brigitte mentioned in her email, a CNVC and decentralized network and an organization that supports Marshall and his trainings and his work. I would like to check out if that sounds true to other people, and to create a transition team. Looking at it compassionately evolve into two organization, one would be one set up with power sharing, concentric circles. And also a system of resource creation and sharing, both international and local. I think that would really create trust and creativity and fun. And for Marshall I think that would give him a lot of support and ease to be able to do what he wants without having to put a lot of energy into this international organization.
Anne Bourrit
I have a few ideas, first one regarding connection. A wording saying everyone matters.
I would like us to create a committee that would give access to people who do not feel that they are being listened to, to ensure their satisfaction.
Second idea is related to the wording staying connected. And I want to say that the french speaking network wanted to invite a representative from regional centers, to an event in Belgium. This would happen next year from 26 to 29 November. Maybe Martinne would say more. Regarding internet to support the community,
I would like if there is a committee to take care of that, that people from each continent and familiar with the realities of third world countries would be invited to participate. I would like to be sure that we take their reality into account when we speak about internet. Next thing is regarding funding. I would like CNVC to ask each certified trainer to speak in their workshops about this question. Until we find people wanting to help in a different way. But my idea to have each cert trainer to be responsible for that, not only a few persons. Next topic is inclusion: in my experience, this is coming in a very organic way, and I have no worry about the fact htat we are getting to more and more people, the question is rather to go back to funding. So I would like to stress my idea about funding, and inclusion.
Now I have come to the structure: I would like us to use the GCC document that was given a definition of what an original center is. That has been prepared in regard to the trainer fees, probably not released yet, but for me it is a very precise and well done departure for this question. So after the whole community agrees on what the definition of what an original center is, I would like us to make a list of the groups who are willing to become one, and choose a representative for each group/regional center. So that we can create a committee reflecting the community's autonomy.

Next one is regarding Marshall/global network. I can't see personally why that should be two different things. But I think that there is a lot of projections and fantasies coming from our community. Because there is a void in the sense that there were never any responses given either from Marshall or the Admin Team or the Leadership Team. So my wishes , idea for strategy is that Marshall/AdminTeam/LT, address this (?). If this is meaning of creating two different organizations or not.

And then my last point is about certification. I would like the CNVC coordinator and CNVC Ed Svcs prepare a number of proposals to be submitted to all certified trainers, and I would like if that would be possible to be done during the first trimester of the next year. Proposals about different ways to make the certification process and be more with more autonomy to specific regions.
Katherine Singer
I'd like to talk about training for trainers. Trainers can become more and more efficient in sharing the training but them themselves need more deepening in the process, so I would like to see CNVC set up some training with trainers, maybe by senior trainers, offering them regular classes, so they have some place to go to deepen their own individual process.
Next, regional centers: I would like to have some more clarity on what is the relationship with regional centers and the CNVC, in the legal, financial and other matters. That's all for now. Thoughts on what the relationship should be: between CNVC and regional center, that can distinguish it from different, other organizations and also financial agreements, I do not have a specific but I would like CNVC come up with some clarity on that.
John Buck
Katherine do you have a proposal? On Funding..
Katherine Singer
It's a little complicated becsuase most of the regional centers will be run by trainers who are already paying training fees, so need to think about it a little more thoroughly before I can say anything on that.
Martine Marenne
I would like to see the financial network and the way the finances in the network would be used. My suggestion is that we create a new monetary system that is specific to our world-wide network. This money could be called the money of "us". This would represent the work and energy invested by individuals and groups of individuals that would benefit the entire network. So it would be different money from Dollars and Euros. So this would allow people to participate in the courses and activities that we propose in a way that is different from Euros and Dollars. I am very happy to elaborate on this idea another time.
:Another idea is to create courses specific for certified trainers. We have observed that in the French network the economic activity goes on outside the network itself.
:So our proposal is to re-integrate these courses for the trainers in the network. Another idea is to create training workshops for the trainers who are in certification. So the idea is not only for the French network , but to transmit the knowledge in accordance with Marshall's teachings and included in this training is the spiritual dimension of the CNVC
:Social Change: And the possibility on working together on projects. Using sociocracy within the French speaking network has revealed the difficulties we have had in communicating.

Another idea is that there would be a collective team of people who would finance someone who specifically goes out to find projects. Another proposition is to create a worldwide network, to share worldwide network experiences within the world wide network on certification. Within the French network several people have tried to document the difficulties with the certification process, and define certification in terms of objective criteria, to define the path and accompany people who are on their way through the certification process, and to define the role of the mentor or godparent of the person in the certification process. And we would like to see this document shared so we can have a common basis on what is happening. The common part is the responsibility of the meeting team at a world wide level. Working for the representatives for the regional networks, and certification process into work is the responsibility of the regional network.

Gail Taylor
My strategy ideas are focused on prioritizing extended co-creation globally. Hopefully we'll attend easily to the top two concerns I have noticed in the document seemed to be regional centers and power sharing, but I believe it may attend to much more. First strategy idea is: a CNVC International Committee towards communication and inclusion. This committee/circle would be made up of one volunteer representative (community selected reps) from each group or area to be represented. Maybe there would be several representatives from one geographical area if they each wished to be representateed individually. This would preserve regional autonomy while including their voices. The International Committee would also include one representative from the GCC to represent GCC interests on behalf of GCC. This person would contribute GCC perspectives, concerns, and decisions for inclusion and transparency. The purpose of this International Committee early on, could include: 1.) collecting regional concerns and proposals so that we can increase inclusion and power sharing. Another purpose could be 2.) to collect input on best community development practices from the globe, from around the world. We can use this to design and offer a template to the world that can be used by new groups. The template would be designed to support groups in a.) formation b.) sustainability questions and c.) to support groups connecting to the greater community. One representative from this International Committee could be included in the GCC to represent the interests of the International Committee. This person could contribute concerns, proposals, and decisions from the International Committee to the GCC on behalf of this International Committee to increases inclusion and power sharing. Topics that this committee could begin might include: a.) information sharing to and from the committee b.) heartstorming strategies for funding and sustainability for regional groups c.) heartstorming strategies for "shared vision" on CNVC

community d.) creating proposals for the regional growth template (to provide ideas, not requirements). I imagine this International Committee, together with the internet website initiatives we saw yesterday, could contribute to the topics of: global trust, transparency, everyone matters, staying connected, information sharing, shared vision, decision making and funding. This strategy does not in my opinion sufficiently represent the concerns of certified trainers/candidates and connection to cert trainers as a unique interest group. So I imagine another committee specifically representing cert trainers concerns, proposals, and decisions in the same format. One representative from this Trainers' Inclusion committee would be included on the (GCC or educational circle) to represent concerns, decisions and proposals on behalf of the Trainers' Inclusion group, and one member from the (GCC or ed circle) would participate in the Trainers' Inclusion committee, representing concerns, decisions and proposals on behalf of the GCC. NOTE: These strategy suggestions presume a basic understanding of the ease and process of sociocratic circles to collect concerns and proposals for shared decision making. Maybe some support to train in this understanding would be useful.

Isolde Teschner
I am very happy from what I have heard from Anne Bourrit and Martine. I understand French better than English and was able to understand a bit more. My major point is decentralization. I would like that we follow more on decentralization. So that the regional centers have more meaning and can make decisions on their own. If they can develop autonomy and their own processes and can also reflect on their cultural needs, then they can be precise in the regions of their own countries authentically. And from my experience this is the way that nonviolent communication connects with people in their individual situation in their individual countries. And therefore NVC can gain traction and aliveness in the specific countries. At the same time it is really important that the regional centers work together with the CNVC, mutually and eye to eye. And that we each support each other with a concept of faith. Funding/financial relationships: I think that the fees that the certified trainers have to pay every year need to be divided, some of the money to CNVC and some to the regional centers.
Stefan Wisbauer
At this point, nothing to add.
Margo Pair
My heart is warmed as I hear so many ideas and strategies suggested. It is warmed because it is obvious that care and sharing in NVC with integrity is what each individual who spoke, and those they represent, is a value we all share. The evolution of the NVC movement is what brings us to the meeting today, and identifying how can we support each other. What agreements are we willing to enter into as we continue to share nonviolent communication with those who are curious. My strategy is with starting today, to listen and understand what you are sharing and to keep it into consideration as CNVC develops its strategic plan. Acknowledging and working with individuals, work groups and regional centers, or organizations, is the infrastructure I wish to help support, and we build together in shared responsibility and decision making.
Marshall Rosenberg
I would just like to say that I like very much some of the suggestions that have been made. Especially identifying some of the specific groups that we need to be sure are part of the decision making processes.
Valentina Rosenberg
I will add with what Marshall was saying, but first, I am really celebrating everyone's strategies, ideas and the quality of how everyone's really participating in a dream come true here, just to be able to communicate as we are communicating. I am also in congruence with some of the wonderful strategies that I've heard here, and the beauty about this is that the Educational Services Team is also in congruence with some of the many things that were said, we have been working really hard with all the meetings we've had for the last months and it is wonderful to see that we're all pretty much on the same page about it, that's a celebration. Because I am confident as we evaluate from the trainer contracts, registration, all the contracts that we have with the certified trainers, that together as a team we will be able to come to some resolutions so that all our needs can not only be valued but also met. Because one thing I trust at this moment is that our needs are the same, we have just been using different strategies and have not been communicating as deeply as we are in this moment. And again my gratitude for all of us and you, that we are presently present right now, sharing our hearts and heartstorming strategies for the highest good of all concerned.
Robert Gonzales
The only thing I haven't heard, that is of utmost importance, is for us to continue what we are doing right now. I specifically would love anyone in this room or who is listening to provide specific solutions for the technical difficulties we've had so the ease of connection is supported. I do want to say something, while it is not specific, the second main point has to do with - in harmony with many of the strategies I've heard from Anne and Martine and Katherine - the topic of autonomy with regional centers, different cultural groups and the interdependence in relationships with the whole. So here's the specific strategy - I would like those from individual regional groups to define their needs and strategies that would serve autonomy. I would also like the same people to define the needs and strategies that would serve interdependence. I would like all groups, circles, teams, to engage in the same activity.
Glenda Mattinson
I have enjoyed the wide range of strategies, I am intrigued to see this, and wanting to provide some awareness of strategies that are underway, i.e. clarity about where there are groups and what they do, which is under construction, it is something that the webmaster and I, under the Admin Team's supervision, have been working on, and I am working with this spreadsheet that I saw just recently.
In terms of one of the questions that was commented on early on, Marshall/global network, I see no need to choose between the two. I believe we are most powerful when we work together.
Another piece I would enjoy is to build with the work that has been done, by the GCC and the groups that have worked to connect into GCC Circles. We know there is much more to be done, much more inclusion, and again we would like to work with the global network.
The one other piece we've been exploring, between NVC communities, we absolutely want to be inclusive, and what we have called NVC workgroups, which are groups of people who choose to work together because they find it easy and fun to produce results that are meaningful and satisfying in sharing of NVC and the mutual supporting of one another. and I think it is very clear that we need to build our fundraising skills on multiple levels. I don't have specific strategies but I believe by connecting to the needs that NVC helps to meet, would be a key to helping people understand the value of supporting this work and this movement and those who share it.
Stefan Wisbauer
I listen with great joy, admiring the quality of translation - amazing! Secondly I heard a lot of the comments, not all of them, strong need for connection, sharing, distribution of power, confused by the term, but the desire to co-create equally is very clear. And the reflection I want to share is the journey I see us on, when I first met Marshall many years ago, one of the first things he told me, he and Gary would not speak for months, and we have come such a long way, including Valentina into the equation, moving from California, Marshall's schedule, new tech on website, reconnected Marshall with the center itself, and somehow created a more functional center. I see so much opportunity to use these tools even better, evolving the structure and the process, the last thing I want to see is that the pain of the past makes us go in different directions.
John Buck
We are at the end of the call, it was shorter than I wanted because of the issues with technology. I would like to invite everyone to send further thoughts to us, particularly today as the Board will try to make sense of everything we've heard. So please send those thoughts by email to Elin at the following email: adminsupport@cnvc.org . I am particularly interested in suggestions about how the meeting could be run even more effectively in the future. In addition to other ideas or proposals about strategies. Again many, many thanks to Nadine for your translation, to Elin for all the typing I saw her shaking her fingers a moment ago, to Pan for his help with technology, Louise for your help with translation, and for everyone for taking the time to participate with us.
Gail Taylor
And to John's patience with technological mayhem this morning!
Margo Pair and Valentina Rosenberg
We want a joyful end!
The Participants Singing - Zie est beautiful!

The meeting was convened at 10 AM MST

The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 Noon MST

Further Thoughts placed in googledoc and/or sent to Elin Skappel via email

A: Ease In Connecting, How the meeting could be run even more effectively in the future:

From Anne Bourrit:

To respond to John’s question about how to improve meetings like the ones we just had yesterday and today, I’d say that my preference would be to alternate meetings where we have a sense of the internationality and the expansion of our network (like what I experienced during the first part of our conference call on Nov. 14: the priority is put on connection during check-in and then only one single topic is being dealt with) and meetings with much smaller groups (selected for example by language – it would save the time needed to hear a translation which doesn’t concern all); the same questions would be asked to each of these smaller groups. Then everyone would receive the transcript of what has been said in the other groups.
  • In the global meetings we would focus on needs like connexion, togetherness, inspiration, mutual support in realizing how many of us are committed everywhere, etc.
  • In meetings with a much smaller amount of people, we would focus on ease, effective use of time/energy, clarity and empathy, etc.


From Noam:

I would prefer talking, as it is easier for me to connect and explain, but I will try to do it via email, and hope for the best.
Regarding conference provider I would suggest to move to talkshoe, the current provider freeconfrencecall has European numbers, but they are extra cost numbers i.e. high toll.
I am able to provide experimental free skype access to talkshoe + 1800 i.e. US toll free number.
Pan know all the details.
Regarding translation, I would suggest that using the upcoming NVCmessenger any transcription taken down, will be automatically translated into different languages via goggle translation service.
Another suggestion is to have simultaneous translation i.e. the translator will only be heard by the one they translate to. and communicate with the group via chat.
I'm not sure, I was able to clarify my suggestions, let me know if you find them understandable?
Warmly,
Noam


From Louise Romaine

An idea for more ease during conference calls IF people can call in at

the same time as having a screen in front of them:

for exchanging information in a written format:
translation could be done simultaneously in writing via instant

messaging like on Skype so everyone is also logged on a Skype conference call with sound off

English-speakers get translated into various languages via IM

and non-English languages get translated into English

Can forsee that speed might be more of a problem and I imagine there

are ways to signal that to speakers...

Admiring your patience with technical hitches during the call today...
Warmly,
Louise


B: Other feedback, strategies, etc.

Proposal from the French-Speaking Network (via Martine Marenne):

1. Review our financial and economic system

Our intention is to position the Worldwide Network in a dynamic of offering of services and/or trainings for the service of the community :

  • Creation of a special currency for the community (the WE’s), which recognize the investment of our members, a group for the benefit of the community. For example, translation of document, participation to workgroup on certification,…
  • Creation of a programme of continuating education for certified trainers, supported by the Worldwide Network (Marshall, Robert Gonzalez, Anne Bourrit, enz.)
  • Creation of a education path toward certification inside the WN, and not outside it (New way to be together, way to finance the community)
  • Creation of an Institute (education place which guarantees the transmission of the process of Marshall)
  • Initiation of new projects supported by the WN with the social change as objective, and assuring their funding (by the creation and the financial support of a team of investigation of concrete projects)

2. Proposal to cocreate an common education path to certification

At the moment, such a path doesn’t exist at least in the French Network: several trainings are given outside the Network. We suggest to elaborate a common definition of the certification (including the spiritual dimension, the commitment to social change, and a commitment to the CNVC network).

  • What is the sense of the certification (reflection done by the RF-CNV, and ready to share)
  • Definition of it with concrete objectives
  • Definition of a education path (accompaniment of a group of candidates, during f.ex. 3 years, in the name of the Network)
  • Define the role of godfather and godmother in terms of commitment (elaborate a specific training for those persons)
  • Assure continuating education of certified trainers.

Concretely, set up a schedule for all those different points and organize the time of meetings and exchanges. A lot of documents are already available and we are ready to offer them as a base for the thoughts.

3. Create a circle of pioneers to train other networks

Those pioneers could support proximity circles, for ex. French Network supporting German Network and rec.


Fundraising Ideas : (From Barbara Larson)

1) Our team (PSNCC) invested in the Benevon System,

a mission driven, sustainable, relationship based fundraising system used successfully by The Freedom Project and very successfully by BayNVC. http://www.benevon.com/

2) We also came up with a fundraising system a few years ago

that we haven't yet tried. We called it NVC-in-Action, and Pan might have some recollection of it. It could be implemented and integrated at the regional and international levels. It's mission driven and passion driven, and includes education and support for creating and implementing powerful, successful projects including:

support to create a working project team,
support to define observable/measurable ends,
support to create a budget,
support for how to manage a project,
support for synergizing with other projects/people,
and support to write up the project details so that each project can attract funders who are excited about that particular project.
At the regional team level, each team who wants to would have a fundraising circle whose service would be to administer the Regional NVC-in-Action Project, (NVC-in-Action is itself a funded project,at the regional and international level) If the project were international in scope, it would go to the International (CNVC) NVC-in-Action Project, and would attract international investors.
This is a brief description, and if anyone sees any possiblities with this direction, we can dig into our files and share more details. And, it does need more work to figure out who makes what decisions and how, and how the local and international fundraising would complement each other.
3) Doug and I have been creating and implementing a

fundraising system for trainers and local teams that involves nvc trainings.

We support a community organization (usually a non-profit)

to organize a 1 1/2 day NVC Intro, which we provide. We also provide templates of PR ideas. That organizing organization invites other community organizations to participate by inviting their members,board,constituents, & supporters to the Training.

The organizing organization receives 30% of the total $$ donated

by all participants in the training. Each participant indicates which organization they would like their $donation to go to, and that organization receives 50% of their donation. The training team receives 20% of the total training income, and can donate what ever they want of that to their local team.

Some benefits of this as a fundraiser is not only the generation of money,

but the NVC education/inspiration received, the authentic connection of members of community non-profits, and the widening circle of nvc influence.

4) Of course, making people aware of ways

they can contribute at each IIT and NVC training in a systematic powerful way.