The Quaker Pathways Forward - Rekindling the Fire of Fox Community of Practice presents, Dynamic Governance: Decision Making for Evolutionary Culture-building and 21st Century Quaker Relevance

1. Evolutionary Culture Design - Maximizing 21st Century Quaker Relevance
Quaker Pathways Forward- Rekindling the Fire of Fox, 2018

2. Dynamic Governance: Equivalence of voice,
influence, and agency.

3. Governance
 Organizational Structure: Circles
 Decision Making: By consent
Not agreement, but by “No objections,” “Good
enough for now,” “Good enough to try.” (Openness
to evolution).
In rounds.
 Evolutionary Culture-building: Feedback

4. Decision-making
PROPOSALS ROLES

5. Rounds: Equivalency of Voice
 It is important that everyone
speaks.
 If someone passes, the round
comes back to them at the end for
their comment.
 Types of Rounds:
 Information sharing
 Quick reaction: opinions,
amendment suggestions
 Airing of concerns,
 Consent,
 Closing announcement.

6. Round Process
 Clerk or facilitator names the aim of the
round.
 Each person speaks in a predictable order
so no one is keeping a queue (stack) or
thinking about whether to ask to speak.
 The clerk and/or facilitator participates as a
member of the circle.
 Each round is started in a different place in
the circle and goes in the opposite direction
of the preceding round.
 There is no cross talk when the round is in
process. The focus is on listening.
 5. Participants question or try to clarify
statements only at the end of the round.
 6. Each person speaks from their own heart
and mind, not in reaction to others or to
debate or argue with others.

7. Picture Framing
 Someone presents an issue.
 Participants use the round
process to identify numerous
dimensions of the issue.
 Each person consents to the
completeness of the
dimensions list.

8. Proposal Shaping
 Generate proposal ideas.
 Name parts of proposals that
correspond to each picture
dimension identified earlier.
 Organize ideas into proposals.
 Organize ideas:
 Select “Tuners” who shape ideas
concisely, into a manageable
number of proposal(s).
 Circulate proposal(s).
 Confirm that all dimensions have
been addressed in proposal(s).

9. Consenting to Proposals – I: Process
 Present proposal.
 Clarifying question round.
 Quick reaction round.
Opinions,
Suggested amendments,
 Make and articulate changes.
 Consent round, “no objections.”
 Closing decision announcement
round.

10. Consent Questions
 Does this proposal support the Circle and its members
in accomplishing the Circle’s aims?
 Does any one have a reasoned and paramount
objection to the proposal?
 Is this proposal within everyone’s range of tolerance?

11. Consenting to Proposals II: Objections
 Clerk, facilitator, or original
proposer amends the proposal,
and/or,
 Airing of Concerns Round leading
to amendment, and/or
 Threshing session leading to
amendment, or
 Refer to a Clearness Circle.
 Resubmit amended proposal for
clarifying question and consent
round.
 Add a “Dissent Minute” as needed.

12. Decisions About Roles
1. Define role, term, and
qualifications.
2. Distribute nomination forms to
everyone.
3. Members can nominate
themselves or another person.
4. Nomination Round: Everyone
states who they nominated and
offers reasons why.
1. Change Round: Having heard
about all nominees, everyone
has the option to change their
nominee and state why.
2. Clerk or facilitator proposes a
candidate based on what they
heard from circle members.
3. Consent Round: Candidate
answers last, stating if they
accept the role.

13. Evolutionary Culture Design - Maximizing 21st Century Quaker Relevance
Quaker Pathways Forward- Rekindling the Fire of Fox, 2018