Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Governance Consultants

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Apr 6, 2015, at 9:05 AM, Richart Keller <richart.keller [at] gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> I am thinking that we should be
> seeking management approaches rather than "governance" systems--that
> governance is inappropriate for cohousing communities.

Please keep this discussion on the list. 

In fact these are not different if well done. Consensus is only a 
decision-making method. Sociocracy is a comprehensive method for organizing 
operations and governing the organization. 

Management as a concept is fading. In sociocracy they are considered to be the 
same. Leadership, and leadership on the part of each person is the key. 
Planning and project completion is more and more a collaborative effort with a 
leader. 

In sociocracy, the team decides in policy decision-making meeting show the 
leader will lead. This is a consensus decision. 

On a day to day basis the leader leads fairly autocratically within the team's 
policy decisions. If there isn't a policy to cover the situation, the leader 
makes a decision but discusses it at the next policy meeting to confirm or 
change the decision in the future.

A policy is a decision that covers future behavior. We will..... In the future 
lumber will only be stored in the workshop, inside. For meals, a lead cook will 
be designated to improve efficiency and safety.

Operational decisions are in the moment, short term. Do this ..... Put the 
lumber over there. You cook the pancakes and you cook the bacon. Put the hot 
dishes further to the back of the counter.

That involves everyone equally in the process of deciding how they will live 
and work together, and still implements the efficiency of clear 
moment-to-moment leadership in operations.

I recently read Six Simple Rules by a consultant at the Boston Consulting 
Group. He said collaboration is the key to success without increasing 
complexity. The manager has to "enforce collaboration." Conflicting concepts 
here.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Sociocracy: A Deeper Democracy
http://www.sociocracy.info