Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: A brand new book about sociocracy

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Apr 5, 2018, at 11:56 AM, Jerry Koch-Gonzalez <j.kochgonzalez [at] 
> gmail.com> wrote:

> My colleague and I wrote a new manual about sociocracy. 300 pages of
> examples, diagrams, very practical advice. We assume this manual will help
> groups make a leap forward in their governance.
> 
> We just started taking pre-orders at a special price for 4 weeks. Table of
> contents, example pages and a sweet video of the two of us are all here:
> www.manyvoicesonesong.com

I encourage everyone to take Jerry up on this offer. This is a wonderful 
addition to sociocracy and sociocratic thinking. While We the People presents 
the history and theories that inform sociocracy today, Many Voices is more like 
a workbook in that it goes into the depths of circle interactions with many 
illustrations and examples.

Jerry has a long history working with social action and social awareness groups 
so Many Voices is informed by what he has learned and experienced. Those 
experienced with NVC will be very comfortable with his ability to put the two 
perspectives together. 

As someone who has been working well over a decade on diagrams that were clear 
and relevant. I am very happy to see the solutions Jennifer Rau and Jerry have 
come up with. The double link between circles, for example, is a real stickler 
— overlapping? Use triangles because they are easier to show overlapped? Use 
arrows going in opposite directions? Just lines?

These double-linked circles look like balloons snuggling up against each other. 
The necks of the balloons sit next to each other making the join. Not sure I 
have the words to describe this but there are many wonderful and refreshing new 
illustrations and diagrams.

Not only is it an excellent addition but Jennifer and Jerry bring new insights 
from community change groups that challenge the historical science and 
engineering base of sociocracy in business and government. It raises new 
arguments to invigorate the discussion and application of sociocracy.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines, Washington DC
Coauthor with John Buck of
"We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy” 2nd Edition
Print: ISBN: 978-0979282737
Digital: ISBN 978-0979282720
http://www.sociocracy.info