Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing-L Digest, Vol 232, Issue 24

[Earthlink Heidii (heidinys]

I can offer what we, at Cantines Island, have had in place.   For perspective,  
We spent about about seven years in development,  and moved in twenty five 
years ago.  Our calendar has evolved quite a bit over time as needed.  A few 
years ago we went from two meetings p month to one.  And to cover the situation 
described,  we also penciled in a second meeting p month,  to keep in mind as a 
possibility if needed.  It has been a number of years and we may have used this 
back up meeting once in all this time.  Still, as you know,  scheduling a 
meeting is not simple.  As of now we have dropped the potential meeting on our 
schedule——  but after reading these notes,  may re-instate it for 2024,  to 
have the time available if needed.  

Warm best
Ruth J Hirsch
Cantines Island
Saugerties, NY

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Date: Sat, 27 May 2023 10:29:10 -0400
From: Dem Steve <dem.steve [at] sociocracyforall.org>
Subject: [C-L]_ Sociocracy Q and As: How can we make decisions between
        meetings?

Each month, Sociocracyforall.org hosts an intentional communities
?Advocates? gathering where members from dozens of sociocratically run
communities can share their questions and solutions with each other, about
building, running and supporting intentional communities. Here is a recent
question and some of the responses offered at the Advocates gathering.
Interested to hear your thoughts and ideas. Click here to read the
Advocates forum
<https://forums.sociocracyforall.org/c/communities-of-practice/intentional-community/14>
.

How can we make decisions between meetings?

Q.  Recently, something important came up right after a meeting ended. What
are your ideas for making decisions sociocratically, between meetings?

A.

*In our community*, we attempted decisions via an email thread and found it
polarizing and problematic! Now, we don?t make decisions between meetings
but we do plenty of  preparations, like sending out  proposals for people
to review beforehand.

*A clear and simple proposal* could be consented to on Google docs, with
questions and comments made there. Be sure to set a specific time frame for
people?s responses.

*Apps like Loomio* provide platforms for clarifying questions, reactions
and consent.

*We don?t make decisions* outside meetings or through apps. In our
community we?ll call a special meeting so we can decide together. In my
experience, there is no substitute for live dialogue

*The size and complexity of the decision* matters, and who is making the
decision matters. Is it the whole group or a certain circle? Complex and
important decisions should happen in meetings. If the decision is in the
domain of a role holder then they have authority to take action without the
consent of the group.

*We decide simple things* outside meeting time - like deleting redundant
documents. When there is a decision that will likely inspire a lot of
thought we have feedback/information sessions before our meeting so people
can hear the proposal. This helps us shape and refine the proposal for the
meeting and our process tends to go more smoothly because of it.


------------------------------