Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Process cards

[Sheila Braun (sheila.braun]

At Champlain Valley Cohousing (Charlotte, VT) we don't use process cards. In
sociocracy as we practice it, when we make a decision and "do a round" to
see how people are thinking & feeling about it, we like to make eye contact
with each person. A card is the same no matter who is holding it, but a face
is unique and that makes each person's input unique. A participant might say
"no objection," with a shrug, with a sigh of relief, or with a rueful wince.
The same with the statement that one does have an objection. An objection
must be accompanied by a "reason," or explanation why the proposal doesn't
operate properly within the bounds set for it in our overall structure. Any
reason stands not on its own but is integral to the reasoner.

The cards are quick and convenient, but we feel that they offer these
advantages at a cost that we would rather not pay.

Sheila
www.champlainvalleycohousing.org
(802) 862-8657

----- Original Message -----
From: "Geraldine Hughes" <GeraldineHughes [at] xtra.co.nz>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 11:38 PM
Subject: Re: [C-L]_Process cards


> I also am really enjoying this thread, so much so that I decided to make
my
> first contribution to the list!
>
> We use the coloured cards at all our Full Group Meetings, which are
> generally held fortnightly.  Some of our task / focus groups use them too,
> others not.
>
> Personally, as one of our facilitators in Full Group Meetings I think the
> cards work best when most people are familiar with them and this takes
> practice and it also requires the whole group to be willing to use them.
> When we first began it was certainly frustrating, figuring out which one
to
> use in order to say what and more so to be able to remember who's turn to
> speak next it was!
>
> We began using them when I think, there were about a dozen of us meeting
> regularly, and we had each meaning written on each card plus a large
poster
> for the wall.  This poster became a hassle as it was often forgotten and
we
> relied on it for new people to be able to follow what we were doing.
>
> Now when a new person comes to a meeting we have an A4 sheet with the
chart
> for them to follow.  As far as usage, we found that practice really does
> make perfect!  well easier anyway.
>
> Of course there were and are still, though not to any great degree still,
> members who preferred not to use them.  That required the facilitator to
be
> quite stroppy with non-users and eventually we all use them.
>
> It was certainly easier to begin with that the group was smaller and I am
in
> favour of the cards being used in smaller task / focus groups as its an
> easier often less threatening place for newer poeople to practice.
>
> Being way down here on the other side of the globe, and also the first
coho
> group in NZ,  I also love the idea that other cohousing groups are using
> this method of running groups.  It's part of what makes me feel as though
> I'm connected to the wider network.
>
> Geraldine Hughes
> Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood
> in-residence-for-4-months
> www.earthsong.pl.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Maggi Rohde" <maggi [at] intranet.org>
> To: "Cohousing List" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 3:01 AM
> Subject: [C-L]_Process cards
>
>
> >
> > I am really enjoying this conversation on group process!  Thanks to
> > everyone who has contributed.
> >
> > Those of you who use the colored process cards in your group: could you
> > speak a bit about your impression of these?  I am assuming they are not
> > really needed before a group reaches a certain size.  I like the cards
in
> > theory, but would like to hear about the practice.  Thanks in advance!
> >
> > Maggi Rohde, Children's Librarian
> > Canton Public Library, MI
> > maggi [at] intranet.org
> >
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>
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