Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Board Structure

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Mar 15, 2007, at 12:13 PM, Megan Cain wrote:

>  We started to discuss our board structure and realized that our 
> by-laws set up a very traditional board with President, VP,
> etc.  We are interested in possibly having a more cooperative model.  
> Maybe co-chairs with rotating duties such as facilitation, notetaking, 
> agenda planning etc.

The sociocratic view:

Titles do not determine that a group is not functioning cooperatively. 
Lack of titles does not ensure cooperation, either.

The titles represent functions and tasks that need to be completed if 
the group is to accomplish its aim. Since these are all functions and 
tasks that the group needs completed as effectively and productively as 
possible, the best person for each of these roles should fill them. 
When the focus is placed on how best to accomplish the aim, this 
becomes clearer. What is the aim of the board?

The president/chair/facilitator has an over all leadership role and 
facilitates meetings. Some groups do rotate facilitation because 
everyone wants to learn facilitation but if this is done, someone still 
has to take a leadership role between and during meetings to keep the 
over-all decision making of the group on track. In the case of a board, 
the leader should also be well versed in the laws that the organization 
has to meet like the condo law or LLC laws, depending on how you are 
structured legally, and the bylaws of the organization. This doesn't 
mean autocratic authority but knowledge and skill in understanding and 
ensuring compliance so the organization doesn't trip itself up legally.

The VP, if any, is back up and should work closely with the P so there 
are no gaps in leadership.

The secretary/logbook keeper fulfills the administrative duties by 
keeping track of agenda items, scheduling and arranging meetings, 
keeping the logbook of minutes, policies, bylaws. etc. This is a very 
important function and rotating it is simply chaos. Usually it just 
doesn't get done in all its fullness when rotated. Taking notes in the 
meeting is a small part of this job but is usually treated as if It IS 
the job.

The treasurer should be (or become) an expert on the organization's 
financial affairs. Rotating this function will surely deep-six the 
organization -- certainly a cohousing community.

Each of these roles requires different skills, temperament, interests, 
and available time. Not everyone can or wants to fulfill these roles 
but they can still be essential and responsible members of the board. 
Boards make decisions or guide the decision making of a group. That is 
their job.

What establishes and protects equivalence in the group and ensures 
harmonious and collaborative functioning is consent. Each member has an 
equal right to present arguments for and against a decision, and to 
withhold consent.

Routinely doing rounds maintains equivalence. A round gives each person 
an opportunity to speak and/or to express consent. Each round starts in 
a different place in the group (Mary doesn't always speak first) and 
each person speaks for themselves, not in rebuttal of someone else.

Rounds alternate with free discussion and dialogue but in sociocratic 
groups rounds predominate. Groups become very efficient at rounds so in 
the end they take far less time than one might expect.

I hope this helps to think about functions and tasks and collaboration 
in a different way.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
http://www.sociocracy.info