The Wisdom Council: 12 Principles

1. The WCP is CHARTERED by “We the People.” This is a paradox since there is generally no "We the People” in existence without a WCP already in place. However, just an ordinary group of people can initiate a WCP. In time this may generate widespread interest, unity, and a symbolic voice of “We the People.” This voice can charter the WCP until it is made official through an Amendment to the Constitution or some other means.
2. Each Wisdom Council IS A MICROCOSM of the whole system. A Wisdom Council is a randomly selected group of twelve people from the system. It’s not self-selected, elected, or appointed. Nor is it a stratified sample. Each person speaks only for him or her self and does not represent any subgroup like a particular sex, race, religion, special interest, or geographical area.
3. Each Wisdom Council selects and frames the issues it addresses. This level of empowerment is essential if the Wisdom Council is to ultimately express the perspective of “We the People.”
4. The process is NON-COERCIVE. No one is required to be on the Wisdom Council, nor does the Wisdom Council’s results have any official power. This process is entirely safe, just adding a new whole-system, creative conversation.
5. The thinking process is “CHOICE-CREATING.” Choice-creating is different than dialogue, discussion, deliberation, debate, problem-solving, etc. It’s where people face important issues collaboratively and creatively evolving unanimous, thoughtful conclusions. Dynamic Facilitation assures “choice-creating.”
6. Each Wisdom Council determines a UNANIMOUS MESSAGE. With enough time (at least a day and a half in this case) Dynamic Facilitation achieves this naturally. The message has three parts 1) A new framing of the issue; 2) A solution strategy; and 3) A group story of how the group achieved these results.
7. The WC message is presented in a COMMUNITY MEETING. All people in the system are invited to hear the presentation and participate in the meeting, which is face-to-face and via TV and the internet. Once the Wisdom Council finishes its short presentation, all are invited to participate in small group conversations.
8. The COMMUNITY REFLECTS. During the community meeting, people are given the chance to express the level to which they resonate with the Wisdom Council’s message. All can see the extent to which everyone is together on this issue.
9. The community engages in a follow-up WHOLE-SYSTEM CONVERSATION. Between Wisdom Councils people consider the message, the process, and the actions required. They evolve ideas and plans forward. Support for this conversation may include internet conferencing, Insight Councils on specific topics, Open Space meetings for government responders, and small group dialogue networks.
10. The WCP is ALL-INCLUSIVE. If everyone knows about the Wisdom Council and that he or she may be selected, attends the community presentation, and continues to converse about the issues, then whole-system unity can evolve. Everyone is invited to participate. Its power comes from everyone realizing that practically the entire system is in unity about a chosen issue.
11. The WCP is ONGOING. Periodic Wisdom Councils continue indefinitely. To the extent everyone pays attention, it is a structural addition to the system that can be initiated by any group of well-meaning citizens. In time, this process should be formally added to the national system as a Constitutional Amendment. A committee comprised of former Wisdom Council members can manage it.
12. The WCP is safe. The WCP makes no direct changes to the existing system. All change happens voluntarily through normal channels like elected leaders, government, corporations, foundations, nonprofit organizations and individual actions. Systemic changes emerge when all of us sense together an important need for change.