New possibilities for Government
Here's a way government leaders can …
- Address and solve difficult public issues
- Involve and educate mainstream citizens
- Transcend partisan battling and elevate the level of public conversation to be collaborative and creative
- Overcome special interest domination by creating a political will for the "public interest"
- Build trust in government
- Build shared vision and values to improve government effectiveness
- Build the spirit of community … appreciate unique views and capabilities
Video presentation … How governments are using the process in Central Europe
Dr. Manfred Hellrigl is the Director of the Office of Future Related Issues in Vorarlberg, Austria and an expert in citizen engagement. In his 55 minute talk he is speaking to an audience in Sweden about the journey his office has taken through different approaches to citizen engagement until he discovered the Wisdom Council … "From Consumers to Citizens". Below is a ten minute excerpted version about the Wisdom Counci. It's better to see his whole talk.
For the entire 55 minute video see: http://streamio.com/api/v1/videos/4fd706bc11581e07c5008bd3/public_show?&streamio:tracker=global
Resources to consider:
- EXAMPLE: The mayor of Bregenz, Austria convened a Creative Insight Council to bypass the usual partisan bickering and get citizens involved in solving a hot public project in the middle of the city. This step allowed the project to proceed, although it was modified by the CIC in a win/win way … making it better for citizens, elected officials, and the developer. See the work of the Office of Future Related Issues in Vorarlberg Austria, directed by Dr. Manfred Hellrigl.
- IMAGINE: The Creative Insight Council could be used to End Partisan Gridlock on contested issues like "money in politics," "health care," or "the national debt."
- ARTICLE: "WISE DEMOCRACY: A strategy for involving the citizens, transcending partisanship, and solving impossible public issues" by Jim Rough.
- LETTER: Proposing this strategy to the governor of Washington State.
- INTERVIEW: Michael Lederer of OFRI (Office of Future Related Issues) in Vorarlberg, Austria, describes his experiences setting up Wisdom Councils (2/22/12)
Also, the Wisdom Council Process (WCP) can be used within government to improve quality of service.
- Employees within the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture initiated the Wisdom Council Process throughout their department that enabled substantive change and brought new levels of community to the organization on both sides of the mountains.
- The Director of the State Department of Licensing used a Creative Insight Council to involve thousands of employees in developing the mission for the department.
[Sleeker_special_clear]