The Wisdom Council Process uses random selection and Dynamic Facilitation to facilitate a large system of people into the spirit of choice-creating so they can face and solve difficult issues together. It's a way to transform the culture where "we" feel empowered to manage the system. ... a new kind of wise democracy. As described in Society's Breakthrough ... it's a way to facilitate the people of the U.S. to come together as "We the People" and provide responsible leadership to government and the market. The Wisdom Council Process can be applied to all levels of system—communities, NGO's, cities, nations, networks, corporations, schools and even to the global system.
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Many experiments have shown that the process works. Two state governments in Austria have adopted the process (In German it's called a "Bürgeratte") into their constitutions. A national version was held in Germany in 2016. And the city of Berlin has monthly experiments. The benefit potential is immense. The costs are low and the risks are hard to find. Most objections to the process come from people who can't imagine it working. But it does.
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Dr. Manfred Hellrigl describes how his department OFRI in Vorarlberg, Austria uses the Wisdom Council Process
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Every three to six months twelve members of "the community" are randomly selected and brought together. They meet for a few days as a Wisdom Council. Each Wisdom Council is provided with or identifies an issue of vital importance, whether solvable or not. Then the Wisdom Council meets in private with someone skilled in Dynamic Facilitation for a short time. In that time they work together in the spirit of “choice-creating,” where they creatively and collaboratively achieve unity on how to address this issue. Then they present this perspective back to the community, along with the story of the shifts and breakthroughs they achieved in getting there. Everyone in the community or organization is invited to hear this perspective, reflect on it with others in small groups, and report his or her level of resonance. After the presentation and subsequent conversations it is generally clear that that most everyone is in sync, saying,"Yes, I think so too!".
Then in a few months the process repeats with a new random group, who can pick up the issue and carry it forward another step. Through this process the whole system of people gets involved to 1) make breakthrough progress on "impossible" issues; 2) build a new public conversation and sense of unity; and 3) transforms the system toward true democracy, with "We the People" asserting its rightful and wise authority.
Then in a few months the process repeats with a new random group, who can pick up the issue and carry it forward another step. Through this process the whole system of people gets involved to 1) make breakthrough progress on "impossible" issues; 2) build a new public conversation and sense of unity; and 3) transforms the system toward true democracy, with "We the People" asserting its rightful and wise authority.
More information
1) How is the Wisdom Council Process Unique? ... vs. the Citizens Assembly
2) Examples of the Wisdom Council
3) Who can use the Wisdom Council Process?
4) 12 Principles of the Wisdom Council Process
5) Special case: "Creative Insight Council" -- cheating is okay, but don't call it a "Wisdom Council"
6) Special case: "Society's Breakthrough" -- applying the Wisdom Council to Society
2) Examples of the Wisdom Council
3) Who can use the Wisdom Council Process?
4) 12 Principles of the Wisdom Council Process
5) Special case: "Creative Insight Council" -- cheating is okay, but don't call it a "Wisdom Council"
6) Special case: "Society's Breakthrough" -- applying the Wisdom Council to Society
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