The Wisdom Council Process can facilitate the people of a city or community to get involved, solve hot public issues and build a new spirit of competence and trust in government. This process can be initiated by governments. But maybe better is for a community group, including governments, to set up an ongoing Wisdom Council Process for the community. Then the "We the People" of the community can provide overall direction to the city council, the port, the schools, the county, etc., depending on which issue is hot.
- Shift the public conversation away from argument to collaboration
- Help citizens understand the issues ... and their complexity
- Spark meaningful involvement from all citizens
- Realize better solutions to impossible-seeming issues ... build public support
- Generate new levels of trust in government and one another
- Help elected officials and staff feel greater levels of citizen support
- Empower citizens to a new level of "We the People" capability, taking take on the responsibility of leadership to the government, institutions and culture.
HOW IT CAN HAPPEN IN YOUR COMMUNITY (see the example now beginning in Santa Cruz county)
- Build a small cadre of people who understand this new-paradigm approach. Things usually begin with the 3-day “Dynamic Facilitation, choice-creating and the Wisdom Council” seminar held in your community. This seminar, which has been taught to rave reviews all over the world, provides new-paradigm understandings about modes of thinking, facilitation and approaches to whole-system change. In the seminar participants will learn and practice Dynamic Facilitation on issues they care about ... and make a plan. . The skills are vital leadership competencies, helping people face and solve seemingly impossible issues through shifts and breakthroughs. They can be applied to ones personal life, work life, and to “community democracy.”
- Build a small pool of community DF'ers. Often local participants who attend the seminars will choose to keep meeting, further developing their DF skills. This can provide community organizations with new and better meetings. It's a way to build community awareness about the desired quality of thinking ... especially the shift from "decision-making" to “choice-creating.”.
- Conduct a series of Community Wisdom Councils. At some point this DF'er community can work with the local government or a Community Foundation to convene Wisdom Councils on different issues.
- Facilitate “Community Democracy.” When Wisdom Councils are held regularly, every four months or so, this process establishes a new kind of public conversation, where citizens become more informed and involved, and where a legitimate “We the People” forms to provide clear direction to community leaders.