We are used to thinking of governance as about decision making. However there is another model, that is of creating new choices and possibilities to the problems that there are. See this article that describes decision making vs choice creating in a facilitation process called Dynamic Facilitation. http://www.tobe.net/CC/choice-creating.html
Dynamic Facilitation and Open Space Technology both hold part of the keys to a powerful new politics and governance methodology for non-hierarchical organizations/collectives that moves beyond traditional consensus or majority voting methods.
In the Dynamic Facilitation method the facilitator stands by the whiteboard with four columns for solutions, concerns, data, and problem statements. When anyone speaks what they say goes into one of the columns. So what happens is that both problems and solutions are co-arising and being written down. Its a more non-linear proceess than simply stating a problem, coming up with a proposal that addresses that problems, and then making a decision about the proposal.
Hi Alpha… I wanted to comment that, from a gift-economy lens, what we are doing in Dynamic Facilitation is “receiving the gift” in each person’s perspective, contribution, concern, etc…
Hmm. interesting to view it that way.
In the gift-circle lens they could be gifting their contributions; also they are stating their needs when they say the problems.