Forum

#OB Facilitation Working Group 2/14/12 2:30 -5:00 PM Laborers’ Hall
Present: Ronna, Penny C., Debbie C., Marcia L, Erin H., Jeremy T.

MINUTES

1. Managing Disruption in the large GA
There was much discussion around this around this subject and the very long GA on Friday 2/10/12 and how can disruptions be managed by the facilitating team. The following strategies were discuses:
• The facilitation team will decide after a “huddle” on the floor (to give GA time to consider what is happening) and which tactics below to implement.
• Do a temperature check
• Remind the GA about the covenants, best practices and safer spaces.
• Ask the GA “Is this good for the group?”
• Surround the disruptor with GA members – making sure not to invade the intimate space (3 foot bubble surrounding a person) of the disruptor (Jeremy has language from OccupyBoston that he will take to GA tonight)
• Go into small groups or 1:1 with the disruptor(s) to see if here is something they need.
• TAKE A BREAK – ask members to turn to a neighbor that they did not come with to talk for 5 minutes with the question “HOW IS IT GOING?” Then ask the GA “IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HEARD FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR THAT COULD BE A CONTRIBUTION FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP?
• This needs to be viewed as problem and solutions need to be found in order to keep the group moving forward.

2. Use of “Council” for getting group cohesion
Using a talking “totem” each person is asked to speak for a specific time holding the “totem”. When they are finished they pass it to the next person who may speak or pass. The rules are that: when speaking you speak from your heart and when listening you listen with your heart. There is no dialogue. A good theme to start with might be “What Excites You?”

3. Using an agenda.
We discussed how this facilitation team can make agendas for the GAs. The idea that it could be made ahead of time was a good goal. This would require better attendance at the Facilitation WG since this would be the group to set it up. IF not done ahead of time anyone wanting to be part of the FLOOR TEAM would come early, huddle and decide on a tentative agenda. Then ask the group for amendments and proposals. Having a week lead tie for proposals should help manage the proposals but there are still individual proposals that come from the floor. This should be asked before the agenda is approved.

4. Floor Team
Who are these people? How many do we need? Ronna passed a handout from The Camp Is The World It notes there are more than one person stacking, note taking and backing up the moderator. This may be more than we need as we are a smaller group than the article depicts. Occupy Boston has worked through many of these issues and we should review their site.

5. Running an Assembly. We agreed this WG is important to get more discussion and practice in this skill
The group agreed that it would be wonderful if a Friday GA could not have any voting issues but rather use the time as an experimental pursuit in beautiful consequences. Do Open mike – Again the question – what excites you? The process could look something like this:
• Floor team huddle
• Ask the group if there are any proposals and have them talk to the floor team then ask if they could postpone their issue for one week.
• Put the agenda on the board
• Ask for approval
• Have stack be people getting in line to speak or
• Council process with speaking totem or
• Small groups arranged in topics of interest

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday February 24 at 2:30 at Laborer’s Hall (This will supplant Finance and Coordinators until further notice)

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:00 pm

I usesd the term "totem" as a generality meaning representation of something. It can be anything - a stick, a rock, a feather, etc. Walter plans to bring a feather in case we can work this into tonight's meeting. This would have to be during a time when we were not working toward a decision. It will be explained at the meeting. Doesn't look like we have a place for a meeting tonight so we'll see what happens. Had the teamster's hall but not ADA accessible.

A couple people have been asking what Walter's original suggestion was. Does anyone remember? I was there when it first came up, but I don't quite remember. I'd rather not put words in his mouth regarding this concept, so, if anyone remembers or has a transcript of some kind, please repost. There's another thread in this forum regarding this subject where it was asked what he had said.

Thanks, man.