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Using CF for Writing Guidelines/Policy w/ Roni Wiener [16 Apr 2024]

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Description​

In this CF Coaching Call Roni coached Jocelyn on how to use use CF for writing guidelines based on initial questions about 1) how to allocate funding and 2) manage a youtube channel for an NVC organisation.

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Key points from the call​

Summary of things covered in this call:

  • Tips for framing the decision question
  • Who to include in decision making?
  • How to evaluate proposals when the decision is a set of guidelines?
  • How to plan a session that is a 'real play' (i.e. a real example, but not necessarily all the stakeholders present)?

A few key insights:

  1. Word the question "what guidelines will we use to allocate funding....?" rather than "what guidelines do we want to use..." Makes it clearer that we are actually making a decision to do that, rather than just think about what we want to do OR, can write a statement rather than a question: e.g. "we're going to create guidelines that...." and then "We want our guidelines to..."
  2. Often, especially in real life situations, rather than demos or trainings, the process is not linear. Sometimes we don't start with NCEs. Might start with proposals or even decision making if facilitator has a sense that there is a lot of alignment and a simple decision. Can always go back to gathering NCEs if it turns out to be necessary.
  3. When the decision to be made is writing guidelines, the distinction between considerations (NCEs) and proposals is even more subtle than when the decision is more concrete, (e.g., which car to buy).
  4. Help people understand the difference by offering examples, e.g. "we want our guidelines to be short and simple, easy to remember, not increase admin work for the Board"
  5. 'what do you want the guidelines to accomplish?' is often a more effective question for drawing out considerations than 'what is important to you' about them.
  6. Sharing power: often, people with structural power feel uncomfortable about sharing power, because they think that a decision may be made that doesn't work for them. It helps if they can accept themselves as group members, rather than separate from the group. Therefore, the decision needs to work for them as much as for everyone else.