BEYOND EMAIL: HOW TO CHOOSE TOOLS FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

BEYOND EMAILHOW TO CHOOSE TOOLS FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

A WORKSHOP BY ME, DANNY@PEAKAGENCY.CO, FORTHE WESTERN WORKER CO-OP CONFERENCEIN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIAON 9/21/2015

ASK A FRIEND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PARTICIPATED IN MAKING A COLLECTIVE DECISION? HOW’D IT GO?

GOAL/AGENDA• TOOLS ARE JUST TOOLS• CASE STUDY: ADOBE BOOKS• THE TOOL USE MAP• MAPPING EXERCISE• INSIGHTS IN THE ROOM

SOME MEETINGS NEVER END

MOST EMAIL DOESN’T HELP

IF WE STOPPED ALLMEETINGS & EMAIL,COULD OTHER TOOLSGET THE JOB DONE?

FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, THINK HOW ANY GIVEN TOOL CAN

FACILITATE FAIR PARTICIPATIONAND “FAIR” IS WHAT MEMBERS DECIDE

CASE STUDYDECISION-MAKING IN A BOOKSTORE

MEET ADOBE BOOKS:• A COMMUNITY CENTER• A CO-OP BOOKSTORE• AN ART GALLERY & RESIDENCY• 2 WORKER-OWNERS NEAR FULL-TIME• 12 WORKER-OWNERS @4HRS/WK• MANY VOLUNTEER MEMBERS

THIS IS THEIR TOOL KIT:• 1 BOARD MEETING PER MONTH• INTERNAL EMAIL GROUP• LOOSE COMMITTEES• EVENT CALENDAR• LOOMIO®

NEW LIGHTING NEEDED?• MAJOR COST• LOOSE PROPOSAL• EVENTUALLY INSTALLED!

TABLING AND CITY POLITICS?• RISK OF AFFILIATION• EMAIL LED TO MEETING• PASSED NEW CO-OP POLICY

HERE’S HOW THEY MAKE IT WORK:• PEOPLE WHO SEE POTENTIAL SPEAKS UP• A CONCRETE PROPOSAL GETS TRACTION• MEMBER ENGAGEMENT DEFINES PROGRESS

THE TOOL-USE MAP TWO QUESTIONS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

FOR SIMPLICITY, LET’S SAY EVERYTHING BEFORE A DECISION IS SOME FORM OF

DISCUSSION

EACH DECISION HAS SOME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE,ITS RELATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE GROUP

EACH DECISION HAS SOME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE,ITS RELATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE GROUP

AND, TO REACH ANY DECISION…ALL DISCUSSION HAS SOME LEVEL OF INTENSITY,THE INTERACTION REQUIRED FOR FAIR PARTICIPATION

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

INFORMED?

INVOLVED?

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

WITH A FRIEND, TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR MEMBERSHIP ENGAGES IN DISCUSSION AND DECISION-MAKING. PUT A FEW POINTS ON THE MAP.

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

??

?

HOW DOES YOUR MEMBER ENGAGEMENT LOOK?

RESPONSIVE (IDEAL)

X

X

X

REACTIVE SATURATED SUFFOCATED

MEETINGS

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION

❤❤❤MEETINGS

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

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MEETINGSEMAIL

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

•

DOCUMENTATION

COLLABORATIVELY EDIT WEB CONTENT AND SITE STRUCTURE, PLUS TRACKING AND ACCESS LEVELS

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•

MEETINGSEMAIL

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

• •

TASK MANAGEMENT

CENTER CONVERSATION AROUND TASKS, WHICH YOU CAN ASSIGN, SCHEDULE, AND MODIFY

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• •

MEETINGSEMAIL

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

• •❤

DISCUSSION

CHAT AND SHARE FILES IN REAL-TIME, ORGANIZED BY TOPIC, PLUS PRIVATE GROUPS AND DIRECT MESSAGING

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• •

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MEETINGSEMAIL

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

• •❤

❤❤

DECISION-MAKING

ASYNCHRONOUSLYSTART PROPOSALS, SOLICIT FEEDBACK, HOLD DISCUSSIONS, AND MAKE DECISIONS

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• •

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❤❤❤

MEETINGSEMAIL

IMPORTANCE OF

DECISIONINTENSITY OF

DISCUSSION❤❤

• •❤

❤❤

❤❤❤

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

ELIMINATE MOST EMAIL? MAKE MOST MEETINGS MOOT?

ASK YOURSELF:WHAT JOB DOES WHICH TOOL GET DONE BEST,AND WHY?

COFFEEKEEPS ME AWAKEWITH CAFFEINE (I ❤ MEETINGS)

IMPORTANCE OF DECISION

INTENSITY OF DISCUSSION

HOW CAN YOU (RE)ORGANIZE YOUR TOOLBOX?

INSIGHTS● GET CLEAR ON FAIR MEMBER

PARTICIPATION● FOCUS ON DISCUSSION AND

DECISION-MAKING● CHOOSE TOOLS THAT MAKE

IT EASY TO INFORM AND INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO CARE

● WHAT ELSE..?

DANNY@PEAKAGENCY.CO