[greenbuild] A Participatory Organization
- From: Laurietodd@xxxxxxx
- To: greenbuild@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 08:37:15 EDT
Hi again,
I created this document last year around the same time as the one on Green
Architecture. THe point was to describe the type of organization I hope to
do my work within. The idea is to create a structure which brings out the
best in people and is fun to be a part of. To quothe Harrison Owen, who
developed Open Space Technology; "Making people do things they don't want to
do is a bummer". Of course, being on the recieving end of "management" is
even worse!
Todd
A Participatory Organization
My goal is to participate in the creation of a collective whose mission is to
offer services which enable people in Tompkins county to live a sustainable
lifestyle.
- Focus on the built environment.
- Operate primarily in Tompkins county.
- Be up and running within 3 years.
Not negotiable - I'd rather not invest my time in the creation of an
organization that doesn't have these qualities:
- Mission - The mission of the organization would be the bottom line.
Finances would be managed so as to uphold and continue the mission, profit
would not be an end in itself.
- Decision making process - in order to bring out the best ideas and benefit
from the most profound commitments of the members, decisions will be made by
consensus, but authority will be weighted toward those who will implement
decisions or be most directly affected by them. If consensus fails and a
decision must be made, a vote can be taken on the basis of one member one
vote.
- If significant capital is needed, interest can be paid on investments at a
fixed, limited rate, without voting rights. Contribution of capital must
never override the will of the workers
- Transparency - all information will be shared openly and actively with all
members and the general public.
- Personal Development - We will seek to understand the motives, gifts, and
needs of each member and in order to bring out their best.
- Open Collaboration - we will work with other organizations, coops,
businesses, individuals and institutions that share similar goals and
interests. We will include Users, Builders, Financiers, and Municipal
Authorities, and Other Designers in the design process.
- Growth - we will advance our mission by actively sharing what is best about
our organization with anyone who is interested.
Negotiable:
- Small enough to function effectively as a consensus based, non hierarchical
organization, about 3 to 12 people. Maybe there could be smaller teams
within a larger more loosely defined group.
- Income from activities will be returned to the members in the form of
hourly pay and yearly patronage refunds in proportion to hours worked. Pay
will be equal on the basis of hours worked, including participating in
planning processes (management).
- Services we could offer include:
- Participatory design
- Sketches, presentation and working drawings
- Information, education and training
- Consulting
- Cost estimates
- Network building
- Construction
- Education - we will continually learn and share ideas about :
- Design of sustainable environments, structures, materials, landscaping,
patterns, building technology.
- Urban and regional planning
- Economics, economic justice, cooperative principles
- Community
- Organization - Open Space, Appreciative Inquiry, Consensus
- The relationship of Faith and Philosophy to sustainable living
- Information technology, CAD, Internet
- Political constraints and opportunities, Building codes
- Legal structure, whether it is cooperative, for profit, or non profit,
will be chosen and modified to best facilitate the goals of the members.
Other related posts:
- » [greenbuild] A Participatory Organization
