WISDOM COUNCIL
Solving Complex Problems by evoking Collective Intelligence
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WISDOM
COUNCIL PROCESS
The Wisdom Council works as powerfully for one person facing
a complex decision relating to their work or their private life, as it
does to a group of 500+ needing to agree and prioritise the important actions
as they co-create the future together.
The CEO
of a major telecommunications organization stands in the center
of a circle of 500
employees. They are seated in ascending rings of chairs arranged
in groups of the eight colors of
the rainbow.1 “We are at a major crossroads in the life of
our organization,” he begins. “We have
a significant opportunity to take this division to a new level. This
is not going to happen because
of me. It is going to happen because of you. And as a result, I will
be able to play more golf.”He
continues, “I want this company of talented people to become
self-directed, self-motivated, and
self-organized. You can do it, take over this company! For the next
few days, we shall engage each
other in council to infuse new life into this company.” Within the ten groups, people organized into the eight units of the Ancient Wisdom Council. Called societies, each unit represented an energy of intelligence that contributes to the overall well-being of a balanced, healthy organization or community.(*) |
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Typically we work with groups of 5-50 over a one-two days for the Council followed by implementation.
Benefits of a Wisdom Council
- Avoids duelling egos
- Reveals deep insights
- Addresses deep conflict
- Connects hearts and minds
- Encourages system thinking
- Develops deeper relationships
- Avoids people fighting their corner
- Respects everyone’s contributions
- Releases the collective intelligence
- Generates over 30 recommendations
- Develops more profound understanding
- Heightens energy for progress or completion
This is the process flow:
Typical Wisdom Council Programme
Day 1
- Sit in circle and connect with one another using a Talking Stick
- Teaching of the Eight Perspectives of the Council
- Personal Wisdom Council privately exploring a personal issue
- Introduction to the formal process of the Wisdom Council
- Generating the question to take to Council
- Question Basket to gather all the questions
- Use 10 Stone process to select most important and urgent question
- Self-selecting to a Perspective sub-group or society
- Working in society to prepare feedback and recommendations
- Society presentations to the Wisdom Council
- Gathering the recommendation sheets for next steps action
- Work in task forces to craft recommendations into proposals
- Use Proposal Process to come to rapid agreement about what’s
needed ensuring that the needs of each individual are taken into account.
- Or Decision Making Council to explore a recommendation in more depth
- Action plans for moving forward
We also offer half-day and evening Wisdom Council experiences.
| “The Ancient Wisdom Council
is a deep process that enables participants to step back from the
pressures and demands of any situation and open their minds and
hearts to listen, to consider, and to source wisdom from deep reflection.
It begins with a question that the person, group, community, or
team surfaces that affects the well-being of the whole." Read
more WindEagle and RainbowHawk, Ehama Institute, from The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Shaping the Future, 2007 |
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Read sample Wisdom
Council Outcomes and What
our Clients Say.