Facilitate a We the People conversation that generates shared solutions to our most pressing issues

Our current system is based on the idea that good collective decisions arise from a competition among self-interested parties. But increasingly we face collective problems that require a spirit of cooperation while embracing individual wisdom and expression. Implementing Wisdom Council processes at local, state, and national levels would facilitate a “We the People” conversation where all of us can identify, evolve, and co-create solutions to our most pressing issues in partnership with government.

The Wisdom Council process is seemingly a lot like other citizen involvement processes. However, it offers the possibility of systemic change that all of us support in a way that is similar to our founding experience.

Every four months a group of twelve citizens is randomly selected from a list of registered voters in the community (city, state, or nation). Each "Wisdom Council" gathers for three days or so, chooses the issue to address, and is "dynamically facilitated" (www.DynamicFacilitation.com) to achieve unanimous perspectives. Following their meeting, the Wisdom Council presents its conclusions to the community in a State of the Union-type ceremony. The "Wisdom Council" then disbands but everyone in the community is invited to visit about the results in face-to-face and web-based conversations, and through social networks and informal reflections.

For example, a Wisdom Council could frame issues and generate solution strategies for other citizen involvement processes to explore, such as those mentioned in the idea proposals: “Use randomly selected Citizen Deliberative Councils to tap the collective wisdom of We the People” http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2971-4049, “A National Citizens’ Assembly to represent the people’s wisdom” http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2535-4049, and “a Citizen Councilor Network: Scalable, Manageable, and Measurable” http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2895-4049; or through Creative Insight Councils, which are similar to Wisdom Councils.

The aim is to involve all of us in one, ongoing, collaborative conversation about the issues that matter most, where we talk creatively and, over time, reach intelligent, shared conclusions. That is, with the Wisdom Council process in place, we can speak in an empowered way as "We the People," establishing shared perspectives, a clear vision of what we want, and realistic strategies for change.

The most important feature of the Wisdom Council process, which distinguishes it from other approaches where randomly selected citizens are gathered to address issues in the name of all, is in the quality of talking and thinking it facilitates. Some processes rely on deliberation where, for example, people are given the topic of health care, with proposed solution options and balanced information. They carefully weigh the options and vote on which they prefer. Other processes rely on dialogue, where, for example, people explore topic of racism, telling experiences, sharing values, and transforming their views. Still other processes focus on negotiation, or problem-solving, or consensus-building as the desired way of talking and thinking.

The Wisdom Council process aims at “choice-creating,” where people identify and address the most pressing issues, think about them open-mindedly and open-heartedly, and seek shared outcomes that will work for everyone. Unlike our normal political decision-making processes, choice-creating relies on individual expression and uniqueness to explore the full complexity of issues and reach conclusions that work for all. Diversity is an asset. Dissonant or minority views can be safely expressed and heard, which in turn, allow us to generate more complete and innovative solutions.

In our experience to date, people resonate with the work of the Wisdom Council. So when the Wisdom Council presents its conclusions at the end of three days, the usual reaction of the rest of the community is to concur, essentially saying “We think so, too!” Because the Wisdom Council is not given its topic but chooses its own, “the People” are in the driver’s seat. And the process is ongoing instead of being finished when the topic is completed.

For more information: See the book, “Society’s Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People” (www.SocetysBreakthrough.com) The Center for Wise Democracy (www.WiseDemocracy.org) is a non profit organization has many articles and videos, and has helped interested citizen groups learn about this process and experiment with it in Victoria BC, Oakland CA, Pleasantville NY and other cities. Arising from these experiments the government of the state of Vorarlberg in Austria is helping organize Wisdom Councils in that region, where citizens become involved in solving difficult problems. In 2010 a prominent nonprofit organization in the country of Armenia will begin the first national trial there.

Why Is This Idea Important?