To step out of the assumption that mankind is “evil” and that people have bad intentions helps to really understand people’s motivation and intention. This means understanding on a rational but also on a heart level. If you reach a level of connection where your heart begins to warm to them that’s what it is. It is like putting yourself into the shoes of another person, role or societal group and not only knowingthis role or acting like this role but really to feelit. Understanding … Read more
Cooperation Dynamics Promoting cooperation instead of competition between individuals, groups and organisations, and across sectors.
However, the idea of a Solidarity Economy and the cooperative movement generally challenges this logic and proposes an alternative. Instead, the idea and logic is that cooperation can help us to strengthen the organizations and projects although it is important and necessary to design appropriate structures and dynamics to help this unfold. Design of structures for intercooperation at different levels: Reproductive Cooperation: are the dynamics of support that require us to share … Read more
Conflict Transformation Theory and Practice of Working with Conflict
Welcome conflict and embrace it as an inevitable part of human experience. See the other as yourself and sense the feelings and needs that underpin the outer expression. Create a sense of safety, possibly by bringing in a facilitator, in order to hold a bigger perspective and allow winwin solutions to emerge. Bring compassions to the conflict and see it as an opportunity for learning and deepening intimacy. Would you rather be right or happy? References: ● Exercise: Working with … Read more
Community Building A process to develop authentic communication in community
Scott Peck has identified 4 phases of group development and created guidelines for skillfully navigating these that culminate in an experience of a mature, authentic community. Once we know that going through, for example, phases of pseudocommunity, chaos and conflict, vulnerability and letting go of expectations, are necessary steps in the evolution of a group, we will be more willing to embrace them. The conscious practice of authenticity counters any tendency we might have to hide … Read more
Art of Hosting A way of harnessing the collective wisdom and selforganizing capacity of groups.
The Art of Hosting is an approach to leadership that scales up from the personal to the systemic using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the cocreation of innovation to address complex challenges. Different methods and techniques are framed under this umbrella that understands that the way of hosting is an invitation that makes a meaningful difference in the way that people and groups interact. Practitioners report improved decision making, capacity building and ability to … Read more
Social/Solidarity Finance Beyond Banks...
If traditional methods do not fit well with entrepreneurs who are in need of funding, what can we do? There are several ways to solve this need. We can use our network to request solidarity private loans at an interest rate of CPI or 0%. Or private loans at a market interest rate that is negotiated and which is sometimes organized as micro credits. Or we could become partners with a credit union that works with similar criteria to those of our organisation. This is a easier and faster … Read more
Social and Solidarity Economy When economy is at the service of the people and not vice versa
We can also experience the economy at smaller scales national, regional or local. And if we actually look at the etymological meaning of economy, from its ancient Greek origin “oikos” and “nomos”, we find it means “house” and “law or custom”. This leads us to an idea which roughly translates as "rules of the house”. We need an alternative vision of the economy based on people, whose wellbeing is the main purpose. At the same time, such an economy must be respectful of nature, … Read more
Personal Resilience Maintaining and Developing Personal Vitality and Wellbeing
It can help to see ourselves as composed of four different elements: earth, air, fire, water. These can be taken to correspond to different aspects of ourselves: Earth: The Physical Self – voice, position, tone, fitness Air: The Mental Self – mind, thinking, logic, strategy Water: The Emotional Self – feelings, rapport, empathy Fire: The Spiritual Self – vision, purpose, inspiration Building a daily or weekly practice that activates and exercises each of these four elements will go a … Read more
Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development A 5 Level Model for Planning in Complex Systems.
This five level model helps us to plan for success. By understanding the system within which we are working we can more clearly define what success looks like within that system. This allows us to be strategic, to develop tactics, tools and metrics. To rephrase: it allows us to understand the tools and metrics we need to carry out the actions required to be strategic, to achieve success within the system. References: The Natural Step, Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, … Read more
Feminist Economics & Economy of Care Putting care in the center of economy
A different way to look at the economy, in which the sustainability of life is at the center, and we think what jobs are necessary for lives of both people and other living things. An economy in which other welfare indicators exists that allows to decouple these from economic growth, and considers necessary a social transformation in which there is a redistribution of care tasks among all people and a consideration of the biophysical limits of the … Read more
