Unleashing Transformation in 2 Days: Collective Decision-Making
Picture a dance-filled retreat where passion, purpose, and amazing results were in the air. That's what went down at a recent retreat I led with my wonderful colleague Jazmín Delgado-Shah for an incredible environmental justice group.
Their goal? Crafting a meaningful collective decision-making structure tailored to their team’s needs.
They had experienced a leadership transition after decades, and with the leadership of the new BIWOC executive director, the team felt empowered to express their vision for greater transparency and shared power in the organization. They had already gone through multiple trainings on collective leadership and were eager to start implementation. But they didn’t know how. 🌟
Acknowledging that the past retreats and training efforts were primarily theoretical, they craved real, actionable change. So, we dove deep into the waters of collective decision-making, turning theory into tangible action in just two juicy days. ⚡
The magic? 🌟
Together, we designed a dynamic, collective model that's now taking flight. We formed committees with three decision-makers each, choosing diverse and unconventional roles to share power and responsibility for crucial decisions (e.g. compensation and hiring). The team also started drafting a roadmap for consulting on or ratifying certain decisions. The organization underwent a remarkable transformation, moving from a handful of key decision-makers to empowering 16 out of 26 individuals in vital areas like compensation, hiring, and other key domains of work.
By the end of our time together, everyone was amazed by their accomplishments, and there was a sense of warmth, joy, and hope in the air. One person playfully joked about how smoothly things had come together, feeling almost like I had tricked them into arriving at such a seamless decision-making process. Others were impressed by the clear and practical plan we had crafted. Instead of just talking about ideas, they left with a toolbox full of actionable strategies.💎
Fast forward to post-retreat vibes, their decision-making teams wasted no time and dove right into action.They implemented and adapted their new team structure as well as the new decision-making flow. Energy and motivation levels soared, and gratitude filled every evaluation survey. 🚀
Shaping futures with organizations like this is an absolute joy for me. It's a blend of personal passion and decades of honed expertise, all coming together to ignite and guide transformative journeys. 🔥
Stay tuned for more on collective joy and transformation.