January 2015 Update on CNVC Process for a New Future

SUMMARY: I offer some information on delays in the New Future process, and review what will happen next.

Dear friends and colleagues,

It has been two months since my last New Future update to the network. In that time I’m sad to say that I have not made as much progress as I would have liked. I’ve appreciated people’s interest in what has been happening, and am eager and hopeful that, with some new support, we’re nearly back on track.

There has been a fair degree of emotional intensity for me and others in navigating this phase of the journey. I want to acknowledge that as a means of including our humanity in all this. And, at the same time, it doesn’t currently feel life serving to focus on that side of things. I imagine that the delay of many months that were not originally in the schedule for the process may well have stimulated feelings in some of you as well. I regret any discouragement this may have engendered. I hope that you will, as I have, find ways to reconnect to the satisfaction of flowing forward in service to what we long to bring into the world.

HISTORY

I would like to share what has happened so far, including what has held me back from strong forward motion:

• In early June, it was agreed that I would step off the Board to focus on supporting the New Future process and that my CNVC staff role would be formally narrowed to reflect this focus. As the new Board formed, the terms of my temporary employment was extended to the beginning of September. 
• Over the summer, I supported the Synanim process being conducted in 4 languages, with 602 participants from 45 countries. There were 278 participants in the English process, 161 in French, 161 in German, and 5 in Japanese, resulting in four visionary statements of what our new future could look like.
• In the beginning of September, the Board ratified that they wanted me to continue to support the New Future process in a paid role. Over three months was spent clarifying the terms of my employment and working to achieve connection with the Board from my new position of not being on the Board. The situation evolved more slowly and with more challenge and less clarity than anyone would have liked.
• During this period, translators were translating the Synanim results to other languages, and I focused on next steps. As I reflected on the Synanim results, it seemed important to refine some nuances in the design of the New Future process. Most of my attention was on sorting out these design questions, rather than on taking more visible steps.
• Unfortunately, during this period, access to my primary thinking partner in designing the process was largely unavailable. In addition, clarity was lacking about authority to proceed in a satisfying way. Much of my effort has been focused on trying to achieve connection and shared understanding.
• In December, to support the New Future Process in moving forward, Barbara Larson joined me as a part-time volunteer New Future Team member. Barbara’s partnership has been much appreciated. 
• Together we are working to get clarity with the Board on how we can move forward with integrity, wisdom and respect, and hopefully fulfill the promise with which we all began this process last spring.

LOOKING AHEAD

Here’s what we are working on now, and what we see happening going forward:

• Identifying topic areas:
  • Based on the results of the Synanim process, we are working on a draft proposal for Working Group topic areas, in consultation with members of the community and the Board.
  • The proposed Working Group topic areas will be shared with the community and feedback will be invited.
  • We will look at the feedback results and propose revisions, and the Board will approve a final list of Working Group topic areas, which will be announced.
• Feedback on Synanim results:
  • In parallel to this, we will be finalizing a survey to gather feedback from the CNVC global community regarding the Synanim results and process. 
• Identifying Working Group members:
  • As the Working Group topic areas are finalized, we will be networking with members of the community to identify Working Group members, connect with people about their willingness to serve in this capacity, propose Working Group memberships to the Board, and solidify who will be in each Working Group.
• Preparing for Working Group launch:
  • Some preparation work will be needed to be ready to orient Working Groups so that they have clarity about what they are being asked to do and what support will be available to them in their work. 
• Working Group launch:
  • We are eager to get to the point where Working Groups will start meeting and working to make specific decisions about the future.
• Subsequent phases:
  • The Working Groups will elect an Integration Council which will ensure that the decisions of the Working Groups form a coherent whole. The Integration Council will in turn select an Implementation Council which will take responsibility for ensuring that decisions are implemented. The CNVC Board will also support the implementation, and may be replaced based on the decisions made during the process.
• Schedule:
  • We are working towards having clear milestones around schedule. We will share these when they become available. 

There is a lot to do. And, we hope that by the end of this year, through the New Future process, the community will have made concrete decisions about steps that will be taken to move us towards an organizational evolution in service to our collective longings.

I welcome any responses: questions, feedback, requests, offers, you may have and will do my best to respond as needed to support clarity, connection and movement together.

Respectfully,

Bob Wentworth

CNVC New Future Process Coordinator