Seeking unity
Eoin McCarthy writes about finding wholeness and upholding differences
Are Friends ready to share our experience outside Friends? Since the 1990s, the best-led organisations in Europe and North America have invested time, resources and imagination in developing their abilities to manage and lead. Efforts have focused on developing the individual capability of senior managers, and those being developed to become senior managers.
In more recent times, those working in this field have noticed that when their carefully nurtured charges actually do work together in groups, the conduct arising is not often what was hoped for. Now it is being more widely acknowledged that the outcomes of decision-making work – the quality of decisions and the effectiveness of follow-through on, and stewardship of, those decisions – is a messy affair, influenced by many factors, in addition to individual disposition.
As the consequences of group decisions are often significant, this nearly always matters. Preparation; interpersonal interactions; quality of venue; sense of urgency; group expectations; use and abuse of power; motivations (conscious and unconscious) – all have a bearing on what happens.
As Friends practising decision-making in our Meetings for Worship for Business, we are well aware of the usefulness of our discipline, and of being Spirit-led. At our best we do not shirk from investing time to ensure that we come to a Meeting for Business with heart and mind prepared, ready to seek to work with heart and mind as one, open to the leadings of the Spirit.
Arising from this approach, British Quakers have had an influential role in the development of what is modern British public policy. Between the years 1700 and 1900 a significant number of Acts of Parliament had their origins in contemporary Quaker concerns: many current notions of equality, welfare, social justice and transparency have been Friends’ practice long since.
Quakers in British academia now report an upsurge of peer interest in Quakers’ track record in and practices of decision-making. In response, between May and September this year five public meetings have been held across the country on this subject, with up to 103 people attending.
‘Exploring decision-making through Quaker Business Method and other models’ is the title of the forthcoming Quakers and Business Group’s 2017 Annual Conference. This will focus on how to make better business decisions by being more efficient and effective in how we run our business meetings – wherever these may be held.
The day will start with participants engaging in a decision-making session using Quaker Business Method. Participants have three opportunities to work in teams of five on a decision that one participant is engaged with. There will be briefings and conversation, in a plenary session, on values and discernment with Joycelin Dawes and Ruth Steinholz. There will also be a variety of workshop sessions during the day. In the plenary session participants will explore working with a ‘Whole System, Whole Self’ approach and the event finishes with feedback and considering the next steps forward.
‘Exploring decision-making through Quaker Business Method and other models’ is on 5 December at Friends House in London.
Further information: https://qandb.org/qbc17
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