Minutes of the Board Meeting May 14, 2008

CNVC Board Minutes 05/14/2008 Meeting

In attendance

Board Members: Robert Gonzales John Wiley Valentina Rosenberg Margo Pair Marshall Rosenberg Jori Manske Gail Taylor Absent: Stefan Wisbauer
Facilitator: John Buck
Observers: Susan Livingston (Virginia, USA) Mair Alight (California, USA) Doug Johnson (Arkansas, USA) Faith Landey (Georgia, USA)
Recorder: Jason Mills

Administrative Matters

Announcements: (Margo) CNVC is currently interviewing bookkeeping candidates. Our prior bookkeeper was unable to return to work due to a family emergency.
Action Item: Schedule of board meetings: Proposed to keep board schedule as is, except for July (9 or 23) and December meetings. One member had problem with proposed dates. Margo handling offline.
November meeting in person—Nov. 13-16 in Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Acceptance of Minutes of April 23 Meeting: Minutes adopted with corrections.

Welcome & Discussion w/ potential new board members

Gail Taylor accepted an invitation to possibly become a board member. Per our request for any questions from Gail, she asks: What would other board members like to know about me? What would be the hopes and expectations from a new board member?
The board responded that each board member has differing responsibilities within the organization, so each board member answered individually.
Marshall: What are you doing now in terms of getting the NVC process out? Gail: Integrating NVC as one of six main pillars of “The Integrated Approach,” a method she uses in her coaching business. Because of this work, she was asked to spend a year with Integral Institute and Ken Wilbur. Spoke about NVC at 2004 International Coach Federation conference. Has been certifying coaches in her methods and branching out into online venues. Getting NVC to a more global customer base.
Marshall: He couldn’t be more excited, especially the connection to Ken Wilbur. CNVC needs people with broad awareness of other programs to integrate with NVC and he has always been impressed with her organizational skills. He asks, are you worried about the time commitment?
Gail: She is not worried; she only work four hours a week, and has plenty of time to offer to NVC. She would be willing to offer more than required if there were other little tasks to accomplish.
Marshall: He would like Gail to offer a course so he could get his workload down to four hours per week.
Gail: She would be delighted to offer that.
Valentina: How does she sign up for the time class?
Gail: View www.iwantmorebalance.com
Valentina: She viewed Gail’s web page and enjoyed her attitude of compassionately connecting with others, especially with the coaching. She’s also interested in Gail’s time schedule, and excited to learn how to work 4 hours a week. If she has additional questions, she will send an email to Gail or Margo.
Gail: She has no further questions for Valentina at the moment. She asked for contact information for additional questions. Margo will be happy to provide information.
John W.: He’s excited to hear ease, energy and sparkle that Gail brings. He wonders if Gail is aware of reorganization of CNVC that began a few years ago. Have you seen any documentation of the leadership team?
Gail: She has spoken with Stefan and seen old minutes and details about integration of sociocracy. She has not received many updates in the last month or two.
John W.: Asked in terms of her own vision, any more or less she would like to see CNVC doing?
Gail: She doesn’t know anything, but in terms of project implementation, no ideas. She has heard many stories and interpretations, some challenges with regard to movement and structures and processes for growth, and has concerns about current processes for expansion and depth of connection. She would like more information before expanding on ideas. No further questions, but would really like to have contact information for John W.
Jori: Enjoying getting to know Gail. What does she want to bring to CNVC? Gail: Doesn’t know enough yet about the needs of the board or CNVC, but has a big ego about all of her skills and talent. She is committed to supporting CNVC and bringing NVC consciousness into the world at large.
Jori: Any questions for me?
Gail: She would like to get to know Jori better.
Margo: She is looking for someone with a far richer understanding of NVC than she has—she considers herself a novice—and mixing that with a business that operates with integrity and operates in a way to nurture CNVC’s vision, mission, and aim. She wants strategic planning to help nurture vision and keep integrity with the business. One of her largest areas of concern is setting up an infrastructure for communication in an effective, timely, and joyful way. NVC has flourished, and the hardest problem is identifying who, how, and through what avenues to share information. Having the assistance of another business minded person for other options is important, along with a curiosity and ability to stretch boundaries. Any other questions?
Gail: She is grateful to hear depth of care and integrity. She might want to ask more questions offline.
Robert: He appreciated the ownership for what Gail doesn’t know, and her stating what she really needed was more information. Robert joined not knowing a lot and hearing many things 2nd or 3rd hand. He came in with a lot of questions he’d like to share. She has a number of skills and knowledge around organizational structure. The most important thing for any board member is the ability to consciously hold a vision and have that vision hold the highest level of priority. Also hold that vision in the context of what you can contribute to the organizational structure, and the ability to live that vision in her role as a board member. Does Gail have any response?
Gail: She feels both confident and proud of her skills and also humble. She wants her participation to be a gift to the board and the world, but also a gift to herself. She wants to embody her values in her gift to CNVC.
Robert: He would like to create a time in private to share experiences.
John B.: Asked if the board would like to make a proposal at this time to ask Gail to join the board.
Objections:
Proposal accepted with the understanding of a three month trial period.
Gail: Accepted the nomination with great gratitude and eagerness, and she is looking forward to getting to know everyone over the next three months.
Action Item: Robert agreed to work with Gail in her orientation to the CNVC board.

Financial Report

(Margo): Draft minutes with financial statements were distributed with the agenda for today’s meeting.
These are through the first quarter only. Still working on April due to family emergency with bookkeeper. Currently interviewing for new bookkeeper.
Total income has increased by 3.13%. Reduction in operating expenses in the following categories; rent, telephone, fund raising, and equipment rental, attributed to a decrease of 38.12% of total expenses compared to the same time last year.
Floor opened for questions: None.

Report on 2008 Certification Program Assessment Training & update on cert. process

(Marshall and Valentina): At this time, they have no new items. They are still working on receiving names for the NVC Certification Assessment Training in Stuttgart, Germany. They are continuing to get responses for training in the US in October, 2008. They don’t have many answers other than they are continuing to work to connect with current assessors’ questions and concerns.
Floor opened for questions: Nature of assessment training, curriculum, etc. Marshal working on training and curriculum. They are open for suggestions and feedback from previous assessors.
No further questions.
No further information from Valentina. If more comes up, she will contact through email or will provide at the next meeting in June. They are very busy with developing training material.
Question from an observer: Any updates or reports for those ready to be announced as certified trainers?
They have enjoyed announcing a few recently certified trainers, but would prefer not to give a concrete date for announcing others in the near future.
No further questions from observers.

Communications Committee Progress Report

(Robert): Robert asked that the proposal provided for review at the last board meeting be discussed and adopted or declined.
The proposal was discussed and amendments proposed: 1. That it be a paid position. 2. That there be a minimum of a 6 and 12 month review. 3. That it is combined with the GCC coordinator position. 4. That CNVC and the GCC are to locate additional funding outside the organization for the position.
An objection was made that facilitation skills be added to the description. All coordinator positions should be skilled in facilitation. Add parenthetically at I. B. 1. “including group facilitation.”

• The proposal was accepted with amendments as follows:
• 1. That it be a paid position.
• 2. That it have a minimum of a 6 and 12 month review.
• 3. That it be in conjunction with GCC Coordinator duties, with one person to assuming the responsibilities of both roles, with reviews as to effectiveness.
• 4. That CNVC and the GCC are to locate additional funding outside the organization to fund the position.
• 5. That “including group facilitation” be added parenthetically to I. B. 1.

I. Communication Coordinator position.

Overall job of coordinating the flow of communication within the organization and between the organization and the community.

• A. Roles and responsibilities:
• 1. Leadership Team Member
• 2. Creates and facilitates a Communication Circle
• 3. Clarifies, implements and revises a Communication Policy for recommendation to the Board
• 4. Provides an observer from the Communications Circle to the Board
• 5. Monitors that the Communication Policy is implemented in each CNVC circle, including that decisions of each meeting are shared
• 6. Obtains proposed agenda items before each CNVC circle meeting
• 7. A paid position with a minimum of a 6 and a 12 month review
• 8. In conjunction with GCC Coordinator duties
• B. Skills:
• 1. NVC Certified Trainer with well integrated NVC skills and consciousness (including group facilitation)
• 2. Organizational experience and background in a variety of information systems
• 3. Skilled in written communication.

II. Communication Policy recommendations:

• A. Pre-decision input (from NVC community)
• 1. Who is included for input is defined by the context of the specific issue/topic being addressed and who is involved or affected by the decision.
• 2. Needs, strategies, and any tentative proposal will be shared with the community segment involved or affected before final decision is made
• B. Post decision feedback (to and from NVC Global Network)
• 1. Whenever there is a decision made by any circle or an individual in any circle in the CNVC structure, someone from the circle making the decision communicates this decision to anyone in the community to whom it is relevant.
• 2. Observations and needs will be included in feedback.
• C. Create a mechanism or system to facilitate and implement the communication policy.
• 1. Determine and communicate whether and how responses to feedback will be addressed
• 2. Create a system of periodic review
• 3. Explore the strategy of a creation of the WIGO (What Is Going On) Project, enabling ongoing overview of activities, needs, geographic and topic areas.

Action item follow up

Hiring: Office Manager and Bookkeeper

Postponed due to time constraints of the meeting.

Selection committee for Media Coordinator

Margo requests input from board members on who could work on the committee to define the skills, experience, and duties of the media coordinator, and assist with being on the search committee.
Action Item: Margo is requesting input from Board Members. She will send an email to remind the board for feedback.

Other items

John B. asked for other topics that might need to be covered during this meeting that were not present on the agenda.
Margo asked if the board needed to vote for another vice president or is John W. willing to continue for an additional month?
John W. and the board agreed to extend his term as Vice President for an additional month, and John W. agreed to continue fulfilling the responsibilities of the Vice President position.
No further business.

Closing Round

• Susan: She is celebrating the work that has been done, and looking forward to next time.
• Jason: He requested the last names of all the observers.
• Doug: He would like to email comments to Margo, and also asked who has responsibility for finding funding for comm. coordinator.
• John B.: He stated that he is pleased with decision on comm. coordinator. He also reminded everyone that it helps to get into the conference a few minutes early.
• Gail: She was delighted about the process of the board meeting and thanked John for his facilitation. She is grateful and excited about her segue into board culture and thankful for the board’s confidence. She is grateful to support the board and her chance for three month trial period.
• Robert: He regretted being late to meeting, and was pleased with decision on policy and program. He is hopeful on the new communications policy and pleased that everyone else is onboard.
• Margo: She has a sense of connectedness and a calming joy of what has been accomplished today. She appreciates the effort and time people have put into to make decisions. She also feels camaraderie and appreciation of the board, and is looking forward to working with Gail.
• John W.: He is filled with appreciation, especially to the people who take time to join and participate with call, Robert for communications policy and recommendation, and Gail for her willingness to serve on the board and accenting facilitation skills in new position and theme of working in circles.
• Jori: She is happy with the facilitation and communication in the meeting, and she has a sense of moving forward. She appreciates the note taker, and that the communications coordinator is moving forward and she has hope in the amount of contribution that person will give to CNVC. She is happy that the new board member, Gail, and has already brought things to add to meeting. She also thanks *John W. for hanging on and supporting organization, and also thanks the observers.
• Marshall: Said he enjoyed having the meeting done and Robert’s proposal.
• Valentina: She is celebrating with great joy the effort put out today: John’s facilitations, proposal for communications coordinator, and the feeling of moving forward. She celebrates the “bubbliness” of Gail as music to her heart. She is pleased with John W. continuing to support CNVC. She thanked the note taker and observers, and thanked Margo for all her hard work.

Meeting concluded at 3:20pm MDT.
Recorded By: Jason Mills

Report from the GCC Coordinator
Report from CNVC Office
Report form Communications Coordinator
Envisioning Sandbox for Board of Directors