WhiteBoard on Agenda for Seattle in November


 

Agenda for Seattle TelAVision gathering in November

 

Statement of intention (proposed):

Our purpose is to inspire humanity to envision and co-create a world that works for everyone.

 

 

Proposed Location:

The preference is to hold our gathering at Whidbey Institute in Clinton, WA. Alternatives being looked into include Harmony Hill, Storyhouse and Aldermarsh. Other potential locations are welcomed.

 

 

Proposed Dates:

A three-day gathering is preferred, probably Friday through Sunday. November 8 – 10 seems to be a popular weekend and we may not be able to get our preferred facility. November 16 – 18 looks better. November 30 – December 2 is also a possibility. George and Sheri will work together to explore possibilities and use Meeting Wizard to find the optimum dates. Everyone on the project list will be able to state their availability and preferences. There are 22 people on the list currently.

 

Proposed Agenda for the upcoming November meeting in Seattle

We noted that this plan is subject to feedback and input from the group as a whole, and should remain flexible in order to allow cosmic forces and the unknown to emerge. We will attempt to stay in “explorer” mode. The final agenda can get fleshed out in Seattle at the gathering, but the more we can align on the flow in advance, the more efficient the meeting can be (noting that efficiency is not our highest value).

 

 

Basic Flow

1) Relationship Time: Re-connect with each other and with new members.

2) Discuss, clarify and agree on our common Vision, Intentions, Purpose and Mission. (Facilitator: ___)

3) Inquiry Time: Utilizing SOAR Analysis with the whole group: Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results. (This is a new-story variation on the old-story business process called SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.) Brainstorm each item, and create a list of all possibilities. (Facilitator: George) Two articles on SOAR are listed under the files section of our group hub.

4) Specifics Time: from that list, create specific goals in each area (topic) with timelines. Create an action list from the goals. Individuals volunteer to take responsibility and be accountable for making things happen. How will we measure success? The ultimate goal may be to create a complete business plan, or at least the beginnings of one. (Facilitator: George)

5) Topics to Cover (general areas of discussion, need, and focus):

- Technology – the platform and infrastructure (we noted that technology is integral to each other topic, not isolated or on its own. This team will work closely with each topic group). Web 2.0, television, cable, other public media and broadcast outlets. Making “making” a video very simple and easy.

- Organizational Structure and Governance – Legal and accounting structures (Non-profit vs. for-profit? Management structure, decision making structure, Board of Advisors, Board of Directors, methods, future governance, etc.

- Funding – fundraising, sources, rules of engagement, private/public foundations, sponsorships, etc.

- Alliances and Collaborations – how to work with others who have mutual goals and intentions, and on what basis. Also, enhancing relationships between people on the project and like-minded others. What other groups and initiatives should we reach out to? Who should we invite in?

- Training and Community Building – Training ourselves as speakers and evangelists (VizAngels), training and supporting the makers of videos, etc. Includes outreach to potential makers across communities.

- Promotion and Distribution – called “Explosion,” how to scale it up, take it public, get attention, multiply its effectiveness, publicity, advertising, media, broadcast channels, plumbing the collective intelligence, etc.

- Content Management – including copyright issues, deciding “appropriateness” standards, working with photographers, artists and musicians for access to their work.

- Future planning and ongoing management and support—How will operations be managed? What is the growth path? What ongoing support do we provide to video makers? How to instill a sense of community among makers and viewers? How can we move people into action to create this future? How do we live into our own collective vision and purpose?

 

 

Other ideas, questions, and comments:

To begin with, we want to connect and deepen our bonds with each other. Should we invite others in from outside Storyfield at this time? We could form a new collective with outsiders. This may (or may not) affect how deep we can go together.

How can we support the people that will be making videos, tapping into the real kernel they want to present in the world, and tapping into their creativity? We want them to be able to give birth to their most artistic expression. High quality = high impact. How can we support people in doing that?

 

22 people have expressed interest of some kind and are on the Telavision list.

 

How does this project connect into the larger social field? What’s the sense of community we’re creating? Where do we get people into action> What is the next level beyond individual vision videos? How do we move it into the mainstream? Can we support organizations to create Vision Videos, based on their community conversations. What would be the collective process for doing a vision video?

 

To move people into action, we can provide a connection function for people who share the same vision, so they can meet, like MeetUp. Jim Ruff, founder of Dynamic Facilitation and Wisdom Councils in communities, shows that people can have an impact on public and government policy making.

 

We want to each make our own vision video and share them with each other. We need to build depth of experience inside our own relational field. Should we create our collective vision video of the project? Malcolm will come to the gathering and help us with our videos.

 

George and Malcolm already spent time creating a strategic plan together. It includes ideas such as developing a web / television program; getting celebrities to do vision videos to develop credibility; train VizAngelists – vision angels – to help people create their videos (such as young people helping non-techie elders); an email strategy; plan for winning over photographers and musicians to get free content; a speaking & seminar plan to train people how to talk to people about the project and like evangelists, get people involved.

We need drop-dead-simple software for folks so making a video becomes easy, and so people can support others in doing a video. This builds a supportive community.

 

As a media company, we could accept donations, which could help us play their vision videos on media around the world. We should have a sophisticated ability to track the placement and viewing of the videos. They can be watermarked with technology from Activated Content (Seattle).

 

How can people prepare for the upcoming gathering? First, through this proposed agenda, which everyone can look at, see the topics we’ll be discussing, and choose areas of interest in advance. At the beginning of the gathering we want to build on our relationships first, do inquiry second, and know that we could restructure the agenda based on what emerges. This is an open exploration process. We’ll see whether the agenda stands, and makes sense at the time, or we can move into other areas or topics. We need to stay aware of what is emerging.

 

Lion will type up these notes, put them onto the whiteboard on Basecamp, and George will post them on the Storyfield Wiki.

 

Notices will go out about our upcoming phone meetings and our gathering, and will include these notes. We’ll ask everyone to read them before the meeting.

 

It would be a good idea for someone to coordinate the 5-question answers into one document, either a spreadsheet or a summary.

 

Remember to use a process to connect us at the beginning and end of each meeting, including meetings by phone. Lion will facilitate tomorrow’s phone meeting and will add the connecting process before and after the phone meeting.

 

 

Note to Participants: Please feel free to add to these notes or correct them in order to make them more accurate.

“Because of the interconnectedness of all minds, affirming a positive vision may be the most sophisticated action any one of us can take.”

~ Willis Harman