addingthemissingconversation.org

Adding the Missing Conversation (theamc.network) focuses on tackling society’s greatest challenges through meaningful, open and facilitated conversations to unite and inspire people to bring about real change. It empowers independent groups by providing a learning field for wise democracy skills and facilitating a dynamic, solution-focused dialogue through a transfromative process.

AMC offers various resources and training opportunities, including seminars and workshops on Dynamic Facilitation and the Wisdom Council Process. AMC also facilitates networking events and provides access to online materials and publications. You can reach out on information about these resources and training opportunities here via email.

Key AMC Philosophies

Shifting from a Control-Oriented to a Collaborative Approach: Emphasizing the power of collective conversations and choice-creating to address complex problems.

Collective Conversation & Choice-Creating: Highlighting the importance of open and meaningful conversations to address societal challenges and unlock human potential.

What is the Wisdom Council Process?

The Wisdom Council Process utilizes dynamic facilitation, a method that helps people release their creativity to solve impossible-seeming, heartfelt issues and achieve unity. The key is choice-creating, not decision-making. Participants in a Wisdom Council sit in a half circle, facing four charts representing various aspects of the issue at hand. A dynamic facilitator helps participants to freely express their thoughts and feelings, ensuring everyone feels safe, fully heard and respected. This approach helps individuals discover their authentic voice, reach breakthroughs, and achieve a shared understanding.

What exactly does does the amc network do?

Skill Transfer & Training: Equips groups with wise democracy skills and the Wisdom Council Process, enabling them to self-organize and engage in a community of practice.

Funding & Philanthropic Relationships: Cultivates relationships with philanthropists and foundations to secure funding for democracy-building work.

Community Management: Fosters strong communication within AMC projects and establishes an alumni club for past participants.

Storytelling & Content Creation: Develops a studio/event dome for broadcasting and recording Wisdom Council news, including podcasts, videos, and narratives that showcase positive outcomes.

Scouting Projects: Finds and connects grassroots organizations and initiatives at various levels, from local neighborhoods to global scales.

Backbone Office: Builds a robust central office to coordinate and support AMC activities.

Having a conversation? What’s so special…

In essence, the AMC approach is special because it:

Champions the power of authentic conversations.
Embraces the creative potential of diverse perspectives.
Aspires to transform the way we think and interact.
Ultimately aims to create a world that works for everyone.

This points towards a future where the Adding the Missing Conversation approach becomes a fundamental aspect of how we address challenges and shape the world we want to live in.

In detail

The Adding the Missing Conversation approach is unique for its emphasis on transformation and choice-creating as catalysts for addressing societal challenges and enacting change. It goes beyond traditional decision-making processes, advocating for a shift from a control-oriented mindset to a collaborative, participatory approach. It is an evolution of democracy and the opposite of Oligarchy or a World led by a leadership elite. In essence adding the missing conversation means a heartfelt dedication and engagement for the citizens by the citizens.

Amc believes in tapping into collective wisdom, acknowledging that solutions emerge from open, meaningful conversations. It emphasizes that average citizens can contribute meaningfully to solving complex problems when given the opportunity to engage in a dynamically facilitated conversation.

The heart of the AMC approach is the Wisdom Council Process, which employs dynamic facilitation to guide participants towards choice-creating rather than decision-making. Dynamic Facilitation allows for:

Authentic expression: Individuals are encouraged to voice their perspectives and feelings openly, even if they differ from the majority or seem impossible.
Open-mindedness and receptivity: Participants cultivate a willingness to listen deeply to others, explore diverse ideas, and embrace breakthroughs and changes of heart.
Respect and Collaboration: The process fosters a safe and supportive environment where everyone feels heard and respected, leading to increased trust and a genuine desire to find solutions that work for all.

AMC aims to transition society from a rule and law based system, characterized by hierarchical structures, and competition, to a circle like system, which emphasizes dialogue, collaboration, and collective responsibility. This shift necessitates:

Recognizing Interdependence: Acknowledging that in today’s world, we are interconnected and face collective challenges that require collaborative solutions.
Adding the Missing Conversation: Incorporating a continuous, inclusive conversation into our existing systems to foster understanding, address underlying causes, and generate sustainable solutions.

The AMC approach aspires to transform the way we think and interact, both individually and collectively. This means cultivating a new level of being: Facilitating a shift in mindset, embracing collaboration, and recognizing the power of collective intelligence to shape a better future.

Under which circumstances can Adding the Missing Conversation be applied best?

The AMC approach is applicable across various levels, from individual growth to societal transformation:

Personal Level: While amc primarily focuses on collective action, its core principles, particularly dynamic facilitation and choice-creating, can be applied to personal development as well. With Dynamic Facilitation which allows for “solving impossible to solve problems” and fostering “heartfelt creativity” in individuals also encourages self-reflection, allowing individuals to identify and overcome limiting beliefs and access deeper levels of understanding and creativity. By embracing the principles of openness, receptivity, and willingness to shift perspectives, individuals can experience personal breakthroughs and unlock their full potential.

Organizational Level: We know how effective dynamic facilitation the underlying facilitation method behind amc is in in transforming organizational cultures and fostering more collaborative and democratic decision-making processes. Implementing Wisdom Councils within corporations helps to shift from a focus on the bottom line to a commitment to human values. The process allows employees to engage in meaningful dialogue, identify shared challenges, and co-create solutions that benefit both the organization and its members. This can lead to increased employee engagement, innovation, and a stronger sense of community within the workplace.

Community Level: On the community level we can add the missing conversation through Wisdom Councils, not a as singular events but on a regular on going basis. Randomly selected citizens can be brought together to deliberate on local issues, ranging from urban planning to environmental sustainability and beyond. The process fosters civic engagement, builds trust among community members, and leads to more inclusive and effective decision-making.

National Level: AMC’s ultimate goal is to address critical societal issues. A Wisdom Council Process comprised of randomly selected citizens, would engage in choice-creating conversations, formulate recommendations, and present them to the public, fostering a more participatory and responsive democracy.