Sherlock Holmes once said:

“Most people, if you describe a train of events to them, will tell you what the result would be. They can put those events together in their minds, and argue from them that something will come to pass. There are few people, however, who, if you told them a result, would be able to evolve from their own inner consciousness what the steps were which led up to that result. This power is what I mean when I talk of reasoning backward, or analytically.”

-A Study in Scarlet, pt.2, ch.7

Photos from 2004, Assateague & Chincoteague, VA

A participant in the second potluck gathering said that mosttimes in New York City, we go to parties to meet people, but at the potluck we met people and it turned into a party.

Her comment got me a’thinkin.

In Irvine, where I was working last week, it seems that people put a lot of effort into dressing up when they go out to the supermarket or whatnot, activities which would be casual in New York. In Irvine, having a little fun seems to take a lot of work.

Would it be extra-powerful in Irvine to have a lot of fun from a little work, or even better, have a lot of fun working?

In both cases, we’re taking a too-common situation where the negative burdens the positive (going to a party to meet people in NYC; a lot of work to have a little fun in Irvine) and reversing it (meeting people turns into a party in NYC; a lot of fun comes from a little work or having fun is your job in Irvine).

I think it’s easier than it sounds to flip these things. All to do: recognize a concrete situation and reverse the priorities or structure.

Plan a meeting that turns into a party.

Have the most fun possible making money.

What would you flip around?

And enjoy.

So how does someone actually start a democratic organization? You have a vision for a project or a company…. How do other people get to have an equal opportunity to collectively grow and execute your vision, which becomes everyone’s shared vision? (As to why this might be important, more on that later.)

I used to think that if you opened the floor to ideas, people would collaborate, discuss, and get things done. But if one person — an organizer — has a specific vision and other people want to buy into that vision… how does that best happen?

In talking with my dad about his work experiences, I identified four steps for the organizer:

1) Ask for advice

2) Ask for help on specific actions

3) Ask for participation in a defined activity

4) Ask for shared leadership and decision-making.

So I’m starting a democratic organization. We have potluck dinners to develop and share your skills, passion and food. The vision is that every individual makes his or her priorities and delegates the rest. Self-actualization, confidence, risk-taking, collaboration, and self-governance are important. So is diversity, dedication, satisfaction and entertainment. I can give definitions of all these values but they will probably just be words to you. I can say “unconditional support and entertainment” and “participatory representative-democracy” but you need to experience it in a specific context to know what I’m talking about.

So put it in a specific context.

I asked some friends about good dates to hold the first event. They asked me questions about what the gathering would be, got a sense of it, and then gave advice.

When I asked people to help with a specific action — to bring food to the event — they were fulfilling a specific request which they fully understand the importance of, and my vision for.

When we participated in a defined activity — making an interpersonal game — we were participating in a limited sphere where after a five-minute set-up we all understood the context.  The people who had offered advice and helped understood it best.

After participating in making the interpersonal games, we understood the experience, and were each able to decide what we would keep or change about the experience. We were now each able to lead the experience.

At the next gathering, participants from the first gathering “knew the drill” of getting in teams, and shared leadership and decision-making for how we would all get in teams. One participant suggested that everyone share information about themselves. Another suggested that anyone who had ideas for something they’d like to make, suggest it, and that we form teams around those ideas.

From participating in one event, participants were able to share leadership in the next event!

Since my vision is for the events to keep growing in a specific way, over time, my role as an organizer is to go through the process again — to ask for advice, help, participation and leadership in ever-expanding spheres.

I was suprised to learn that in working with many people, it’s not necessary to lead everyone through the four steps together. People look to others for guidance and influence. Participation by some people the first time makes it easier for more people to participate next time. Only a few people have to “know the drill” for everyone to have an easier time collaborating.

It is fascinating to me how other people have ideas I never dreamed of. And as we participate in this participatory representative-democracy thing together, it grows unexpectedly. Every individual makes his or her priorities happen and delegates the rest.