Easy ways we could organise ourselves better?

Does anyone else feel that the way we're currently structured and organised is a big drain on our effectiveness? And that there might be some fairly straightforward changes we could adopt to really get us thriving?

Acknowledging of course the downsides, not least the many personal tragedies that will flow from it, It feels like we've got a real opportunity with the Coronavirus to make important parallels with the climate crises. The disruption which we've been trying to effect is being done for us by the pandemic. We can show how the solutions to the climate crisis have a parallel with a post Corona virus world. Economic relocalisation allows communities to be more self reliant in a crisis and 'oh look' it also cuts carbon. The Corona virus is showing up the vulnerabilities of a global economic system. The same global systems killing the planet.

For us to do this though, it's surely crucial that we evolve into a more effective, joined-up and transparent movement. Rebels are being frustrated in their wish to give all they can, and the movement is missing out on the collective intelligence of its members. Many find it opaque, overly complex and unwieldy, with information and decision-making bottlenecks and dead-ends. This is only going to be exacerbated by our need to migrate to a more online activism during the pandemic.

It is not enough to be working towards transparency, cohesion and democracy if a basic level is not in place. We got away with it in April, less so in October and know need to live by our P&V of 'reflecting and learning'. These characteristics are not ‘nice to haves’, they’re essential to a movement if it’s to operate effectively.

XR needs to get on top of its:

• communication and information flows

• decision-making structure

• general transparency

• making structure a servant to purpose...

There are lots of examples to draw on, from the municipalist movements in Spain, Bernie Sanders campaign in the USA, Rojava Kurds and a number of others.

As Mob Lab puts it: “Distributed organising is all about creating opportunities for supporters to take an active, meaningful role in the strategy and execution of a campaign — to feel a real sense of ownership over the issue at hand. When you build power in this way, the number of people passionately engaged in the cause grows, as does the number of pathways to leadership.” 

The SOS system is only sporadically understood or implemented and, in acknowledgement of this, SOS UK Circle is currently researching how the wider movement is actually organising and what its needs are, and why SOS structures are not being followed as much as the movement would like. 

I know Coronavirus has got all our attention right now, but can we be alive to opportunities to make these reforms over the coming weeks, as doing so has the potential to release a massive deal of energy, grow the movement and provide the springboard for our taking off as a movement post-virus.

If you support these ideas please get in touch and let's find a way to take them forward - and advice on how best to do this would also be welcome. (The XR Future Democracy Hub is also interested but let's get everyone with an interest involved. I'm posting this in a number of places and please share though perhaps advise that we all feedback to a central point - the current lack of which is perhaps another indication of our need to coalesce as a movement!). 

Thanks,
Ben