Article 5: Governance Process

Changing a Circle's Governance requires using the “Governance Process” defined herein.

5.1 Governance Participants

Each Circle has a group of "Circle Members" who may represent its Roles in its Governance Process.

A Circle's Circle Members are those Partners filling its Circle Lead Role, as well as each Partner serving as Role Lead for a Role in the Circle. If a Role has multiple Role Leads, a Circle may adopt a Policy to limit how many of them represent that Role as Circle Members in its Governance Process.

5.1.1 Circle Reps

Any Circle Member of a Circle may request an election at any time to select or replace someone as the Circle's "Circle Rep" to help represent that Circle within any broader Circle containing it. The selected Circle Rep fills a "Circle Rep Role" in the Circle, with a Purpose of "Tensions relevant to process in a broader Circle channeled out and resolved", and the following Accountabilities:

  1. Seeking to understand Tensions conveyed by Role Leads within the Circle
  2. Discerning Tensions appropriate to process within a broader Circle that holds the Circle
  3. Processing Tensions within a broader Circle to remove constraints on the Circle

The Circle must use the Integrative Election Process defined herein to select a Circle Rep, unless a Policy defines an alternate process. Only a Circle's Circle Members are eligible to serve as its Circle Rep. Anyone serving as a Circle Lead for the Circle may not also serve as its Circle Rep. No more than one person may serve as a Circle's Circle Rep at a time, unless a Policy of a containing Circle allows it.

The selected Circle Rep becomes a Circle Member of any Circle containing that Circle, with the authority to represent their Circle just like a Circle Lead. A containing Circle may limit or prevent these Circle Reps from becoming its Circle Members via a Policy, but only if its Roles have another way to enjoy comparable representation within that Circle.

A Circle may add Accountabilities or Domains to its own Circle Rep Role, as well as amend or remove those additions. No Circle may amend or remove the Purpose of the Role, nor any Accountabilities placed on the Role by this Constitution.

5.1.2 Facilitator & Secretary

The Circle's Facilitator is accountable for facilitating its Governance Process. The Circle's Secretary is accountable for capturing and publishing the outputs of its Governance Process, and holds a Domain over the Circle's governance records.

Any Circle Member of a Circle may request an election at any time to select or replace someone as the Circle's Facilitator or Secretary. The Circle must use the Integrative Election Process defined herein to select a Facilitator or Secretary. No Role or Policy may assign the Facilitator Role or Secretary Role or remove an assignment via any other means, nor change this required process. Normally, the only candidates eligible for this election are a Circle's Circle Members. However, a Policy of the Circle or any Super-Circle may add or limit eligible candidates.

5.2 Scope of Governance

Within a Circle's Governance Process, its Circle Members may:

  1. define, amend, or remove the Circle's Roles; and
  2. define, amend, or remove the Circle's Policies; and