Tag: implementation

Daily Frameworks for 14 September 2026

Kamál, 07 ‘Izzat (Might), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Concerning the attendance of certain individuals at the meeting of the Assemblies and at the invitation of that body: This Shoghi Effendi considers to be as expert advice, which is absolutely necessary for good administration. The members of the Assembly are not supposed to know everything on every subject, so they can invite a person, versed in that question, to attend their meetings and explain his views. But naturally he will have no right to vote. — Shoghi Effendi [1]

Question for Consideration

How does the Baháʼí consultation process keep participants grounded in the spiritual principle of oneness during the three stages—”understanding the situation”, “deciding what to do”, and “executing the decision”—while following a change management framework for convening “conversations that matter”, seeking “ways that work”, and adopting “changes that sustain”? [2] [3]

Google Notebook Response:

The Baháʼí consultation process maintains grounding in the spiritual reality of oneness—one Creator, one Creation, and one human family [4] —through each of its three core stages, aligning with a change management framework of “conversations that matter”, “ways that work”, and “changes that sustain”. [5]

Stage 1: Understanding the Situation ↔ Convening “Conversations That Matter”

In the initial stage, consultation focuses on investigating reality, establishing empirical facts, and identifying guiding spiritual or moral principles before formulating solutions. [6]

Grounding in Oneness

  • One Creator: Deliberations open with prayer and devotional reflection to turn participants toward the “Kingdom on High”. [4] This spiritual reorientation aligns individual motives around divine guidance, quelling ego, personal ambition, and hidden agendas. [4]
  • One Human Family: Rooted in the inherent nobility of every soul, [7] [8] the group seeks a wide diversity of views—including input from technical experts and those traditionally excluded [7] —ensuring that rank, worldly status, or prejudice never dominate. [4]
  • One Creation: Recognizing that reality is indivisible, [9] participants view differing perspectives not as hostile forces, but as complementary angles on truth. [7] [9] Differing opinions interact like “flint and steel” to yield the “spark of truth” without disrupting fellowship. [4]

Change Management Alignment

  • This stage creates expansive “conversations that matter” by establishing non-personalization: once an idea is voiced, it ceases to belong to the speaker and becomes the collective property of the group. [10] Because opinions are detached from personal ownership, participants can freely examine, modify, or set proposals aside without causing personal offense, defensiveness, or zero-sum bargaining. [11]

Stage 2: Deciding What to Do ↔ Seeking “Ways That Work”

The second stage transforms shared understanding into a clear, agreed-upon course of action by weighing options and reaching a decision. [6] [12]

Grounding in Oneness

  • Detachment and Humility: Members practice detachment from their initial proposals, [4] eagerly accepting a more worthy idea the moment it emerges rather than defending their own out of pride. [13]
  • Unity Over Division: The group strives for unanimous consensus. [10] If unanimity is not reached, a majority vote determines the choice. [4] To preserve community oneness, all members immediately embrace the majority decision as their own, forbidding “minority reports,” opposition factions, or recorded dissension. [10]

Change Management Alignment

  • This stage focuses on identifying “ways that work” by treating decisions as provisional hypotheses or line of action to be tested in practice. [14] Decision-making is integrated into an ongoing cycle of action, reflection, consultation, and study. [14] [15]

3. Stage 3: Executing the Decision ↔ Adopting “Changes That Sustain”

The final stage entails carrying out the decision with complete solidarity, followed by collective reflection on the outcomes. [6]

Grounding in Oneness

  • One Organic Body: Treating the community as an organic body where every part depends on the health of the whole, [16] every member supports the implementation with full unity of action. [10]
  • Collective Responsibility: Post-decision criticism, censure, or backbiting is strictly prohibited, as it prevents decisions from being enforced. [4] Wholehearted support ensures that if a project fails, the problem lies in the idea itself rather than a lack of collective commitment. [10]

Change Management Alignment

This stage drives the widespread adoption of “changes that sustain”. [17] By acting in unity, the group can accurately evaluate real-world results. [16] [18] If experience shows a decision was mistaken, the oneness of the group allows members to re-consult, adjust the plan, and correct course without recrimination, turning experience into collective learning. [16]

Be the Voice of…

Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. [19]

Footnotes

[1] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/248744031

[2] Google Notebook. “Unity in consultation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 13, 2026. The Lamp of Guidance: Bahá’í Principles of Consultation

[3] Transformative Leadership Education Staff. “Unite, Decide, Thrive: Using Consultation to Improve Decisions” (Free Online Course). Transformative Leadership Education. https://tinyurl.com/courseconsultation

[4] National Teaching Committee – Youth and Student Activities. “A New World Order: Consultation” (1970). Bahai.works. https://bahai.works/A_New_World_Order/Consultation#pg36

[5] Universal House of Justice. “29 December 2015 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/275100978

[6] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Decision Making Process.” Uplifting Words, May 14, 2024. https://bahaiquotes.com/subject/individual-initiative

[7] Bahá’í World News Service Staff. “Baha’is offer decision-making model at UN commission.” BWNS, February 10, 2010. https://news.bahai.org/story/758/bahais-offer-decision-making-model-un-commission

[8] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Transforming Collective Deliberation: Valuing Unity and Justice.” Bahá’í International Community, February 3, 2010. https://www.bahai.org/documents/bic/transforming-collective-deliberation-valuing-unity-justice

[9] Ewing, Sovaida Ma’ani. “Bahá’í Consultation as an Expression of Justice.” Baháʼí Faith Modern Perspectives (YouTube), December 7, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ5HxZy-b6Q

[10] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Consultation.” October 11, 2019. Uplifting Words. https://www.upliftingwords.org/post/bahai-consultation

[11] Ohio Baha’i Staff. “Consultation: the Operating Expression of Justice in Human Affairs.” Ohio Baha’i. https://ohiobahai.org/consultation/

[12] Investigating facts and identifying relevant principles during Baháʼí consultation.pdf

[13] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Quotes on Consultation.” April 30, 2020. Uplifting Words. https://www.upliftingwords.org/post/bahai-quotes-on-consultation

[14] Smith, Todd and Omid Ghaemmaghami. “Consultation.” The World of the Bahá’í Faith, 2022. https://drive.google.com/file/d/126C0VbxBmHsR9DUiCle4ZQY5QPDBMOA3/view

[15] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/419079542

[16] Balance between well-being of everyone and each.pdf

[17] Universal House of Justice. “28 December 2010 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/242741298

[18] How consultation improves outcomes for all participants.pdf

[19] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/628985716

Business Development in the Ohio Local Food Systems Collaborative

This is the first in a series of postings to the Ohio Local Food Systems Collaborative (OLFSC) about starting and sustaining a business in local food systems. These postings have several not so ordinary characteristics:

  • They are about real business opportunities in real neighborhoods
  • The process of developing these opportunities and the resulting content are shared openly on the OLFSC website
  • They invite OLFSC readers to comment, critique, and challenge assumptions and extrapolations posted in order to make the outcome better for all
  • They encourage OLFSC readers to generate ideas and develop plans for businesses they eventually setup in their local areas

Before heading into the business opportunities, clarification of business concepts and terminology is in order…

A Firm Foundation and Ongoing Adaptation

The purpose of any business is to deliver value to the customer. The primary objective of a business is to make profit. In terms of value, this means the amount the customer pays for value delivered (revenue) surpasses the amount invested by the business to provide that value (capital and operating expenses). The ultimate goal of a business is sustainability over the long-term. Again, from a value standpoint, a business is sustained when a sufficient percentage of the profit is reinvested to continue to develop and deliver what is deemed of value by customers so that they continue to pay for it.

What is of value to the customer (idea generation)? How does one deliver that value profitably and in a sustainable manner (business planning)? These are the primary questions addressed at the outset of an entrepreneurial effort. Idea generation and business planning combine vision of a preferred future with a framework for action that brings that vision into reality. These two, working in concert with one another, provide the firm foundation upon which all successful businesses are launched.

Delivery of demonstrated value to the customer requires taking action according to the business plan (business plan execution). Of course, changes in conditions and unforeseen circumstances during the delivery cycle warrant a certain degree of flexibility in executing the plan as it is put into play (adaptation). The capacity to sense and respond, learn and adapt is the hallmark of a business that survives start-up and embarks on sustainability.

The main points outlined above equate to key steps in establishing a successful business:

  • Generate ideas
  • Develop a business plan
  • Execute the plan
  • Adapt plan to “lessons learned” during execution

These four link vision with problem-solving to deliver demonstrated value to the customer. Because of the significance of the dialectic between vision and problem-solving in business success, future postings in this series will delve more deeply into the working relationship between the two. And in keeping with the commitment made in the opening statement of this posting, the focus of the upcoming OLFSC postings will be “real business opportunities in real neighborhoods”.

Originally posted to Local Food Systems by Steve Bosserman on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:30