MESSAGE FROM ONE OF THE GTW LEADERSHIP
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From: Kathe S.
Date: Wednesday, August 16, 2006, 10:23 AM
Subject: Message from one of the GTW Leadership
ID: 253916

Dear sisters gathered in the GTW Forum:

My name is Kathe Schaaf and I am one of the original twelve women Steering Committee who founded Gather the Women. Marilyn Nyborg and I are the only original founding mothers who have been continuously involved in leadership at GTW since it first emerged as an idea in 2002, and we have watched and nurtured its organic growth through many turns of the spiral. I feel like I know most of Her story, and I am amazed each day to watch how she takes care of Herself. I have learned to have faith that everything that happens here is divinely guided and serves Her greatest good.

Several wonderful women have written to me lately to suggest I needed to tune into what is happening in the Forum; they were concerned that things seemed a bit out of balance and perhaps the 'leadership' needed to do something.

What I found as I sat down to read all the postings from the past months is best summed up by this quote:

"The things we fear most in organizations...fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances - are the primary sources of creativity." Margaret Wheatley

This is one of the many quotes being considered by the GTW Regional Coordinators as a unifying theme for the Regional Congresses to be held the weekend of November 10-12, 2006 in numerous locations. It speaks of being able to value the bumps in the road as evolutionary drivers, bringing us opportunities for clarity and learning. It describes the cycle of balance and disturbance, of ebb and flow that seems to be a natural process of the living organism that is called Gather the Women.

So much has been discussed in the Forum over the past few months -- about men, about the need for sacred woman space, about personal responsiblity, about safety and boundaries, about a lack of hands-on leadership. I cannot possibly address all of these important questions, but I do feel called to respond with a few of my own observations:

1) Jeannie DeRousseau already explained that GTW is guided by several circles of volunteers who provide leadership to the various projects and activities of this global movement (Congresses, March events, Regional Coordinator network, Partnership Organizations, outreach, website, newsletters, etc) and who govern the non-profit corporation. There is no paid administrative staff and all work is done by the women who show up and say YES to the tasks and responsibilities at hand. What emerges from this leadership style is magical -- organic, self-organizing and uniquely feminine.

At this time, no one in the many concentric and overlapping circles of leadership has been assigned the task to liaison between the Forum conversation and the leadership conversation. I can see that this would be a useful and important link and will be bringing it before the leadership on our next call to ask for a volunteer to serve this important function.

2) One of our guiding principles at GTW is "If it is to be, it is up to me." Perhaps one or more of you would like to step into leadership to develop more structure, safety and community among Forum participants. I would be happy to hear from you at kathe@gatherthewomen.org.

3) Bruce Schuman indeed is the creator and administrator of Interspirit, an interactive web database and communication program. GTW has used Interspirit since 2004 to provide our interactive features, and we have not previously experienced any issues related to safety. There are numerous models in the marketplace that provide this kind of interactive internet programming for organizations, and there are several important discussions afoot about developing collaborative models that combine and share resources and technologies for the good of the whole.

Bruce understands that GTW seeks to provide safe and sacred woman space through our Forum and will no longer be participating in the Forum conversation in any way.

4) The core leadership of the Canada Congress will be posting Congress reports, photos and next steps on their website in the coming months. They all worked very hard to create a successful, loving and powerful gathering of over 200 women -- and they deserve a pause before they plunge into the next stage. I send out detailed reports on the rest of the 6/6 Congresses in monthly newsletters which you should receive if you are registered on the website. Regional Coordinators will be posting details of the November Congresses in early September when they have agreed upon shared themes and resources.

5) On our website, you will find our GTW Covenant, defining core values and principles to guide our actions and behaviors in community. They are located off the main menu section "What is GTW?" I recommend that you read them all, but would like to focus on one:

"We will aspire to be impeccable with our word, to do our very best, to take nothing for granted and to suspend our assumptions."

We have been guided from the start that it is not some outcome in the future that is the important goal of GTW; it is only the quality of our daily interactions with one another in our process together that matters. I deeply appreciate the thoughtful and heart-centered conversation taking place in the Forum and I know that GTW will thrive as long as we each take personal responsibility to stay in resonance with the other.

Love, Kathe