How do we live a life in concert with our values?

How do we make sure we are considering what we value most deeply.

What about when we feel we are having trouble moving toward what we desire in our life.

Consuming With A Conscience

Phil MetzgerUSDA -

Natural Resources Conservation ServiceNorwich, NY

What drives the purchasing decisions you make?

How do people commonly make decisions?

Decisions are made towards a singular objective or goal.

They are based on one or more of the following factors:– advice, research, expert opinion,

tradition, gut instinct, etc.

How many decisions do you make from when you get up in the morning to going to

bed at night?

Holistic Management - An Alternative Decision-Making

Process

A process that simultaneously considers the financial,

environmental, and social impacts of decisions prior to

their implementation.

Increased financial value with purchases.

Improved environmental impacts, better functioning of the ecosystem processes.

Positive social impacts.

Improved quality of life for all.

Managing holistically, using this different decision making

process, can have the following impacts:

Managing our lives holistically can improve our ability to:

Support beneficial enterprises and economic opportunities.

Avoid expending resources on “symptoms” of problems instead of addressing root causes.

Monitor decisions to ensure that we are on the right track.

Screen advice and recommendations from others, reflect our own values and the ethics of our families and consider our desired quality of life, supporting economic, ecological and societal factors.

Holistic ManagementHolistic Management

The World Functions The World Functions as Wholesas Wholes

Based on an alternate world Based on an alternate world view:view:

Holistic ManagementHolistic ManagementBegins with defining our lives in Begins with defining our lives in

terms of:terms of:

Decision Makers

Resource Base

Money

The “J” Family

Money– Savings Account– Checking Account– Investments

Decision Makers- John, Jane, son Jeff, daughter Jerri

Resource Base- Parents, Relatives- Friends, Neighbors, Community- Clubs, Professional Organizations, Therapist (Julie)- Land, House, Shed, Garden- Cars, Lawn Tractor & Implements, Boat

Holistic GoalHolistic Goal

Decisions are made Decisions are made based on:based on:

What we What we value most value most

deeplydeeply

What What must be must be produceproduce

dd

Future Future surroundingsurroundings must be s must be

like?like?

The Holistic Goal is the cornerstone of the Holistic Management decision making process. It is used to guide all decisions and therefore actions.

First, decision makers define the quality of life they desire. This is an expression of the wishes and aspirations of all the decision makers - it is a reflection of their shared values.

Next, describe what must be produced to achieve the quality of life described. The key to this step is to define what must be produced not how it will be produced. (How you do things are actions, and actions are tested to see if they will move you in the direction you wish.) This account of what must be produced is called forms of production.

Third, describe what the land and surrounding community must be like in the future to sustain the lives. You must also describe how they must be perceived by others to sustain their desired quality of life into the future. This portrayal of the future is called future resource base.

Holistic Goal

Holistic Goal

Your Holistic Goal:Is a reflection of what motivates you.It is your collective sense of what is

important and why. Like magnetic north it guides,

without being seen or reached.It ensures objectives, goals and

actions move you to what you want.

Quality of life: We desire to be financially secure, have happy fulfilling relationships, community harmony, security, time for family and friends, good health...

Generic Example:

Future resource base: Landscape - Effective water and mineral cycling, high biodiversity and energy flow on the surrounding land. Abundant wildlife and ... People - We are seen as friendly, caring, prompt, reliable, honest, open-minded, responsive…Community - Contains excellent health care, education and human resource services, local govt is responsive...

Forms of production: profit from meaningful work, tolerant work environment, leisure time, clean water & clear running streams, diverse landscapes...

The Holistic Goal drives all decision-making!

Personal Holistic Goal:Quality of Life: Be financially comfortable to allow for security, adventure and the ability to help others. Have a loving and fulfilling relationship with Tami; a loving, close and involved relationship with Matthew & Alexander; a close relationship and regular contact with my brothers & sisters; many close, regular contact relationships with friends and distant relatives and those I am involved with through work and other organizations. Be physically fit, spiritually enriched and intellectually challenged. Experience physical challenge and adventure. Contribute to the enrichment of our planet’s health to create a sustainable and healthy environment for future generations. Contribute to the well being of human kind. Forms of Production: Receive an acceptable salary from work I enjoy and that has meaning. Find adventure through travel and exploration of the arts. Spend time enjoying each other and growing together; stay in close contact with my sons and spend time together regularly; stay in touch with & visit on a regular basis extended family, friends and associates. Exercise regularly by participating in outdoor activities in a variety of settings & places. Read and study spiritually & intellectually enriching material. Actively participate in outdoor activities that I enjoy. Live gently, consuming less than I desire and work & volunteer in areas where I can effectively impact people and their knowledge, attitude toward a healthy planet. Participate in political and social activities.

Personal Holistic Goal (continued):

Future Resource Base: People: I will have a loving close family and circle of friends. I will be seen as compassionate, honest and dignified to my family, friends and co-workers. My loved ones will value spending time with me and feel comfortable seeking me out for assistance. Those I work with will be fully aware that they are part of the effort to enrich the planet and improve the quality of life of all living things. The masses will be aware of biodiversity and the value of improving the functioning of the 4 ecosystem processes (water & mineral cycle, energy flow & community dynamics) resulting in a healthy planet. Land: The planet will be healthy and thriving a source of life due to efficient & effective water & mineral cycles, maximum energy flow and healthy community dynamics resulting in rich biodiversity throughout a diverse landscape. Community: Will include people who care about each other and their physical surroundings and understand the value of covering the soil and improving the water & mineral cycles, maximizing energy flow and encouraging biodiversity around them and where they live. Services that will improve the health, education and welfare of people will be abundant.

Holistic Management practitioners use all the common means of making decisions. In addition, you use seven testing guidelines. The testing guidelines are used to help determine whether a potential action will lead towards or away from your Holistic Goal.

Testing Guidelines

The testing guidelines seek to ensure that a potential action or decision:Truly addresses the root cause of a problemDoes not adversely affect people whose support you need (create a social weak link)

Takes into account the weakest stage of an organism’s lifecycle (biological weak link)

Addresses the most pressing element relative to your financial plan (financial weak link)

Is the best choice in terms of time and money given more than one option to choose from

Is well understood in terms of the gross profit it will generate, when considering two options

Matches up with a family’s value system for issues involving money and energy

resources Will not degrade the future resource base

described in the Holistic Goal Feels right after a “gut” check is done

Testing Guidelines Continued...

Testing Guidelines Continued...

Not all of the testing guidelines apply in all situations. Those that do not apply are not used.

Use of the testing guidelines does not insure a perfect decision, it simply ensures that decisions are analyzed for their economic, environmental, and social impacts before being implemented.

Feedback Loop

Plan

Monitor

Control

Replan

Holistic Decision Making Framework Compared to Conventional Decision

Making FrameworkConventional

-------

-------

-------

Objectives, Goals

Tools: human creativity, money & labor, technology...

Advice, research, expert opinion...

-------

-------

Holistic

Whole Under Management

Holistic Goal

Ecosystem Functioning

Objectives, Goals,

Tools: human creativity, money &

labor, technology...

Advice, research, expert opinion...

Seven Testing Questions

Feedback Loop

Impacts of Holistic Management?

The following examples were taken from: The Allan Savory Center for Holistic

Management’s web site (http://www.holisticmanagement.org/)

Individuals I am working withMy personal / family experiences

Impact of Holistic Management on Farms and Families -

Anecdotes

Sandy Matheson (Washington State) - “We were in debt and getting deeper. There didn’t seem to be a way out. Our farm which traditionally lost a great deal of money, is now profitable. Pasture productivity has also increased. The plants are healthier and so are the cattle. We’re spending less money on supplemental feed. We’re proud of what we have accomplished.”

Anecdotes (continued)

CJ and Vic Vidler (Sherburne, NY) - Managing holistically has allowed us to start our business while keeping things in balance. We were very successful in our first year because we made good decisions.

Robert Pasztor (Albuquerque, NM) -”With Holistic

Management, you find out what your kids think and feel and where they want to go and how you can incorporate that into the family structure. It really helps to get people to a different level of conversation no matter what relationship they have.”

My Personal Experiences People who are part of my learning

community - feel empowered to make a difference in their own lives. They are able to shake off many of the frustrations of our modern world. Some have family members expressing feelings and opinions that they have never heard before.

My personal experiences - Practicing Holistic Management has strengthened my resolve to accomplish what I truly want. It has impacted my family and allowed us to better define the life we want to live. This not only impacts our family life, but impacts our careers, community and extended family & friends.

Self-Test

How do you make decisions? What do you consider when making a

major decision? When making minor decisions?

Do you consider impacts on your family, your friends, your neighbors, the environment and your check book before moving forward with an action?

If not, what is the cost in terms of the quality of your life?

Phil Metzger, RC&D CoordinatorPhil Metzger, RC&D CoordinatorUSDA NRCS / CNY RC&DUSDA NRCS / CNY RC&D

607-334-3231 x4607-334-3231 x4phil.metzger@ny.usda.govphil.metzger@ny.usda.gov

John Thurgood, Extension EducatorCornell University

607-865-7090jmt20@cornell.edu

John Thurgood, Extension EducatorCornell University

607-865-7090jmt20@cornell.edu

Seth Wilner, Extension EducatorUniversity of New Hampshire

603-863-9200seth.wilner@unh.edu

Seth Wilner, Extension EducatorUniversity of New Hampshire

603-863-9200seth.wilner@unh.edu

PRESENTED BY:PRESENTED BY:

Northeast SARE Whole Farm Planning & Holistic Management Certified Educator Training Program.

Supported by NESARE, Cabbage Hill Farm Foundation

Central NY RC&D Project, Inc. USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Training conducted by the Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management, Albuquerque, NM

Northeast SARE Whole Farm Planning & Holistic Management Certified Educator Training Program.

Supported by NESARE, Cabbage Hill Farm Foundation

Central NY RC&D Project, Inc. USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Training conducted by the Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management, Albuquerque, NM