This project will document the process of forming a Holistic Goal based on the system of Holistic Management® developed by Allan Savory of the Savory Institute and Holistic Management International. The basis for the design of my personal Holistic Goal comes from my study of the book “Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making” by Allan Savory and Jody Butterfield. I highly encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about Holistic Management® to read this book.

Observations

While finishing the last chapters of “Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making” by Allan Savory, I was working on organizing the data for my documentation of Project 3 – Open Book Management Financial Game. I was continually amazed at how well the two systems married in conceptual terms. The more I read the more excited I became to start working with Holistic Management® and develop my own Holistic Goal.

Goals

• Learn more about Holistic Management® through the creation of a Holistic Goal
• Create a Personal Holistic Goal that embodies all the learning I’ve done and propels me toward a healthy and holistic future
• Begin Holistic Financial Planning
• Discover bridge-points for Holistic Financial Planning and Open Book Management
• Begin using the process for testing decisions against my Holistic Goal
• Start the process for expanding Holistic Management® within the wholes under my management

Analysis

The first process is to do an analysis of Holistic Management® as it pertains to creating a Holistic Goal. Through this analysis I hope to be able to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the methodology behind Holistic Goal formation and also begin to get a sense for the process I will use to do the design work.

Design

The design section will go through all the steps of creating a Holistic Goal from start to finish. I will use all the resources I have available to dig deep and get to the roots of my personal goals, flesh out the future resource base and quality of life that I seek to create for myself, and wrap it all up into a short statement that I can begin to test decisions around.

Implementation

The process of Implementation will document the use of a Holistic Goal in action. One of the most profound things about Holistic Management® is in that it does not stop at the formation of a goal, that then gets framed on the wall and admired from afar (or worse, locked away in some closet never to be seen again). Holistic Management® requires that the goal is implemented through a process of testing decisions against the stated goal. If your management is not taking you closer to your defined goal, than either your management, or your goal, need to change.

Evaluation

Here I will evaluate the process of forming a Holistic Goal and how it compares to the process I used in forming my goal for this Permaculture Diploma and other goal setting processes I’ve used. I will also evaluate how it feels to use Holistic Management® In this way and if there is anything I might change or improve upon as I begin to implement Holistic Management® into other aspects of my life.

Next Steps

• Contact the Savory Institute and Holistic Management International regarding Open Book Management
• Connect and begin framing a Holistic Goal for eco-pioneers.org with other influential parties
• Find a Holistic Management® course in Texas and/or begin volunteering with a Holistically Managed ranch
• Share Holistic Management® through my work in permaculture and co-operative business networks

Appendix

The Appendix captures all the things that don’t fall under the above sections and provides a body of support for the richness of the information above. This section also provides a space for my assessment of this permaculture diploma project as well as peer reviews. The appendix includes:

Time & Information Resources (coming soon)
Process Review / Reflection (coming soon)
Supporting Evidence (coming soon)
Learning Journal Extracts (coming soon)
Peer Reviews (coming soon)

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL