An important check and balance for the TDG
Have you ever had a life situation that posed a challenge for you?
You pondered and pondered. The right answer was just not coming to you. You were uneasy about choosing a path that didn’t sound quite right.
Then someone comes into your social bubble — and makes a little comment that turns all your pondering into a much better path. Have you had this experience?
I’ve recently had such a life situation. Being a little wiser than I used to be, I deliberately sought out the opinions and perspectives of about 15 credible people. As I listened, the better answer came more and more apparent. I made my decision. I implemented that decision with confidence.
Had I only stuck with the ideas already in my head, I would not have made that good decision.
The Advisor
Tiered Democratic Governance (TDG) finds people of good character and capacity to serve in governance. The TDG encourages these people to work consultatively to find their decision. In contrast to western democracy, the elected TDG representatives do not champion their own ideas but talk through their opinions and perspectives to reach a better decision than any one of them could have attained by him- or herself.
But even with the advanced electoral process and a culture of consultation, elected TDG bodies can get themselves into errant or indecisive thinking. Or maybe there is some friction between certain members. In these situations, the TDG advisor can be called into the meeting.
As the advisor is observing the progress of the meeting, he or she will be a set of fresh eyes and ears for that elected TDG body. The advisor will be able to see things the elected representatives were not able to see. Or maybe the advisor has perspective outside the TDG body. The advisor will show a new perspective on what is ailing this TDG body.
The advisor will likely have experience in TDG governance. And this person was appointed, directly or indirectly, by the highest tier. So the elected body will have the respect and trust for this advisor. In other words, the elected TDG representatives will seriously consider what the advisor is saying.
And with this trust and respect and with this different perspective, the elected TDG will come to better decisions than what it could have without the advisor. The decisions will be more unified and more confident.
Note that the elected TDG bodies are required to listen to the advisor. But they are not obligated to take that advice. When the consultation is working well, the final decision will often be better than what the elected body or the advisor could have done themselves. In other words, the advice of the advisor can lead to a new path no one saw before.
This “credible new perspective” is the primary function of the TDG advisor.
Published on Medium & Substack 2025
