About
Conscious Community Theory (CCT) was written in 2016, by Nathan Warren, MBA, owner of Harris Bridge Vineyard, founder of the Harris Bridge Community, the Community of Love and Appreciation, and the Heart River Community. Nathan also serves as an instructor with the Oregon State University College of Business and as an Administrator with the State of Oregon.
CCT is inspired by Nathan's work in Public Safety, Health, and Education. While CCT can be applied to the most technologically advanced Corporations, it was inspired natural concepts as longstanding as the living world, including the life of a winegrape, and the forest. CCT is the first organizational function theory to consider life-science as a primary governing force, placing it above money (shareholder theory) and stakeholders (stakeholder theory).
Purpose-filled and centralized power structures and systems are being overwhelmed by new information and awareness, and just as in life itself, the most nimble and adaptable organizations will survive. CCT helps organizations to thrive within a dynamic and evolving world.
Life First through the lens of Oregon Wine: In January, 2020, the Oregon Solidarity project, a CCT aligned business venture, was awarded the Global Business Innovation of the Year. Oregon's wine industry is led by awareness and a dedication to nature, community and collaboration, and this sustainable, life-first approach has been unique enough to inspire global attention. Nathan says "Wine is a living, breathing thing, even after its bottled. Wine, just like life itself is always new, always changing. Humans didn't create the grapes and humans don't control the wine. The job of the winemaker is to listen to and support the natural processes. This awareness-driven, life-first approach is a model for other businesses too."
Life First through the lens of an Oregon Timber Community: Nathan was raised in Heart River Valley, just West of Philomath, Oregon. Philomath, a Greek word meaning "Lover of Learning", is a timber town with a history of strong community leaders like Rex Clemens, the founder of the Clemens Foundation. Nathan says "The Clemens foundation educational scholarships demonstrate a commitment to both consciousness and community." Other strong community leaders are the Lowther, Starker and Harris families, all timberland owners who have been generous with land and wealth in support of educational and recreational experiences. "My community actively expanded my awareness of the natural world. My hope is that CCT organizations will inspire generations of children to value life on planet earth above all else."
Life First through the lens of State Services: CCT was also inspired by Nathan's 20-year career with the State of Oregon in healthcare, education, and public safety. In 2016, Nathan was asked to develop a program to assist with culture change for the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC). Work in corrections relies upon awareness. Nathan says "A person's awareness and response is often the key to safety in the often unpredictable work of corrections." This awareness-driven approach also applies to human rehabilitation, behavior change, and transformation. Nathan continues, "You can't force change into another person. Human transformation is an awareness-led support process, not a purpose-led control process." And, within a prison, when all you have is time, "being" becomes as important as "doing", and "being" is a consciousness concept. These correctional insights are responsible for the organizational behavior components of CCT.
Soon after CCT was released, Nathan began two pilots of the theory called the Harris Bridge Community, and the Community of Love and Appreciation. Both of these communities are led by their members, and they carry on with virtually no hierarchical administration.
More history can be obtained by contacting the author, Nathan Warren, MBA at nathan@harrisbridgevineyard.com and by phone at 541-990-5919.