Deep Democracy at Work (EP.88)

Nonprofit teams. City governments. Unionizing workplaces. Pet pics in the team Slack thread. No matter the setting, one thing is certain: conflict is going to show up.But what if conflict isn’t the problem—it’s the way we relate to it that matters?In this episode, Tim Cynova is joined by facilitators, coaches, and organizational practitioners Navida Nuraney and Camille Dumond to explore the Lewis Method of Deep Democracy, a practical and surprisingly playful framework for navigating disagreement, surfacing unspoken truths, and building real relational capacity in teams.We explore what makes Deep Democracy distinct from traditional facilitation approaches, why it matters more than ever in today’s complex workplaces, and how even seemingly small tensions—like whether your team’s Slack channel should be for logistics or life updates—can benefit from the tools and mindset Deep Democracy offers.And in true WSS style, we don’t just talk about the framework—we try it out! Together, Tim, Navida, and Camille take the “Debate Tool” for a spin, exploring the polarity between “Just do the job” and “Bring your whole(ish) self to work.” Spoiler: You might agree with both.Highlights:03:55 Understanding the Lewis Method of Deep Democracy05:47 Practical Tools for Navigating Conflict10:30 Personal Experiences with Deep Democracy17:07 Applying Deep Democracy in Organizations20:41 The Importance of Addressing Conflict Now23:50 Exploring the Debate Tool24:34 Exploring the Polarity of Bringing Your Whole Self to Work29:58 Debating the “Just Do the Job” Perspective33:16 Balancing Both Sides: Insights and Reflections37:03 Practical Applications and Tools for Conflict Resolution41:00 Upcoming OpportunitiesLinks & ResourcesLewis Deep DemocracyWaterline Co-opRole Theory Companion: Applying Deep Democracy ($16 CAD) Camille Dumond's book exploring the secret sauce behind the method; includes a number of leadership applications.International Association of Process Oriented PsychologyWork Won’t Love You Back by Sarah JaffeAbout the GuestsABOUT CAMILLE DUMONDCamille (she/they) is a settler of Indo-Caribbean and French-Irish descent living on unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. Her practice is as a somatic therapist, conflict and group facilitator. With over 20 years experience facilitating change processes, she brings depth psychology, social movement analysis, and embodied spirituality to organizational change. This allows her to support a sense of center and even playfulness in complex, emergent situations. Camille co-founded the Refugee Livelihood Lab with Nada Elmasry to amplify the impact and transformational influence of racialized leaders with lived experience of forced displacement and migration. She is principal at Dignity Facilitation. ABOUT NAVIDA NURANEYNavida (she/her) is a liberatory coach, facilitator and organizational consultant. At the heart of her life and work is a commitment to nourishing people through practices that center love, justice and liberation. She has held leadership roles across start-ups, nonprofits, and municipal government, always with a commitment to fostering healthier, more creative, and relationally alive workplaces. She holds an MBA from the University of British Columbia with a focus on Human Resources and Organizational Development. Her early studies in architecture and graphic design enabled her to see how beauty and aesthetics shape experience. Navida has ancestral roots in Gujarat, India and was born on the unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples in so called Vancouver, Canada. Discover more at www.navida.ca.ABOUT TIM CYNOVATim (he/him) is the host of the Work Shouldn’t Suck podcast, where he and guests explore bold ideas and practical strategies for creating workplaces where people thrive. At the consulting firm WSS HR Labs, he draws on deep experience leading and advising mission-driven organizations through growth, change, and complexity to help them dust off outdated policies, challenge default approaches, and design values-centered workplaces that align people strategy, organizational culture, and operational infrastructure. A certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and trained mediator, Tim’s path has taken him from orchestral trombonist to C-level roles in multiple $25M+ nonprofits around the globe. Whether consulting, teaching, or recording, he brings curiosity, candor, and a knack for making workplace design engaging and actionable.