RE: Stand Aside - Consensus - The Big Picture
From: Eugene Ackerman, Ph.D. (acker004maroon.tc.umn.edu)
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 1995 16:56:06 -0500
On Mon, 21 Aug 1995 02:53:37 -0500, 
Mmariner [at] aol.com  <Mmariner [at] aol.com> wrote:

>As I understand it, from the folks who've been living with consensus decision
>making for quite some time, it's highly important that the whole group
>consense to a major direction, expressing fundamental values and a general
>direction the group wants to go in.
>
>After the direction is consensed upon, a group or an individual is empowered
>to make lots of small decisions about various purchases, etc., required to
>implement the group's consensus direction.
>
[snip]
>Disclaimer:  The above is theory.  I have some experience in consensus
>decision making, but not in a coho community!  Do other folks agree consensus
>should not be used in relatively low-level decisions, unless there is a huge
>passion of the group?
>
>Mike M
>
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Mike,

I am only a lurker on this list, but have had considerable experience 
with groups that reach decisions by consensus, particualrly within 
Quaker Meetings.  IMHO, the greatest successes come when the group is 
making major decisions and is willing to wait or modify the proposals 
so that everyone is at least sufficiently satisfied to not object 
strongly.  Similarly, I feel that the greatest failures comes when 
the group tries to micro-manage the activities of committees.


Walk in peace . . .      . . . Gene

email:  acker004 [at] maroon.tc.umn.edu
        gene [at] umnhcs.labmed.umn.edu
www:    http://dragon.labmed.umn.edu/~gene/

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