Re: Changes in Decision Making Processes
From: Michael D (ohanamdearthlink.net)
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 11:49:01 -0700 (MST)
> Many decisions in the building process don't lend themselves
> to being agreed on in the community, not just for time but
> because of the expertise involved.

I don't think that the consensus process is useful for
micromanaging.  If a community had to do a consensus process
to decide what will be served at every dinner, if it's time
for the lawn to be mowed, or whether to move a skylight a few
feet or not, then it would get bogged down to the point of
inactivity.

I believe that consensus is useful for major decisions,
policies, deciding what tasks need to be done, and selecting
teams (or, in some cases, individuals) to manage each of the
tasks.  Once there's a lawn mowing team or a building team,
for example, it's their job to get the job done in accordance
with the principles and policies decided by consensus.  If the
community doesn't like what the team is doing, they can recall
them and use the consensus process to select a new team.
Otherwise, people may talk to the team members about their
preferences, and the team may consult with anyone they want,
but it's the team's job to get the task done as well as
possible and in alignment with the community's general wishes.

Compare it to any organization with more than a few people.
In a business, for example, the Board doesn't micromanage.  It
delegates.  Same principle in communities, I believe.

Namaste,
Michael
ohanamd [at] earthlink.net
Heart Song Community
Santa Fe, NM

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