Sociocracy and Consensus
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com)
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 12:24:01 -0700 (MST)

This is the latest addition to my notes for using Sociocracy in Cohousing. This is edited version of notes taken by John Buck from a lecture by Gerard Endenburg on things a facilitator can do to achieve consent. Maintaining equivalence is especially important in sociocratic theory and practice because it produces the strongest participation in decisionmaking, produces greater compliance, and ensures quality decisions. Tension is seen as necessary to creativity unless it is too great and then it becomes destructive. A discussion has to maintain the balance.

When members of a circle (or team) are having difficulty achieving consent, adjusting the tension may elicit more creativity. Ways to change the tension:

1. Focus the circle by restating its aim, restating the objections, and reframing associated issues for greater clarity. Tension can be raised by also stating a deadline.

2. Ensure equivalence.
• If some have been doing most of the talking, is it time to call on a quiet person? • Would an opinion round bring out more viewpoints and reestablish equivalence? • Would a moment of silence lower or raise tension? Or rebalance equivalence?)

When the circle seems impossibly stuck, some alternative ways to handle the process when the tension becomes destructive:

• See if another circle (the environment) can help. An objection is “our” (the whole organization’s) problem – not just the problem of the person(s) voicing it. • Sleep on the problem. Table the discussion for later in the same meeting or arrange for another meeting in 48 hours.
• Create a helping circle to collect more information.
• If the objection appears not to be a policy issue, propose to delegate it to someone to solve. • If there is no consent to a proposal, propose instead that the circle simply not act. If there are objections to abandoning the proposal, they may be more illuminating than the objections to accepting it. • Consider whether the objections are signaling that there is no common aim. Perhaps the circle needs to be disbanded, dissolved into other circles, split into two circles, etc.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org
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