Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Making changes in our decisions

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 5/12/2003 1:05 PM, "David Heimann" <heimann [at] world.std.com> wrote:

> I am looking for information on your experiences in changing
> previously-made decisions.

A Sociocratic answer:

Any kind of rule-making around preventing decision-making (or remaking) will
limit the quality of decisions made. If you frame the question differently,
you can focus on the quality of decision-making rather than placing value on
the status-quo no matter how good or bad it is.

Decisions should be reconsidered when circumstances change or new
information becomes available -- whenever a "reasoned argument" can be made
for doing so.

This places the emphasis on the argument -- the information, circumstances,
etc. rationally stated -- rather than membership status, length of time
since decision, etc., which are irrelevant to good decision-making.

The best decisions also include a factoring of "what is the best we can do
right now so we can move forward." This requires establishing a timeline so
the group can see what the effect is of making a decision today or next week
or reopening a decision already made. Can you decide the day before pouring
the foundations that you really want more basements? No matter how much you
might now see that more basements would be a good idea, can you afford all
the costs in remaking that decision?

In cohousing discussions, that timeline seems to get lost -- both for design
ideas and for meeting agendas.

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

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