Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Consensus Decision Making: Hampden-Turner's model

[Hans Tilstra (tilstra]

The art of consensus-making is in identifying the competing demands, the
objective is to elicit integration of those demands.

I think it's important in discussions to elicit the competing demands.
Cohousing is full of em!

For example, how to integrate / honour the merits of each, such as ....
- the economies of scale vs. expression of individuality
- social needs. vs privacy
- the qualities of an old fashioned neighbourhood vs. contemporary demands
on time & land
- idealism vs. pragmatism

I use the car as an example It is probably best explained with an example
most people can relate to: the competing demands of following your heart vs
following your head. These polarities are quite visible when you buy a car.
It is nice to have one that pulls the heartstrings yet it is also nice if it
is a smart decision.

In lieu of a whiteboard (guess what I do for a living) imagine a
three-by-three grid with in the bottom left box a car that is neither a
smart buy nor does it pull the heartstrings (eg. for me that would be an old
Fiat or Lada that looks like they haven't been looked after). In the top
left hand corner (a feel good car but not a logical buy) would be a
convertible, a suave looking Citroen or Saab with a trackrecord of expensive
repairs, but so cool looking). In the bottom right corner would be the
easily rationalised choice, with little emotional appeal (eg. an old square
well-looked-after Toyota, but not worth repainting as you wouldn't get your
money back).

The introductory discussion would be around the kind of car that integrates
logic & appeal.

If you find the idea interesting, I suggest finding books by Charles
Hampden-Turner, an accomplished writer about management.

Hans
www.vicnet.net.au/~cohouse