Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Sociocracy and Consensus

[steve boylan (boylan]

Rob,

Regarding consensus and sociocratic consent, you wrote:

> SOrry, this still did not clear it up at all. They still sound like the same
> thing. Consensus could easily be defined as no objections decision making,
> which is what Sociocracy is too? The definition about responding to change
> in a dynamic way is exactly what consensus is also, or so it seems to my
> experience. So the primary thing is that Sociocracy is creating a system of
> consensus circles? Like teams, link to the board, link to the whole group?
> Or does sociocracy not ever work with the whole group, only parts?

I, too, had a lot of trouble when first trying to understand this
distinction when I was learing about sociocracy.  Here's what I've been
able to puzzle out so far.

The guiding principle of sociocratic consent is "no reasoned and paramount
objection".  As Sharon wrote, this is deliberatly imprecise:  each
participant and each group need to determine for themselves just what
concerns are and are not "reasoned" or "paramount".

But determining whether or not everyone consents is part of a larger
organizational and process structure.  The organization is divided into
decision-making circles.  Authority and responsibility are delegated by
the top circle to the general circle, from the general circle to
functional circles, and to additional circles as the need arises.  Every
circle uses the same process structure to introduce proposals, reach a
mutual understanding, explore alternatives, and determine consent.  The
steps of this process are almost identical to the process for formal
consensus.

In Dr. Endenburg's writings, he contrasts sociocratic consent with a
definition of consensus as "everyone must support the decision".  As you
pointed out, that is a very limited definition of consensus.  In practice,
consensus ends up being much more adaptable, and often ends up being much
closer to Dr. Endenburg's ideal.

Personally, I suspect that most people with experience in consensus
decision making would find the sociocratic process quite familiar.

                                - - Steve Boylan


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