Cohousing-L Mailing List: ON STANDING ASIDE

[Jake Morrison (jake.morrison]

In late August, Pablo Halpern replied to Rob Sandelin:

 > >Standing aside, in my understanding, covers when a group decision do
 > >not meet the needs of an individual, but can still meet the needs of
 > >the group.

 > Maybe. Ideally, though I think that if you are clear that a proposal
 > for the group, you should consent to it without standing aside. There
 > been many cases where I consented to something even though I, persona
 > was negatively impacted by the decision.

Sorry to be getting into this so late. I find it interesting that there 
is such a range of views on what standing aside means. Each group will 
have to decide for itself, of course. Here's my view (and Terra Firma's, 
I hope):

    In the context of concensus decisionmaking and an individual's right
  to block a decision when s/he feels it is wrong for the group (but the
  individual has no right to block because of purely personal reasons)
  standing aside is an option that the individual might take when s/he
  is willing to have the decision affirmed but s/he still holds a 
  serious concern about the decision. The individual's concern will be
  added as an adendum to the decision and any future reconcideration of 
  the decision will necessarily have to deal with that concern.

   So, the decision is affirmed and the concerned member will abide by it
and it's concequences for the member and the group. The member has 
decided that the concern is, perhaps, not clear enough at the time to 
cause the member to block the decision.

If anyone wants a good description of one method of formal concensus 
decisionmaking try "On Conflict and Concensus" by C.T. Butler.

take care
   Jake


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<Jake Morrison   Jake.Morrison [at] bbs.Synapse.net   Terra Firma Housing>
<769 Bayview Dr.; Constance Bay, Ont, K0A 3M0  voice: (613) 832-1458>
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