Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Sociocracy (response to "blocking consensus" and long)

[Michael D (ohanamd]

> You don't use a process to craft proposals before they are
considered at a
> full community meeting?

I didn't mean to imply that no one prepares proposals prior to
meetings.  I'm just saying that they don't come in as "it's
this or nothing" proposals.  In fact, several different
proposals may be brought to the meeting (or distributed in
advance).  The proposals are suggestions, though, for the
group to work with.

So, we'd start with the general question, (for example) "What
shall we do about a swimming pool?"  Next, any proposals are
put on the table.  Then we discuss until we synthesize
something that works for everyone.

In my history of using consensus, the group has often reviewed
a single proposal and accepted it without much dissent,
provided that the people with the most investment and the most
knowledge have been on the team that developed the proposal.
However, everyone knows that they can modify the proposal if
any part of it doesn't work for them.  It isn't either "yea or
nay" to the proposal.  Consequently, sometimes it may take
weeks (or months) to reach consensus, with many suggestions of
modifications to the original proposal.

Going back to the example of building a swimming pool: The
final consensus may not be either no swimming pool or the
proposed swimming pool at the proposed cost in the proposed
location with the proposed amenities built by the proposed
contractor with the proposed safety measures maintained by the
proposed team.  We wouldn't scrap the idea of a swimming pool
because someone wants more safety measures and someone else
wants it in a different location and a third person wants us
to build it ourselves.  We'd open ourselves to modifying the
original proposal.

Even if some people start out saying that they don't want a
swimming pool at all, we'd explore what their objections are
and see if they couldn't be addressed and still have a
swimming pool.  Likewise, we'd explore what the benefits are
for the people who want a swimming pool and see if they
couldn't be met without building one.  So, for example,
perhaps an above-ground, pre-fab pool would satisfy everyone,
even though that wasn't the proposal that the team brought to
the meeting.

> In our community, we would have an even lower attendance at
community
> meetings if they took a great deal more time.

I believe that all meetings should be time-limited.  Whatever
doesn't get done in that time is held over to the next
meeting.  Thus, whatever is most important is addressed first.

> We have been very successful
> working out problems and proposals, especially ones that
have emotions
> attached, before the big meeting.  Most often the consensus
is formed
> without additional meetings but through swirling intermixing
of one on one
> and group discussion for the week or two before the decision
making
> meeting.

Of course.  Formal meetings aren't the only place people can
talk about issues that matter to them.

It seems to me that what you're saying, Kevin, isn't all that
different than what I'm saying except that maybe I'm
suggesting a little more openness to people wanting to modify
the original proposal than you are.

Namaste,
Michael
ohanamd [at] earthlink.net
Heart Song Community
Santa Fe, NM

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