Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Revisiting Consensus

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Sep 10, 2007, at 7:35 AM, Fred H Olson wrote:

> So here's where I'd like input: Do any of the consensus-based or
> sociocracy groups have language about revisiting earlier consensi
> (consensuses? consensim?) or experience that may help a group with  
> very
> varied backgrounds in consensus better understand this issue.

In sociocracy, a decision is revisited whenever there is new  
information or when goals change. The basic decision, to use consent  
as a decision making method, is the only decision that is not  
revisited. BUT in sociocracy, consent is used to make policy  
decisions, not all decisions.

A group can decide by consent to allow the leader to make decisions  
autocratically on a day to day basis, use majority vote to determine  
the date of a bike race, or use a theocratic belief system to  
determine the decorations on a religious holidays.

What most groups using consensus decision making lack is a structure  
in which to make those decisions. In a sociocratic structure, it  
would be clear where and how a decision would be reopened.

The purpose of consensus decision making is harmony and commitment.  
Within the limits of the goals of the group, consensus should address  
the needs of all members of the group. It sounds like your group is  
no longer doing that so to use consensus as an excuse for not  
addressing those needs is a blatantly contradictory.

On the other hand, the goals of the group do place some limits on  
what needs the group is pledged to address.

> A further question: the issue at question is that our current Rules  
> and
> Regulations require members of the Community Owners Association to be
> partners in our tree farm business venture, a separately-incorporated
> LLC. Those Coho groups with attached or covalent businesses--how do  
> you
> handle the issue of a COA member not wishing to be joined legally to
> that business?

This sounds like a legal question. If people joined the group knowing  
that this was true, they may have little legal recourse to change the  
situation.

Under sociocracy, this decision would not be changed until there was  
consensus to do so. The old decision would stand until a new one is  
made.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Coauthor with John Buck of We the People
Consenting to a Deeper Democracy
A Guide to Sociocratic Principles and Methods
ISBN: 9780979282706
http://www.sociocracy.info