Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Delphi Method [was Consensus, Majority vote...] note 2

[Muriel Kranowski (murielk]

I forgot to say, before any discussion occurs whether via full-group rounds 
or small group breakouts or any other method, the full group needs to be 
able to ask clarifying questions and hear the answers from the proposal 
sponsors.  Everyone does this, right?

We count on the facilitator to identify concerns-disguised-as-questions and 
permit only true "help-me-understand-this" clarifying questions. Even what 
seemed like totally simple pro-forma proposals can elicit surprising and 
useful clarifying questions.

If you skip this step, not everyone will understand the proposal well 
enough to discuss it usefully - they'll be responding to the proposal in 
their head instead of the actual one.  Also, the clarifying questions & 
answers can bring up valid concerns that most people wouldn't have thought 
of otherwise, and this will also improve the relevancy of the actual 
discussion.

    Muriel
    Shadowlake Village, Blacksburg, VA