Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: decision-making process

[Jerry McIntire (jerry.mcintire]

Perhaps the determination to measure "objectively" is an enemy of strong
community. I think it would be relatively easy for community members to
report if there relationships within the community have been strengthened
or degraded by a particular round of decision-making. That would be
entirely subjective, and I think that's fine. There are other measures,
some objective: Did everyone speak to the question? Were their
contributions substantive and rich or a simple yes or no? Do  they want to
come to the next meeting? Are they more likely or less likely to engage
other members in conversation outside of the meeting? And more such
questions...

Jerry

-- 
Jerry McIntire
Stone's Throw Ecovillage, in the heart of Wisconsin's beautiful Driftless
region
http://stonesthrowcommunity.wordpress.com/
1-608-637-8018


On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 11:21 PM, Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net> 
wrote:

>
> Rick!   I really love this!
>
> An excellent guide for evaluating one’s decision making process.  Altho’
> how do you measure #1 “strengthen relationship” and #2 respect or improve
> the decision-making process?  I guess number 2 might be measured by the
> length of time it takes from proposal to decision, the number of drafts,
> the number of meetings, the number of concerns or objections to be
> resolved.  Hmm.  I don’t know that these would be the measures but yes. #2
> could be more easily measured.
>
> But how to measure/evaluate #1?  Fewer fist-fights?  :-)
>
> In any event … I do love where you are coming from in looking at
> decision-making and its role in building community.
>
> Thank you!
>
> Best --
>
> Ann Zabaldo
> Takoma Village Cohousing
> Washington, DC
> Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
> Falls Church VA
> 703-688-2646
>
>
> On Sep 18, 2014, at 11:36 PM, Richart Keller <richart.keller [at] gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > The quality of decisions is one indicator of community success.  I.e.
>  the
> > measure of a successful decision is the extent to which it meets 3 tests:
> > does it
> > 1) achieve the desired result, 2) strengthen relationships within the
> > group, and 3) does it respect or improve the decision-making process?
> >
> > Rick
> >
> > Sent from my droid.
> > On Sep 18, 2014 6:12 PM, "Eris Weaver" <eris [at] erisweaver.info> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Thanks, Rick, for the shout-out!
> >>
> >> Yes, most cohousing communities use consensus for the plenary decision
> >> making. I highly recommend that groups get TRAINING in consensus,
> whether
> >> it's from me or Tree or Laird or whoever else. It takes learning,
> >> commitment, and practice to use it well. Also, there are several
> different
> >> "flavors" of consensus and it is helpful, in the consensus training, to
> >> work
> >> out exactly how YOUR community is going to use and interpret several
> >> components of consensus.
> >>
> >> Even groups that use consensus for most big things may use other
> >> decision-making methods for some kinds of decisions. Consensus, while a
> >> wonderful, deep, connecting tool, is not the ONLY tool, and is not
> >> appropriate for every group, need or situation. (This has been one of MY
> >> big
> >> learnings over the years.) To expand on this would take more time than I
> >> have at the moment.
> >>
> >> (California folks: I'm doing a consensus & community building workshop
> in
> >> the Bay Area soon, contact me back channel if you want more info.)
> >>
> >> ------------------------------
> >> Eris Weaver, Facilitator & Group Process Consultant
> >> Founding member, FrogSong cohousing in Cotati, CA
> >> eris [at] erisweaver.info . 707-338-8589 . http://www.erisweaver.info
> >>
> >
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/
>
>