Consensus
You'll hear a lot about consensus at Free Geek, because it's the method of democratic decision-making that we use for all of our group decisions. Consensus is not merely a unanimous vote, but a process for finding a solution that is best for the group. There are many techniques for attaining consensus; it can be very informal or fairly formal. Watch one of our meetings some time and see it in action.
Here's a Lesson Plan for Teaching the Consensus Process.
Consensus terms
- block
- to state that you feel the proposed actions are againt the interests of the group and should in no case be taken
- consent
- to state that you agree substantially with the proposed actions. Consent often means that you will participate in the implementation of the decision.
- facilitator
- the person who keeps the meeting flowing and tries to guide the group toward consensus
- minutes
- the document that records who attended the meeting and what decisions were made
- presenter
- the person who gives the group background information about a topic in preparation for group discussion
- scribe/scribulator
- the person who takes minutes - this is Free Geek usage
- stack
- though it's technically a queue rather than a stack, this is the term used for the list of people waiting to speak next
- stand aside
- to state that although you have misgivings about the proposal, they are personal, and you will not interfere if the group moves forward. Standing aside usually implies that you will not participate in implementation.
Participating in consensus
If you're attending a meeting, it is a Very Good Idea to have informed yourself about the topics to be discussed, so as not to waste the time of the group in getting background you could already know. Listen closely to the conversation as it goes on. If there's a lot of discussion and you'd like to speak, get the attention of the facilitator so she can call on you or put you on the stack.
When there's a proposal being presented, it's appropriate to ask clarifying questions about the situation and the proposal, to be sure you understand them before making comment on it. Concerns may then be voiced, and the proposal refined or further explained to address those concerns.
When the facilitator believes there's agreement in the room, she may ask for consensus. Generally, you will hear her ask for any further concerns with or questions about the proposal; if there are none, the scribulator will read the proposal as it stands. The facilitator will ask if there are any stand asides; if none, she'll ask for blocks. If none, the group has consented to the decision.
If people make commitments in the course of discussion or as part of a proposal, the scribe will make a note of them. Keep your eye out for your name in the Commitments section of the minutes when they come out.
Links
8 Tools for setting priorities
- On Conflict and Consensus is a well-recognized handbook on the formal consensus process. It even has flowcharts!
- Beyond Adversary Democracy by Jane Mansbridge (1983, 412 pages) is an excellent case study of a town in Vermont with a consensus-based town government (aka "Unitary Democracy.") It compares and contrasts with our federal representative democratic system (aka "Adversarial Democracy.") Highly recommended by Pete.