The Consensus Process, by Mark Shep
•	   “Consensus makes special demands on all. You must respect and consider each other. You must have a sense of common searching, instead of wanting to ‘win.’
•	   You must be sensitive and open to each others’ ideas and feelings, and honestly try to accommodate them. 
•	   Finally, you must be dedicated to uncovering and pursuing truth—even if it leads where you never expected. 
•	   Ignore these guidelines, and consensus can frustrate, divide, and fail.  
•	   Follow them, and it can energize, unify, and succeed beyond your expectations.”
Workshop Objectives
•	Provide deeper understanding of consensus processes and group characteristics that support successful use of consensus processes.
•	Explore benefits and potential pitfalls of full group consensus (criticisms and problems)
•	Explore how CoHo’s current processes differ from full group consensus process and why
•	Explore techniques facilitators and other roles use to ease us toward consensus
Pop Quiz
1) A proposal can only be brought to the community through a team.

2) Teams do not need to use consensus decision making.

3) Teams must come to consensus on a proposal prior to initiating a community discussion on the target issue.
Pop Quiz (continuted)
4) Objections and concerns need to be resolved prior to a proposal being written and presented to the community.

5) A proposal may need to change in order to resolve objections and concerns.

Pop Quiz (continuted)
6) When a community member raises an “orange card” and abstains from participation in a specific consensus process, she/he doesn’t have to say why.

7) If you are not willing to support a community decision you must block it.
Pop Quiz (continuted)
8) There are only two valid reasons for blocking a proposal.

9) There are steps in place in our decision making process that can permit a proposal to be enacted even if a block is raised and remains unresolved.
Why Consensus?
Why Consensus?
•	Social research indicates that groups make better decisions than individuals. 

•	Builds connection by replacing competition with cooperation.

•	Consensus empowers everyone in the process and creates ownership for the results.
Why Consensus?
•	More effective implementation related to greater ownership of the decision.

•	A consensus process promotes trust, respect, and skill sharing.

•	Most cohousing groups use consensus.

Characteristics that Contribute to Successful Use of Consensus
•	Trust
•	Respect
•	Unity of purpose
•	Non-violent communications
•	Cooperation
•	Conflict resolution

•	Commitment to the group
•	Active participation
•	Patience
•	Self Empowerment
•	Equal access to power

Objectives of Consensus Decision Making
•	Inclusive
•	Participatory
•	Cooperative
•	Egalitarian
•	Solution Oriented

Key Characteristics
•	Full empowerment of all participants 
•	Deep listening
•	Ask questions until unity is reached
•	Honoring of dissent as a “piece of the truth”
•	Working with all input rather than purely rational analysis (e.g., emotions, intuition, spirit)
•	Allocate more time if needed  to ensure maximum support for acting on whatever decision is reached
Full Group Consensus Process
•	Energy Flow in Ideal Voting Process

•	Energy Flow in Consensus

•	Process Flow in Consensus

•	Criticisms of Consensus

Ideal Voting Model
Occasional Outcome of Voting
Consensus Energy Model
Divergent Zone
Groan Zone
Save us Facilitator - Not
Convergent Zone
Full Consensus Energy in Practice
Closure Zone
•	Agreement (thumb up, green card)

•	Tolerance (thumb sideways, blue card)

•	Standing Aside: I have concerns, but won’t stand in the way of the consensus. (thumb wagging at an angle, orange card)
Closure Zone
Blocking: an appropriate block comes from a member’s belief that the proposal jeopardizes the community or violates the group’s core values.  (Thumb down, red card)

Criticisms
•	Time consuming !#&!

•	Preserves the status quo

•	Susceptibility to disruption

•	Abilene paradox
Coho Consensus Process
•	Full group time - Precious
•	Availability of other venues for connection
•	Most proposals start at a committee and develop from team contemplation
•	SC / facilitation team sees that each proposal is ready for community action
•	Often send proposal back to team to incorporate concerns
Coho Consensus Process
What Does CoHo Do When in a State of Blockedness?
•	Set the proposal aside for a while
•	Provide empathy, have conversations outside of meeting
•	Move the topic/proposal to a Sharing Circle or CPR if those look like useful measures
•	Our bylaws state that we can go to a vote, where necessary.  Your facilitation team has a guideline in place on how to switch.
Break
Questions on Consensus Decision Making?
Consensus Part II
•	In the second session we’ll focus on the role of the facilitator
•	We’ll also see what other roles can assist groups in the consensus process
•	Additionally, we’ll look at some different discussion techniques
Facilitation
•	CoHo facilitators are highly skilled at working with groups and group process
•	They seek to help us meet our values of consensus decision making and non-violent communications while providing effective meeting process/es.”

Facilitative Leadership
•	Content neutral, process advocate

•	Facilitator can “take the hat off” if they wish to speak for themselves

•	Gauges the flow and temp. of the group

Facilitative Leadership
•	Assistant facilitator/s – Huddle

•	Leads openly; notifying the group if shifting to a different technique

•	Consults group on changing the agenda
Other meeting roles
•	Reflectors (use NVC)
•	Advocate
•	Timekeeper
•	Scribe
•	Note taker
•	Observer
Group flow techniques
•	Equalizing participation
•	Pacing
•	Checking the process
•	Taking a break
•	Straw poll
•	Calling for consensus
•	Asking for step-in
•	Listing
•	Stacking
•	Silence
•	Summarizing
•	Reformulating
•	Tabling 

Consent vs Consensus
•	Emphasis on Individual versus Group

•	Paramount Objection – not so much

•	Good Enough
Signaling
•	Current hand sign usage.

•	More expansive hand signs

•	Colored cards
Group Discussion
Techniques
•	Whole group discussion
•	Small group (breakout) discussion
•	Brainstorming (in small or large group)
•	Go-rounds
•	Fishbowl
•	Lineup (w/ wrap around conversation)
•	Guided visualization
To Make Consensus Work
•	Information is shared ahead of time
•	People must be present and participate 
•	People need to express their feelings and needs (but not blame or attack others)
•	There is an atmosphere of trust
•	Assume good will on everyone’s part
•	People attempt to stick in there, even when the going gets rough

Additional information
•	Tree Bressen has trained many folks in CoHo and done group instruction and demonstration earlier in our history
•	Her Web site: http://treegroup.info/
•	CoHo may support members getting additional training
•	Present facilitators welcome others interested in becoming group facilitators
end
Let’s Practice!
Some low-key topics for group practice:

● Walkway lighting

● Designing a CoHo flag

● Gift of a picture for the CH with dogs playing poker

● Buying a group lottery ticket
● Buying a gas BBQ for the CH patio

Background on the Cards
•	Susan did research on the history and use of the colored cards in the cohousing world
•	CoHo has a past around the cards
•	Admin and the facilitators have been stimulated to revisit them
Practice
•	“Real” situation to practice consensus on
•	Proposal: Units have assigned parking spaces
•	Background: CoHo vision on automobile; got waiver to have fewer spaces; garages are parking spaces; we’re full at night; some spaces seem other than for parking; Bylaws call for assigned space (map?)

Consensus +’s and –’s
•	What’s good about it?

•	What’s challenging?