Agenda Packet 12-10-18 Work Session

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21 Reaching a Decision By Consensus:Reaching a Decision By Consensus:Reaching a Decision By Consensus:Reaching a Decision By Consensus: Susan Sparks Many, Organizing for Success: Negotiation Handbook Consensus Means: • All participants contribute resources including time, ideas, and information and encourage use of one another’s resources and opinions. • The team has considered a variety of perspectives and views these differences as helpful rather than as a hindrance. • Everyone has a shared understanding of the issue these from multiple perspectives. • Everyone has a chance to describe the way the issue impacts him/her. • In a potential solution, those who disagree propose acceptable modifications with which they would agree. Those who disagree can ask the group for help in making possible modifications. • Those who continue to disagree see the will of the group and indicate that they are willing to go along or try a solution for prescribed period of time. Consider balanced ways to monitor the impact of the decision if implemented and revise the solution later using this data. • All share in the final decision and recommendation. The group can agree that the solution is the result of their best, creative problem solving even if the end result is still imperfect. Values and Behaviors For Reaching Consensus • We balance power and create shared ownership by providing time and opportunity for investigation, reflection and dialogue • We value clarity and explicit communication • We use interactive processes to support our effectiveness. • We share how to arrive at decisions with the entire group and describe when and how we will make decisions. Consensus Doesn’t Mean: • Everyone thinks the end idea is perfect. • Simply giving in. Reservations and concerns need to be voiced so the group can consider creative alternatives. December 10, 2018, Work Session - Item 2