Introduction

Building Community & Embracing Diversity

The Art of Compassionate Communication

Facilitation Skills: Decision Making & Conflict Resolution

Personal Empowerment & Leadership Skills

Celebrating Life:
Art & Creativity

“Consensus goes beyond majority rule. It replaces traditional styles of «top-down» leadership with a model of shared power and responsibility. A group, which uses consensus process effectively, can become a healthy community and a powerful force for social change” – Bea Briggs

A Summary of Consensus*

Consensus is a decision-making process which strives for non-violent resolution of conflicts and the cooperative development of decisions that everyone can support.

Core belief:  each person has an important piece of the truth

In order for consensus process to work, five essential elements must be in place:

• A willingness to share power
• Informed commitment to the consensus process
• A common purpose
• Strong agendas
• Effective facilitation

1. Willingness to Share Power

Participants in a consensus group must be willing to give up hierarchical roles and privileges and to function as equals. The contributions of experts, professionals and elders are, of course, welcome, but they must not be allowed to silence the voices of other members of the group.

2. Informed Commitment to the Consensus Process

Because consensus is radically different from the way most of us have been conditioned to function, the process needs to be carefully explained, and the fundamental principles reviewed from time to time. The more people in the group who understand the process, the better it will work.

3. Common Purpose

Without an overarching purpose to unify and focus its efforts, a group will spin its wheels endlessly, trapped in confusion, frustration and ego battles.

4. Strong Agendas

The lack of an agenda, an agenda controlled exclusively by one or two «leaders,» and poorly prepared agendas all undermine the consensus process. They waste people’s time, erode their trust and diminish a group’s effectiveness.

5. Effective Facilitation

A facilitator is a guide, not a participant in the discussion. He or she must be assiduously neutral about the topics being discussed and fair in the treatment of all the members in the group, showing no favouritism.
A facilitator does not give answers, but rather continuously asks questions intended to equalize participation («Are we hearing from everyone?»), elicit wisdom («Are there any other ideas?), and clarify the group’s situation («Are we ready to move on?»)

*Note: All this part is based on Bea Briggs's book: Introduction to Consensus

• Government & Governance
• Different Systems to Make Decisions
• Different Types of Decisions
• When You Don’t Want to Use Full Consensus
• A Summary of Consensus
  • Three stages in the Decision Making process
  • Agenda format

The International Institute of Facilitation and Change, founded by Bea Briggs, helps groups performance and product results in hard-to-monitor areas such as leadership, teamwork, participation and change.
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Bea Briggs facilitating a meeting

A summary of the consensus process
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