Structure of Formal Consensus
The general structure of a decision reached by Formal Consensus should resemble the following:
Introduction: When a proposal or issue is raised, it should be submitted to the group, and sufficient time should be given for all participants to familiarize themselves with the proposal. The process by which the proposal / issue originated should be clarified, and any clarifying questions should be addressed.
First Level of discussion: Once the proposal is understood by all participants, a broad discussion of the overall merits and drawbacks of the proposal should take place. None of the conflicts or concerns that are raised at this phase are directly addressed, and no questions are directly resolved. Instead, all comments are noted, and the discussion is made to move forward without dwelling on particular concerns. Some proposals can be accepted or rejected at this stage. It is appropriate to call for consensus here.
Second Level of discussion: Specific concerns and conflicts which came from the general discussion of the proposal are identified. No attempt is made to resolve these concerns, but instead, all of the specific conflicts and concerns which require discussion are identified and formulated into specific points.
Third Level of discussion: The specific conflicts identified in the Second Level are discussed, one at a time. Each concern is discussed until a resolution is achieved.
There are alternative means of resolving a discussion which cannot achieve consensus, which include sending the proposal to a committee, or conducting a super-majority vote.
Read more about this topic: Formal Consensus
Famous quotes containing the words structure of, structure, formal and/or consensus:
“Women over fifty already form one of the largest groups in the population structure of the western world. As long as they like themselves, they will not be an oppressed minority. In order to like themselves they must reject trivialization by others of who and what they are. A grown woman should not have to masquerade as a girl in order to remain in the land of the living.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)
“There is no such thing as a language, not if a language is anything like what many philosophers and linguists have supposed. There is therefore no such thing to be learned, mastered, or born with. We must give up the idea of a clearly defined shared structure which language-users acquire and then apply to cases.”
—Donald Davidson (b. 1917)
“The formal Washington dinner party has all the spontaneity of a Japanese imperial funeral.”
—Simon Hoggart (b. 1946)
“A consensus politician is someone who does something that he doesn’t believe is right because it keeps people quiet when he does it.”
—John Major (b. 1943)