After much struggle and strife in the group, we have finally adopted Formal Consensus. We have discovered that if we talk long enough, and each person’s voice is encouraged and heard, we will find the Group Will. This is true democracy. It is not about compromise, it is instead about finding each person’s need and finding a common solution that meets the needs of all.
Formal Consensus and it’s practice, is a way to find that group will, and in-so-doing, provides each member an experience of true democracy. It may seem to take longer, but although it may take longer in the front to come to consensus, time is saved in implementation because everyone agrees and all work with vigor at the idea of serving one another.
Corporate decisions are made by the CEO and then implemented by the managers, but because only the needs of a small group are being met, the implementation is made grudgingly. In addition, environmental impacts are rarely considered. Rarely does a CEO and his board consider how their decisions are going to affect others as a whole.
Formal Consensus always is considerate of others, including others outside the business itself.
