Consensus for
Small Groups
An
introduction and worksheets
3. A possible agenda for a meeting on consensus | |
Notes
are given in italic. This is designed as a meeting which can take
place in a couple of hours, say two and a half, and therefore easily
enough in a morning, an afternoon, or an evening. The timing (in minutes)
is not precise and will vary with the group and its size; if you spend
more time on one item than the timing given below, you may find it is
balanced by needing to spend less time on another.
Another approach to group functioning, which has very direct
repercussions for consensus, is looking at (task and maintenance) roles
within the group. This area of work is not covered here. If the members of
the group are experienced and there is already an awareness of the need
for different roles to be played within a group then there may be no need
to deal with it in detail. If however there is a problem or a potential
problem then it is an area which needs attention. Resources on group roles
are generally readily available; please ask if INNATE can help (including
with the copy of a fun roleplay scenario with lots of negative roles
included!). 1. Welcome from facilitator/chair. 2 minutes 2. Quick exercise; 'What would you be doing today/now if you weren't here?' As a round. 5 minutes. This acknowledges the effort people have made to come 3. Aims of, and introduction to, the session. 5 -10 minutes Aim; Where the session aims to get; e.g. to have a clear and defined trial procedure on consensus decision making agreed by the end of the meeting. To review and make final decisions on consensus decision making at the end of the trial period.
4. Agenda introduction. 3 minutes 5. Spectrum/Barometer on decision making. 20 - 30 minutes. Start with one or two statements you have prepared on decision making in relation to the group, let people divide from 'totally agree' at one side of the room to 'totally disagree' on the other. Examples could include general statements and ones specific to the group (though be careful not to personalise them); e.g. "I'm not too worried about consensus as long as we get decisions made", and "I would like the chair to be less directional in meetings". Allow a few people at least to share on each statement after people have positioned themselves.. When you have used 'your' statements you can then allow individuals to make statements for reaction. This exercise enables a good picture to emerge of where people stand - and hopefully that it is not a simple matter of 'majority v. consensus' decision making (e.g. some of those most insistent that decisions have to be made efficiently may also be those who insist everyone's views are taken into account in the process). This exercise is also very important in that it may pinpoint publicly some aspects of group functioning which most need dealt with. 6. Tools using worksheet 20 - 30 minutes 7. Straw voting and initial decisions on tools 'for the bag'. 10
minutes 8. Modes of discussion; Introduction using worksheet 5 minutes
See handout following for further information. Work though the modes taking questions and comments as they come. 9. Modes of discussion; Round 30 minutes 10. Decisions on matching modes and tools 20-30 minutes The chair/facilitator may want to write up the modes which people seem to be supporting, get agreement on those, and then fill in the tools which people feel go with each. If not using 'modes', the alternative here would be to omit Numbers 8 & 9, simply choose the tools you want to use, and practise using them, perhaps while doing some 'real' business. 11. Look over conclusions and plan review (e.g. in 3 meetings time) 10 minutes The conclusions may already be clear but this needs to be checked, and to schedule a review in a few meetings time. 12. Final go round 10 minutes Anything unsaid that people want to get said before the end 13. Brief assessment 5 minutes 14. Closing 2 minutes Possible 'games' to be used at an appropriate point; a. Balls in the air b. 'One of my worst meeting experiences regarding procedure -
outside this group' - keeping the group/context anonymous After the meeting….. CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT CONSENSUS
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