Consensus That Works: Formal Consensus Decision Making for Groups and Organizations

THREE 2-HOUR VIDEO CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Wednesdays, Jan. 29-Feb. 12, 2025 • 11AM-1PM PT/2-4pM ET

Consensus That Works:

• Promotes collaboration

• Elevates your group and its decisions

• Sparks creativity

• Builds respect

• Generates commitment

• Operates transparently

• Expands participation

Consensus That Works draws out the wisdom and best thinking of all participants to yield higher quality group decisions. Use it to drive cohesive action without leaving people behind who don’t support or didn’t vote for a proposal. Engage it to build energy and commitment. The more you use Consensus That Works, the more value it brings your organization.

Consensus That Works is rooted in the practice of "formal consensus," which offers a structure that facilitates moving forward. It is always clear what to do next to craft, consider and improve proposals, arriving at decisions that are understood and supported by the whole group. Clear agendas and broad participation move a group efficiently through meeting topics, ending on time with a clear roster of accomplishments. And the process continues between meetings, promoting progress that helps meetings stay on track.

Consensus That Works is not unanimous decision-making. Nor is it an undefined process that requires seemingly endless conversation to arrive at least-common-denominator solutions that leave everyone worn out, wondering what happened and why it took so long.

Consensus That Works promotes collaboration over competition. It offers a clear alternative that builds on the creative contributions of the group to craft decisions that fit your purpose, mission and goals and keep your organization moving forward.

Are you looking for a way to supercharge your work team's performance?

Retool your nonprofit or company?

Make a transition to a more equitable, fair and inspiring way of working together?

Support local democracy and participation within your community?

Operate and enliven a consensus decision-making model you've already committed to?

Find a better way to manage meetings, decision-making and action?

course learning objectives

1. Foundational Understanding of Consensus That Works

Develop a clear grasp of the principles, rules, and roles that underpin "Consensus That Works."
Acquire a detailed understanding of the Consensus That Works process and how to operate and fine-tune it.

2. Enhancing Group Decision-Making Skills

Learn to utilize Consensus That Works to draw out the wisdom and best thinking of all participants in order to yield higher quality group decisions.
Understand how Consensus That Works promotes collaboration, elevates group decisions, sparks creativity, and builds respect.

3. Practical Application in Group Settings

Develop a plan for applying Consensus That Works within your group, organization, or meetings.
Gain the skills to drive cohesive action without leaving behind individuals who may not support or didn't vote for a proposal.
Explore how to use Consensus That Works to build energy, commitment, and progress within your organization.

Who is this for?

Extension & community development professionals • Cooperatives • Transition communities • State and local government agencies and task forces • Arts and cultural organizations • Place-based & conservation organizations • Community leaders • Religious organizations • Teachers and youth program leaders • Neighborhood associations • Startups • Companies large and small • Teams, departments and working groups • Group process and meeting facilitators • Informal groups • Families

Course Instructors

Howard D Terry took a deep dive into consensus decision-making 30 years ago, as a women's economic development organization adopted the formal consensus decision-making process. Howard has deeply explored the fundamentals of Consensus That Works, working with government agencies, companies, nonprofit boards, cooperatives, incubators, and community economic development organizations.

Michele Archie's experience with formal consensus began when a start-up community nonprofit she was part of adopted it as their decision-making model. Michele has trained organization members, boards and facilitators in a variety of democratic discussion and decision-making processes for more than 25 years.

Session Dates and Times

Three live 2-hour weekly video conference sessions

Wednesdays, Jan. 29-Feb. 12, 2025 • 11am-1pm PT/2-4pm ET

Fees & Details

Registration includes up to 30 minutes of one-on-one coaching after the course wraps up.
$400 regular course fee (early registration discount $320 through Nov. 31, 2024)
Group rates for two or more participants from the same organization or community — $325 per person regular group rate (early registration discount $275 through Nov. 31, 2024)
Organizational and other special discount codes offer a discount in addition to early registration and group rates.
If you or someone you would like to include needs a full and partial scholarship, please inquire. We will make every effort to make sure anyone who is interested can learn this process.
Please inquire about tailoring custom training programs, workshops, presentations or private consultation to your organization.

Free continuing education Learning Credits

Through a partnership with American Trails, Harbinger is offering free learning credits for this and selected other courses. Credits are available by request, at no charge beyond the course registration fee, contingent on completing the entire course and a brief post-course quiz. American Trails is a certified provider, and you may request credits for:

American Institute of Certified Planners Continuing Maintenance (AICP CM)
Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES PDH)
CEU/PDH equivalency petition for other accepting organizations

This course provides 6.00 CM | 6.00 LA CES NON-HSW | 0.60 CEU/6.00 PDH Equivalency Petition

Sessions

Three, two-hour live webinars plus one-on-one coaching. All sessions will be recorded in case you miss a session or want to listen again.

Session 1 - Consensus That Works Basics

Your current decision-making process
Consensus vs. competitive decision making
Underlying principles of Consensus That Works
Making decisions with a common purpose
Six rules
Roles in the process
Agenda planning

Session 2 - Facilitating Decisions Using Consensus That Works

Meeting flow
Meeting roles and how they help the process
Rotating roles
Using agendas
Understanding proposals for clear decision-making
Moving proposals through the process from introduction to decision and beyond
Changing decisions

Session 3 - Fine Tuning and Adapting

Recognizing decisions
Using the process to propel work between meetings
Using the process to support equitable participation
Agenda keeping for consistent progress
Record keeping and group memory
Supporting and using conflict and cooperation
Troubleshooting common problems

(Un)shared aims
Unclear proposals
Not enough input
Unfamiliarity with the process
Power dynamics

Applying this in your own situation

Please let me know when you offer this course again