[Ailist] Examples of delegate bodies using something other than Robert's ...

[Helen6451 at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/24/2007 8:19:04 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
gailkelley at cox.net writes:

I spent  many years working organizationally with Will Schutz (FIRO B).
When we  wanted to ensure consensus in the group, we used the power of
YES.   The process was elegantly simple:  If people agreed to support  the
decision they would say 'yes' NOT okay or sure or yeah.  It had to  be
yes.  Any other word meant they were not totally in agreement  to
support  the decision. If they said NO or any of the other  conflicted
words, the group would stop and listen to their concerns.   By the end of
the process, which sometimes would require checking agreement  a few
times around the circle, all had been heard and were in  agreement.  I
did not experience a stalemate in all the times I used  this process. It
made decision execution very smooth.  Gail


Gail, your message reminds me of a very useful  group decision process--the 
process of the "go-around" where everyone speaks  from their position or 
situation, and everyone has voice.  I have observed  that in groups where they 
usually use Robert's Rules for official decisions,  they get much more done when 
they assemble as the group of the whole, with  everyone hearing from everyone 
else.
 
Many times they find themselves surprised with what  people have to say, 
people that they were SURE felt a certain way or were  opposed or..., well, you 
get the picture.
 
I have been working with a group that has  transformed itself using AI, into 
a group that can put the interests of the  whole first, and then harmonizes 
the needs and interests of the parts within  that field.  THey have used this 
approach with the dividing up of funding  amounts for grants, and for 
determining how they want to govern  themselves.
 
Helen Spector
 
Helen  Spector
Spector & Associates
Organizational Process Consulting
9601  NW Leahy Road #309
Portland OR 97229
1.503.296.7248  voice
1.503.296.7243 fax 




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