Title: Open Decision-Making
Headings: Open Decision-Making
Open Decision-Making
Goals
Steps to a Decision
Input
Consensus
Announcement
Reconsideration
Positive Examples
Negative Examples
Fear of Feedback
Stealth Decision
Premature Conclusion
When the Process Works and Doesn't Work
The Opposite Approach: Dictator
Conclusion

Content: The best way to achieve consensus is to get all of the key  people together at the same time, discuss the choices, and then  take a poll. Consensus happens most efficiently in a meeting  environment where everyone can hear all the arguments  and respond to them. Furthermore, each person can observe whether  other people share their views; it's easier to accept a decision  you don't like if you can see that no one else shares your  viewpoint. In general, it's better to err on the side of having  too many people present in the meeting rather than too few. The discussion must be managed carefully in order to  maximize the chance for consensus: Frame the problem clearly, along with the  criteria for evaluating the options. If people don't  agree on the problem or the goal, they are unlikely to  agree on the solution. Display the choices and the arguments for and against  each choice in a place where everyone can see them. Be inclusive in what you display.