ConsensusPolling:How do we know when we're done?
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How do we know when we're done?
With the document alive, and with our progress being measured, how do we know when we're done? Before we start a consensus poll, we clearly define the finish line, by stating the minimum number people we need to have an agreement (sometimes categorized), and the minimum level of agreement we will accept as "done".
GoThresholds
A GoThreshold is a minimum level of agreement (preferably 90%) and participation (number of people, sometimes categorized).
Examples
Participation GoThresholds:
- We need at least 11 ActiveMembers.
- We need at least 10 ActiveMembers who are not AboutUsStaff to participate.
- We need at least 10,000 residents of Cook County, Illinois, USA.
Agreement GoThresholds:
- We need at least 91% of those who do participate to be at YES on this document to "go".
- We need at least 90% of AboutUsStaff that participate to be at YES on this document to "go".
Why 90%
Are you crazy? How are we going to get 90% agreement?
Many communities are so divided that 90% seems like an unattainable number. When a group has a hard time getting to 51% using voting, 90% is unbelievable. And yet it works. In a consensus poll you can still reach a 90% consensus because of the other aspects of consensus polling, including the dynamic document and the active listening. There are not merely two options ("Yes" or "No") as in voting. People can actually change the document to work for them. This means that a sharply polarized community of people has a good chance of ending up together.
Consensus means 100%! How can you use only 90%?
We seek full agreement of everyone. And, we recognize that sometimes we just can't get there. It's really important that we not simply get to 90% and stop, because that's "good enough." We need to make a good faith effort to get to 100%. And if there are still hold-outs after that, we can still let the group move forward with a strong, but not unanimous agreement.
