One-Day Consensus Conference Facilitation
I facilitate the One-Day Consensus Conference, which takes a diverse group of stakeholders with varying amounts of knowledge about and interest in a topic and puts them on a level playing field so they can reach consensus on a decision that needs to be made.
This decision-making process:
- Allows each participant a full and fair opportunity to influence the outcome, even when a large number of people need to be consulted.
- Minimizes or eliminates some negative things that can happen when diverse groups interact, such as domination of the discussion by one or two influential or high-ranking people.
- Is more efficient, stimulating and rewarding for participants than alternative processes such as brainstorming sessions and formal committee meetings.
In 2006 I facilitated the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Symposium using the One-Day Consensus Conference process. According to the symposium report,
The Prevention Committee had in 1999 developed a broad-based Suicide Prevention Plan (revised in 2004) it viewed as a vision for suicide prevention, but no action was taken on the plan because of a lack of funding. … Knowing that granting agencies look for stakeholder buy in when making funding decisions, the committee decided that building widespread stakeholder consensus at the Symposium would position Nebraska well to obtain the funds necessary to reduce injuries and death from suicide in our state (p. 4).
Documents:
How a One-Day Consensus Conference Works (.pdf)
Recommendations for Suicide Prevention in Nebraska: A Report on the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Symposium (external link, .pdf)
Contact Me:
johnfulwider AT gmail DOT com