They are the ground on which the shared information base of the organization takes shape. Meetings happen around them, harried volunteers refer to them when they re on the phone, people pick up messages from them. The IMC has made much use of consensus-based decision making. This is not a process that people just get through intuition. It helps to spell out how it works and remind people as needed.
Some work is required to make it a smooth functioning part of the culture of the organization.
Click here for a good, detailed description of the consensus process. In Seattle, we have at times approached this ideal, but we are not all fully up to speed on how it works. We also have a nice flow chart . As tasks came up, people would volunteer for them. At the next meeting, they would report back on their progress.