The agreement may be reviewed, modified, rejected, or accepted by leaders. Consensus processes provide support for leaders, not replacement. Citizen involvement is a key ingredient in the development of any public policy. The North Dakota Consensus Council's model of community meetings focuses on the interaction among citizens in the presence of leaders. Rather than the familiar public hearing model with its usually adversarial atmosphere, the community meetings feature leaders as listeners, conversations among neighbors, student perspectives, and direct feedback through meeting summaries.
Time is frequently a factor in all phases of the political process.
First, determine the issue's readiness, identify the stakeholders and outline the goals. Determine the time frame and staff resources, including a facilitator. Hold planning sessions with the stakeholders, if necessary, to ensure a firm foundation before the conversations about the issues begin. Neutral staff services that provide research, process design, facilitation, meeting documentation, and drafting often make an efficient and effective process more likely. Inc. All rights reserved.