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 Many tools can be used to build agreement. They are custom-designed for each case. Relationships develop through non-adversarial, collaborative processes that strive to include all affected interests.
In the traditional political process, one side wins and one side loses. Some issues come back time and again, or an issue may be so contentious that it is never resolved. By contrast, in consensus building participants begin by building relationships and basic agreements and then working toward innovative results. |
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| Agreement tools are used when (Adapted from www.usconsensuscouncil.org): |
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Assessing the issues, degree of conflict and controversy, and parties' interest and willingness to participate in a consensus building process. |
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Enrolling stakeholders with diverse views who, if they reach agreement, have the collective knowledge, experience, and influence to make a difference, or if they were excluded could adversely affect action on recommendations. |
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Identifying and framing the issue(s). |
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Building trust, educating each other, and establishing a common factual understanding. |
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Generating options that meet each other's needs, evaluating them, and, finally, selecting the most promising solutions. |
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Building consensus-based agreements among participants that reflect parties' priorities, including a plan of action for implementation. |
Here are some past examples of the The Consensus Council's work utilizing a variety of agreement tools:
U.S. Consensus Council
2/25/2005
In 2002, The Consensus Council partnered with Search for Common Ground of Washington, DC, to organize the United States Consensus Council to provide consensus services to leaders of Congress and the White House on difficult issues of national pubic policy. This national effort was based on the model developed by The Consensus Council, Inc., in North Dakota, with technical assistance from The Council colleagues and others. Please see www.usconsensuscouncil.org.
NCAI/ITMA
5/9/2003
In November 2002, Consensus Council colleagues facilitated a meeting among 40 Native American Tribal Leaders from across the country. These leaders represented the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Intertribal Monitoring Association (ITMA), two national organizations with shared concern about trust reform issues. Participants at the meeting were able to reach agreements about general principales regarding trust reform, strategies for communicating with the Cobell Court, potential legislative strategies to be refined by a newly constituted legislative working group, and strategies for working with the Department of the Interior. Of great importance was the agreement that, while the two organizations may take different courses with regard to trust management and reform issues, they will coordinate efforts to ensure that they do not damage the positions taken by the other.
Wyoming Early Childhood Development
5/9/2003
The Consensus Council faciltated the Wyoming Early Childhood Development Summit in May 2002. Sixty people involved in early childhood development programs throughout the state of Wyoming came together to discuss how they could better coordinate and cooperate with each other. First Lady Geringer spoke about State efforts on behalf of young children. At the conclusion of the Summit, participants agreed to continue with ongoing efforts to coordinate and work with legislators -and other policy leaders in Wyoming- to further their joint efforts. Previously competing groups agreed to work together for mutual benefits.
Red River Basin Delegation to the Netherlands
4/12/2003
The Consensus Council led a Red River Basin delegation of top-level Canadian and US representatives of federal, provincial, state and local governments, the private sectors and NGOs to the Netherlands. They learned how the Dutch have developed water and flood mitigation policies and built broad-based consensus from the ground up. The delegates also learned about the international dimensions of collaborative water management and flood mitigation in international river basins.
Joint Powers Agreements for Education
4/12/2003
Four joint powers agreements for education have grown from the tool developed through the Local Government Negotiation "Toolbox" and applied by the Lake Region Community Conversation. The Roughrider Educational Services Program, Mid-Dakota Education Council, Northeast Educational Services Cooperative and the Missouri River Educational Cooperative cover nearly half of North Dakota's students and land mass. Each of these grassroots groups of educational leaders are crafting a joint powers agreement to reach their mutual needs. The Consensus Council provides design, facilitation, research and documentation support services.
Wyoming Landowner/Sportsman Rendezvous
4/12/2003
The Wyoming Landowner/Sportsman Rendezvous grew from a conversation among the Wyoming Stockgrower's Association and Wyoming Wildlife Federation Directors after another long battle in the state legislature. They proposed to instead try to bring together landowners and sportsmen from across the state in a innaugual effort to discover common ground. The Consensus Council provided design and organization of the event, along with the support of a team of facilitators and recorders. The event was very positive and lead to new joint efforts.
The Consensus Council Forum
4/12/2003
The Consensus Council Forum brought together consensus builders from California, New Mexico, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, the emerging U.S. Consensus Council and North Dakota to discuss best practices for building a Council. The discussion resulted in many new ideas and opportunities to strengthen consensus building efforts and emerging Consensus Councils based on the model developed in North Dakota. The Consensus Council provided technical assistance, research, facilitation and documentation services.
Local Government Negotiation
3/12/2003
Supported by community conversations, the Local Government Negotiation brought together local government and state leaders to develop tools for local governments to take initiative for the future. The Consensus Council provided the logistics, meeting facilitation and documentation for their work. The "Toolchest" of 70 optional tools include procedures for periodic public planning, consolidation of offices and joint powers agreements. The ND Legislative Assembly approved this major agreement.
Grasslands Delegation to Lander, WY
3/12/2003
The Consensus Council organized the Grasslands Delegation of North Dakota ranchers, environmentalists, businesspeople, elected and government officials to study range management in Lander, Wyoming. They learned about achieving increased profitability for ranchers, and diverse stakeholders together with improved habitat and biodiversity. The Delegation planted to seeds for dialogue and collaborative processes throughout the Grasslands in North Dakota
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