Basics for decision making

Principles, core process & vocabulary

I. Principles for wise decisions

For every decision taken within oikos International, these three decision-making principles should always be considered:

Take ownership and responsibility: People who hold the most information, feel the urgency or have to implement the consequences take the decision.

We are all in this together: The decision-maker is responsible for seeking advice. Everyone who is impacted by a decision is always welcome to offer advice.

Be brave and learn: Decision-making is encouraged at all times. Moving ahead and learning from a failed outcome of a decision is more valuable than circling conversations and indecisiveness.

II. Process: How to take a decision based on consent (relevant for all 4 practices)

In general, decisions in oikos follow a 3-step process:

1. Identifying the need for a decision

2. Preparing for a decision by forming a proposal & integrating advice & objections

3. Taking a decision based on consent

This process is slightly adapted or less or more formal, depending on the kind of decision (see stairs). When you are taking a decision in one of the stairs (Me, We, All of Us) you always follow this practice in a certain way.

1.Identifying the need for a decision

Someone notices a problem/opportunity that requires a decision. S/he might be the right one to move the decision ahead or find other people to facilitate the process. This is about clarifying ownership of who is taking the decision and who is facilitating the process. Only this group needs to be involved in the following steps, besides further parties consulted for advice.

2. Preparing for a decision

..by forming a proposal & integrating advice & objections: The people preparing the decision deepen their understanding of the situation & form an initial, concrete and easy-to-understand proposal for all involved. With this initial clarity, they seek input through advice (e.g. in a meeting) & revise the proposal after hearing critical objections. Proposals should be revised until there is no critical objection left. The decision facilitators can use Loomio in this stage to receive advice, keep everyone informed & document the process.

3.Taking a Decision through consent

The final proposal is presented for a decision in consent, either in a meeting or asynchronous communication (on loomio, for example). oI Team members who don’t participate in the call/communication automatically abstain from the decision. A meeting that is called for taking a particular decision is a focus call.

Focus Calls

The following clear steps help to navigate through the process of taking a decision in a focus call:

• Proposal Presentation: In the focus meeting, the proposer shares the context & developed proposal. They outline the advice received upfront & how it has been integrated.

• Question round: Anybody can seek information or more understanding. It is not yet time for reactions. The facilitator will interrupt any question that cloaks a reaction.

• Reactions & Clarification: The group is invited to share reactions to the proposal. No discussions at this point, just an opinion statement. The proposer can clarify the proposal further, or amend it, based on these reactions.

• Objection round: The facilitator asks, ”Do you see any reasons why moving ahead with this proposal would cause harm or move us backwards?” Objections are captured without discussion

• Integration: The proposal needs reshaping until there are no objections. If an objection is raised, the facilitator tests the objection for validity. If it is found to be valid, s/he leads a discussion to craft an amendment that would avoid the objection. If several objections are raised, they get addressed one at a time, until all are removed. Agreement is made upon consent. If no solution can be found, the facilitators take the objections forward and seek further advice. Once integrated, the focus group comes together and the process starts again.

III. Vocabulary and common understanding

Here’s a common language to talk about the way we take decisions. It will help us to create a shared understanding. This section introduces some fundamental vocabulary and ideas.

Proposal

Proposals present the ‘what, why & how’ you would like to see as an outcome of a decision. They are the basis for advice and decisions and help to make the process more efficient. A proposal starts with the identification of a problem and research on the matter. The proposer researches the topic and discovers perspectives before proposing action. After elaborating the case, make sure to make a clear proposal (possible solution, if needed). The proposal is clearly outlined and targeted to the involved people on Loomio with enough time for the people to scan the message & leave comments. It is also a way to document the process. It is important to make clear whether you ask for advice (advice process, see below), or consent & questions (group consent process), as this determines the answers you can expect. In certain cases, the advice or decision will be made in a meeting format where the proposal is presented as a baseline for the conversation.

Advice

Advice means the decision maker seeks advice from people who are more experienced, have information, and/or are impacted by the decision. Per definition, advice means someone offers input on a decision element, eg. an action to be taken or not in the future. Advice is not the absolute truth and to be handled with care. The decision maker should always consider the advice but is not bound to it in the final decision after shedding light on it from different perspectives.

Consent = no significant objection

Consent means that a decision can be made without everyone's spoken agreement as long as no one has a reasoned, or substantial objection (e.g., veto). Instead of needing everyone to agree on the perfect solution for the foreseeable future, consent allows us to find a “good enough” solution to move forward, knowing we will learn and adjust as we go. If someone raises an objection, the decision is blocked and the solutions must be revisited. This includes giving more information and/or adjusting the proposal. The term differs from “consensus” which means that the majority of people must agree.

Consensus = agreement > Everybody who is involved has to agree on the decision made.

In general, all decisions in oikos are consent-based.

Critical Objection

Critical objections are a means to interrupt a decision-making process and indicate the need to further reflect on and adjust a proposal before a decision is made. A decision cannot be made if there is a critical objection left. Objection means there is an argument against a proposal that reveals evidence for certain consequences or risks that should be avoided or improvements that should also be considered. This might also be a strong gut feeling or a sense that we are heading in the wrong direction. An objection is relevant and valid if you stand up for it, if it is important enough to block the decision from being made. Other than an objection, a concern is relevant yet not critical in terms of hindering the process from progressing. Concerns often are a middle ground, where you can meet with the objector after a proposal has been further elaborated or adjusted.