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Consensus Decision-making/18 Trust Foremost is the need for trust. Without some amount of trust, there will be no cooperation or nonviolent resolution to conflict. For trust to flourish, it is desirable for individuals to be willing to examine their attitudes and be open to new ideas. Acknowledgment and appreciation of personal and cultural differences promote trust. Neither approval nor friendship are necessary for a good working relationship. By developing trust, the process of consensus encourages the intellectual and emotional development of the individuals within a group. Respect : It is everyone's responsibility to show respect to one ano other. People feel respected when everyone listens, when they are not interrupted, when their ideas are taken seriously. Respect for emotional as well as logical concerns promotes the kind of environment necessary for developing consensus. 10 promote respect, it is important to distinguish between an action which causes a problem and the person who did the action, between the deed and the doer. We must criticize the act, not the person. Even if you think the person is the problem, responding that way never resolves anything. Unity of Purpose Unity of purpose is a basic understanding about the goals and purpose of the group. Of course, there will be varying opina ions on the best way to accomplish these goals. However, these must be a unifying base, a common starting point, which is recognized and accepted by all. Nonviolence Nonviolent decision-makers use their power to achieve goals while respecting differences and cooperating with oth ers. In this environment, it is considered violent to use power to dominate or control the group process. It is understood that the power of revealing your truth is the maximum force allowed
