I believe in consensus, not just as a decision-making method, but as a philosophy for relating to others, myself, and the world around me at all times. Consensus, or consent-based decision-making methods, like any other decision-making methods, is sometimes approached as a political game, disintegrated from a larger social vision. What a group using consensus considers to be the "spirit" of consensus is important to define so that each individual understands what is expected of them.

There are many ways to do consensus. There are formal, step-by-step processes. Alternatively, a group can just keep talking about an agenda item until it's clear everyone agrees. Sociocracy has a particular method that relies heavily on go 'rounds. Different approaches are appropriate for different settings.

Also, consensus can be used with large groups. Establishing quorum (the number of members required to be present for decision-making, either for the whole mtg and/or for a specific agenda item) and allowing proxies (absentee members giving other members their "vote", which would count towards quorum) can help tremendously. Fall-back plans like "consensus minus one" can also be helpful, though potentially compromise the ideal of consensus.

The Twin Oaks bylaws state that it will implement "[a]n emphasis in the Community's social policy and practices on fostering responsibility and commitment, on cooperation rather than competition, and on affirming rather than punishing means for changing behavior...." Little has been done to institutionalize or systematically implement this goal. Cooperation as a philosophy or attitude is like feminism. It's not how we're raised and it's hard to see the behaviors we engage in that counter it. Defining cooperation and engaging in the process of learning and unlearning the relevant behaviors is important.

Generally speaking, it seems absurd to me that so many co-operative entities have decided to implement heirarchical decision-making structures, citing efficiency (for various reasons) as the rational. We are trying to shift the practices of society. Heirarchy, in it's various manifestations, is arguably at the core of disfunctional (one might say suicidal) civilization. We should not be so quick to abandon our efforts to learn new ways of collectively managing common resources - we can be, and indeed need to be more clever and more loving then that.