Advance Praise:
“Tim Hartnett gets it right when he calls consensus an 'orientation' rather than a rigid rule or method for decision making. The consensus approach yields the greatest benefits to those groups that build a bit of skill with the process and do a bit of planning when using it. Hartnett's new book provides tips and tools that can help groups get smarter about how they use consensus, and it steers clear of the mysticism and hyperbole surrounds the consensus orientation. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make their group more democratic, more deliberative, and more effective.”
-John Gastil, Professor, Dept of Communication, U Washington, author of Democracy in Small Groups.
“A highly usable and practical guide to navigating the challenging waters of groups acting together. This guide helps me be more consistently effective: it takes what I’ve intuitively done as an experienced facilitator and puts it into a clear step-wise model. For those less experienced, it will help you avoid many painful pitfalls!”
-Susan Partnow, Founder: Global Citizen Journey, Co-founder: Converstation Cafes and Let’s Talk America, Senior facilitator: The Compassionate Listening Project
"This book arrives at just the right time - when citizens everywhere are looking for practical solutions to the impasse and gridlock that seems to be blocking progress on a wide range of day-to-day concerns. Hartnett's book will be a guidebook for serious people, in the US and around the planet, looking for a simple approach to finding common ground with neighbors, collegues, and partners everywhere. "
-Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie
“Are you frustrated by that common challenge called group decision-making? Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making can help! Clearly written and well organized, keep this book by your side and refer to it often. Groups you are part of will function better as a result.”
-Peggy Holman, author, Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity and co-author, The Change Handbook
"This practical and intelligent guide to consensus-oriented decision making is a must read for people of good will who are engaged in decision-making and progress. Regardless of how much or how little you work in the decision-making space, this guide will be of immense value."
-Fred Keeley, Former Speaker pro Tempore California State Assembly
"I throughly enjoyed Tim Hartnett's new book on Consensus-Oriented Decision Making in which he uses his keen insight and far reaching experience to present the reader with a truly integrative model of decision making. This book is an excellent introduction to consensus process, a valuable resource book for groups already practicing consensus who want to become more efficient and a handy reference book for professional facilitators. The content is well organized and comprehensive and the reader can't help but be inspired by Mr Harnett's passion for his subject."
-Adam Wolpert, Co-Founder Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
"Tim Harnett has done a fabulous job of synthesizing information in a non-dogmatic manner from a variety of fields including facilitation, mediation as well as consensus processes. The CODM methodology is an incredible resource - clearly written, easy to understand and great examples - for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge in group dynamics and facilitation. Highly recommended!”
-Shakil Choudhury, Senior Partner, Anima Leadership"
"Mr. Hartnett's comprehensive but easy-to-understand prose will be as useful in the Congress as it will be in the palaver huts of West Africa. It will become a standard text for multiparty resolution."
-Mark Kalla, J.D. Joint Author, A House with Two Rooms, Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Liberia Diaspora Project.
“Mr. Hartnett's book shows that consensus building is both an art and a science. This is a blueprint for creating legitimate democracy.”
-Kris Jacobs, Executive Director, JOBS NOW Coalition.
“With this comprehensive yet elegantly simple guide to decision-making, Hartnett gets it right. Use this roadmap to turn ideals and ideas into lasting change.”
-Kevin Ristau, Board Chair, League of Rural Voters
"Command and control is an archaic style of leadership in today’s business world. Dr. Hartnett`s book is a wonderfully practical guide to understanding how to apply consensus building in both your personal life and the workplace."
-Patrick Donovan, President/CEO of Bremer Bank
"Succinct, thoughtful, and complete. So many groups (including elected officials and government agencies!) get lost in the search for consensus with the best of intentions -- this guidebook shows clearly how to get to a decision in the best spirit of democracy."
-Richard Conlin, President Seattle City Council
"Tim Hartnett has produced a practical, balanced, and accessible guide to helping groups make decisions in a timely and effective way, using processes designed to maximize participation and ownership. This is a book that all facilitators will find useful, regardless their experience, client profile, or approach to their craft."
-John Butcher, President, Associates in Planning Inc., Ottawa, and former Canada Regional Representative to the Board of Directors of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).
“Tim Hartnett's book is a one-stop shop for effective collaboration. If offers a straightforward, skillful seven-step process for facilitating people with diverse views and experience to agreement on outcomes and implementation. This book goes into the top ten facilitation manuals and workbooks in my bookshelf.”
-Laurie McCann, University of California Santa Cruz campus ombuds
“As a facilitator of frequent public meetings with City Councils and citizens groups, I value this book both because it puts the entire consensus-based decision-making process in a clear and concise container, and because it includes a host of real-life examples and techniques that can be put to immediate use. Tim Hartnett has created an easy-to-read, step-by-step guide that will be effective for both facilitators and participants in a host of settings.”
-David Early, Founding Principal, Design, Community & Environment, Berkeley, California |
