Building Relationships and Resolving Conflicts

Consensus Building

Consensus building is a process in which groups of people who disagree are encouraged to share information and negotiate to reach the goals of the association. Under consensus building, an entire neighborhood association considers the issues on the basis of reason and discussion. Each member expresses a view and a decision is made that all can commit to, instead of a few or a majority. The consensus building process encourages everyone to participate.

When Members Disagree

Neighborhood associations, like any group of people, can encounter problems with personality conflicts, leadership issues and burnout. When problems occur, encourage open and respectful discussion among association members. One way to avoid conflict is to invest time in consensus building before key votes are taken.

Tips for Handling Disagreements

• Seek to fully understand opposing viewpoints.
• Resist an immediate response. Don’t strike out immediately to oppose or take sides.
• When conflict becomes intense and emotions strong, sometimes a break is helpful to allow emotions to cool.
• Define and agree on the problem.
• Focus on the most significant issues of the conflict.
• Focus on issues, not people.
• Find common ground on which you can agree.