Consent
How we make decisions together at Equal Care
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How we make decisions together at Equal Care
Last updated
Was this helpful?
At Equal Care, we make most of our decisions using consent — and that’s not the same as consensus.
In a consensus model, everyone has to agree. With consent, we ask a different question: Can you live with this decision, even if it’s not your favourite option?
You don’t have to love a proposal to say yes to it. What matters is that it doesn’t cause harm to the Circle’s purpose — and that there are no paramount, reasoned objections standing in the way.
Sometimes reaching consent takes a bit of work. That’s okay: we’ve got tools for that.
If there are concerns, members can:
Measure the concern – Can the worry be tracked or tested? Can we set up a backup plan?
Shorten the term – Can we try the decision out for a limited time?
Amend the proposal – Can we tweak it so it works better for more people?
These tools are useful not just in Circles but also in Teams — anywhere decisions are made collaboratively.
Most Circle decisions, including picking people for roles (like Circle Hats),are made with consent.
If you’ve taken on a Hat, that means:
You’ve consented to take it on for a set period.
Your fellow Circle members have consented to you wearing it.
And remember: Hats can always be taken off again. That’s part of what keeps things flexible. No one gets stuck in a role forever, and there’s always space to try new things and grow your skills.
In the rare event that a Circle can’t reach consent - usually only after multiple meetings - the Facilitator can pass the decision to the next broader Circle for resolution.
While consent is about working together in an open, fair way, some clearer definitions and exceptions can help guide the process.
Consent is reached when no one has a strong, well-reasoned objection. This is known in sociocracy as a paramount argued objection. That breaks down into two parts:
A paramount objection means the proposal would cause real harm to the Circle’s purpose or responsibilities.
An argued objection means the concern can be clearly explained - not just a personal preference or gut feeling.
If someone raises an argued, paramount objection, the group works together to adjust or rethink the proposal.
Each Circle should agree on a quorum — the minimum number of members who need to be present for decisions to be made. They should also have a simple process for gathering consent from members who aren’t in the room (or on the call) when the decision is made.
There are a couple of specific situations where the usual consent process isn’t used:
If a broader Circle (like the Purpose Circle) decides to reshape or dissolve a Circle, the people in that Circle must be part of the conversation. But the broader Circle can make the final call without needing their consent.
Decisions relating to pay, role or other legal elements of someone's employment, including problem-solving do not happen within Circles, Equal Care specifically disagrees with this as a sociocratic practice and has produced separate processes for this.
