Whenever decisions are to be made by a group, these principles of Bahá'i consultation form the most noble framework.
1) Universal participation: everyone within a body (such as a family, an Assembly, or a Convention) should participate. It is the collective responsibility of each body to ensure that everyone has the opportunity and the necessary encouragement to participate. A broadly based consultation is a healthy barrier against the opinions of the forceful.
2) Objectivity: prayers to set the tone and perspective; clear statement of the problem; spirit of objective (scientific) inquiry; establishment of the facts; investigation of the relevant spiritual principles; full and frank discussion; consideration of alternative solutions, including the unconventional; converging to the ‘best’ solution; preference for unanimity; the apparent truth; offering of resolutions and voting if necessary;
3) Detachment: the group acts as one composite mind; the ideas do not belong to the speakers; therefore no one has a ‘position’, no one offends, and no one takes offense; one may speak against ones own previously stated opinion.
4) Unity: As a prerequisite of effective consultation and in subsequent support for implementation of the outcome, the final decision belongs to the body, not to any individuals. Even though the decision may have been made by a majority vote, there are no minority opinions; unity in support of decisions is more important than correction of a possible short term mistake.
From the paper Principles of Baha’i Consultation by Farzin Aghdasi
