1. Choosing a fair, participatory decision-making process that is appropriate for the group. And if its consensus, getting trained in it.
2. Identifying our vision and creating a Mission Statement; this is our most important step- we need to be in agreement to avoid later conflict when we try to figure out how best to allocate our resources.
3. Learning what resources, information, skills, and tasks we would need, and then either learning or hiring them. This includes Collective Visioning, and how to be honest and self-revealing and how to speak from the heart. This also includes the nuts and bolts aspect of Community-building: how to select property, financing, budgeting, projections and plans.
4. Drawing up clear agreements, in writing. This may imply that we do not trust each other, but when it comes time to make a decision regarding the whole Community, members must be reminded of our agreements related to our Vision and Purpose. So, write it down, put it in a notebook for everyone to see.
5. Learning good communication skills, and making clear communication a priority, including ways of reducing conflict; because it is not a question of if conflict will arise, it is a question of when.
6. Selecting cofounders and new members for emotional well-being. This is the most controversial aspect of Community-building: we must choose people who thoroughly understand and share our Vision and Purpose. We must choose people who have demonstrated, through their actions, an ability to get along with others- because we will be living and working together for many years, and any dysfunction will only be amplified in Community.
(2000 Communities Directory)