Making Better Decisions Together: Using Consensus-seeking to Move Groups Forward

Leonard “Len” Clark is a longtime Earlham College leader whose career has included service as Professor of Philosophy, Provost and Academic Dean and, after retirement, as Interim Dean of the Earlham School of Religion. A philosopher by training, he joined Earlham’s faculty in 1967 and became Provost and Academic Dean from 1981 until his retirement in 2007. Len was known for his steady, consensus‑seeking leadership rooted in Quaker values.

Len is married to Mary Jo Clark and together they have three children; Alison Zajdel, Ben Clark, and Andrew Clark

Len's book, entitled "Making Better Decisions Together: Using Consensus-seeking to Move Groups Forward", is published by Gatekeeper Press and is available through all major book distributors.

"I learned about consensus-seeking during my 40 years as professor and provost/academic dean at Earlham College, a national Quaker liberal arts college. After retirement from Earlham, I wrote a book about how Earlham at its best used the method. Although the method is often attributed to and used by Quakers (or Friends), in this book I suggest and give reasons for thinking it can be adapted to use by everyone who seeks ways for groups to seek and discern the common good. I’m not myself a Quaker." - Len Clark