Reaching Consensus

VIDEO CLIP… “Oh Brother Where Art Thou”

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr. (1967)

What is Consensus???

• Consensus is finding an acceptable proposal that all members can support.

achieved when a group of individuals with a common goal agree to support activities necessary to achieve that goal even if that agreement flies in the face of the wishes of individual members of the group

facilitated when leadership is strong

Consensus is not…

• A unanimous vote• A majority vote• Everyone 100% satisfied

Consensus requires…

• Time• Active participation by all• Good listening and communication skills by all• Open-mindedness• Creative thinking

What is Consensus Building?

• Led by an unbiased facilitator/leader• All members contribute resources, ideas, and

opinions• Everyone has a chance to share their feelings• Everyone can paraphrase the issue• Involves a longer time-frame• Compromise is reached• All share in the final decision

Rules for Consensus Decision-Making

• Avoid arguing for your own position• Don’t assume someone must lose and someone

must win at stalemate positions Look for the next most acceptable alternative

• Don’t change your mind just to avoid conflict• Avoid conflict-reducing techniques like majority vote,

averages, coin toss, or bargaining• Seek out differences of opinion

Consensus means that every member can say…

“I believe that you understand my point of view and that I understand yours.”

“Whether or not I prefer the group decision, I support it because it was:

reached fairly and openly

the best decision at this time.”

Consensus building does not mean that…

• Someone loses and someone wins

• The final decision is the first choice of everyone

• A unanimous vote is attained• Everyone agrees• You change your mind just to

avoid conflict

If consensus is not possible …

• Look for the next most acceptable alternative• As the leader, you can make an executive

decision