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Effective
Meetings #8
Using Consensus Effectively
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| Introduction |
| In
Effective Meetings #6: Selecting
a Group Decision-Making Process we outlined a variety of methods
groups use in making decisions and suggested guidelines for selecting
the most effective and efficient method in a given situation. In Effective
Meetings #7: Consensus: Creativity and Win-Win we suggested that
consensus generated more creativity and buy-in than any other group
decision-making method.
In this article
we focus on how to implement the consensus process. Groups often
avoid using consensus because they think it will take too long.
In our experience, however, when the proper conditions are established
consensus often takes less time than other methods. For example,
in Frontier Associates' process for producing breakthroughs and
in our Strategic Planning Workshop, consensus is always used to
make decisions and the time required is often less than that of
other methods.1
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Definition of Consensus
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| In
consensus, a decision is reached only if every participant freely
chooses the same alternative as the best solution, with no compromise.
Not the best they could get, or the one they have to settle for, but
the best of all alternatives they know about or could imagine being
feasible for them, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Another
way of looking at consensus is that every member of the group has
a veto and should use it if not completely satisfied. |
Advantages of Consensus |
| Consensus
has several related advantages. The decision reached has the full
support of each member of the group. Because every member of the group
had to agree that the solution is the best one, it probably is the
result of highly creative thought. Therefore it is likely to actually
be the best solution - the one that in retrospect is seen to be best.
For example, one person may have a concern that others in the group
do not want to address because they believe it has a low probability
of occurring. Consensus forces the group to handle this concern without
diminishing any benefit to others. Doing so is often seen as a blessing
when the feared circumstance actually happens and suddenly the time
devoted to the lone concern seems time well spent. Finally, because
of the universal buy-in of the group members, a solution reached by
consensus has a high chance of successful implementation, even in
the face of substantial unanticipated obstacles. |
Conditions which Support Consensus |
| While
the result of consensus is generally agreed to be ideal, a major concern
is that it will take too much time, particularly if one person digs
in his or her heels, preventing the group from reaching a conclusion.
We have found, however, that if the right conditions are established,
consensus is almost always reached in a reasonable amount of time.
Four conditions
are needed to support a successful consensus process:
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Trust
of the Group by Owner: Almost always, an individual "owns"
the problem to which the consensus process will be applied. This person
must trust the group to come up with a better solution than he or
she could by acting individually ("better" may include the
degree of buy-in achieved). If not a group participant, the owner
must be willing to adopt the group's solution.2
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Universal
Desire for a Solution: All participants must prefer a solution
rather than no solution. That is, they must prefer something other
than the current situation extrapolated into the future. Otherwise,
there is a high probability that people who want the status quo will
bring the consensus process to a halt. |
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Group
Experience: The group should have some experience working
together to reach consensus. The consensus process is qualitatively
different than more familiar methods of making a decision. Furthermore,
each group is different and must work out the communication patterns
that will facilitate reaching agreement. Group members can develop
their consensus muscles by practicing using consensus first on less
difficult issues, such as group guidelines and the criteria for a
successful solution. |
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Skilled
Facilitator: The consensus process for a group of more than
4-5 people is typically complex enough so that it is almost impossible
for a person to simultaneously participate in the process and manage
it. An effective consensus process almost always requires a facilitator
who stays out of the content and is committed to consensus, is skilled
in leading the process, and is perceived as neutral by all group members. |
Guidelines for Facilitating Consensus |
| In
addition to the above critically important conditions, the following
measures optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the consensus
process: |
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Ensure
that the facilitator's role is understood by all participants. |
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Establish
an understanding of the meaning of consensus, the desirability of
consensus for the decision to be made, and an explicit agreement by
all group members that consensus will be used for the decision-making
process. |
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Establish
whatever other process rules may be useful. |
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Establish
success criteria early in the process. Success criteria answer the
question: What are the characteristics of an ideal and feasible solution?
Meeting these criteria is the real goal of the consensus process.
Often, however, people state as the problem a solution that hasn't
worked. For example, "I didn't make my sales quota last month
because I can't get enough leads. How can I get more leads?"
rather than stating the real problem, "How can I make my monthly
sales quota?" The group wants to work toward the real goal rather
than restrict itself to refining a solution that hasn't worked. |
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Do
not give up. During a consensus process there are often times when
it looks worse before it gets better. Agreement may even appear impossible.
For example, the group might become frustrated by a single member
holding out. At such times the facilitator must communicate authentically
that consensus is not only possible but likely. |
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Ensure
that there are no covert holdouts - people who go along with the crowd
but are not really on board. Symptoms of covert holdout include not
saying anything or otherwise participating, hesitancy in indicating
agreement, and indicating formal agreement verbally while expressing
dissatisfaction through body language, facial expression, or tone
of voice. |
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Regard
all concerns and objections as valid. A concern is not resolved until
everyone says it is resolved, most particularly the person who raised
it. |
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Keep
the conversation objective. Disagreement is welcome; it contributes
to solution through consensus. Personal attacks, however, prevent
reaching consensus and must not be permitted. |
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Think
from the goal backwards. That is, in brainstorming ask the question
"How did we accomplish the success criteria?" rather than
"How will we accomplish them?" |
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Rigorously
separate creative processes such as brainstorming from analysis. This
guideline applies to negative assessments ("That is a terrible
idea!") as well as positive assessments ("What a great idea!
We should do that."). |
Putting this Article into Action |
| Look
for opportunities to gain skill and trust in the consensus process.
Initially select a situation in which the solution is not obvious
and universal buy-in is highly desirable, but not one with high degrees
of conflict, risk, or complexity. Using an experienced outside facilitator
(who might combine facilitation with training internal facilitators)
is recommended until internal resources have gained the requisite
skill.
A high-level
outline of a consensus process might look like this:
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Owner
opens with brief statement of issue and expresses trust in the group. |
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Define
facilitator's role. |
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Define
consensus. Distinguish consensus from compromise, highlighting that
all parties have a veto. Suggest that the process will be optimized
to the extent that all parties speak honestly of their desires and
concerns, and listen closely and openly to others. |
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Explain
the reasons why consensus is being recommended for resolving the issue.
All participants agree to use the consensus process. |
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Verify
that all participants prefer a solution to no solution. |
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Agree
(by consensus) on any other process guidelines. |
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Agree
(by consensus) on a time limit for the process and how the decision
will be made if consensus cannot be reached within the time limit. |
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Agree
(by consensus) on success criteria for the decision. These are the
conditions that an ideal solution will satisfy. |
Experienced
facilitators know alternative approaches for achieving consensus from
this point on. One common set of steps is as follows: |
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Brainstorm
possible solutions. Do not permit analysis during brainstorming. |
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Analyze
selected possible solutions using the success criteria. During this
step it is common for new solutions to arise that are better than
those created in the prior step. |
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Agree
on a decision (by consensus). This step often involves additional
creativity and analysis. |
Summary |
| In
situations requiring high levels of group buy-in and creativity, consensus
is often the best group decision-making process. Despite common fears,
consensus can be an efficient process if four conditions are met: |
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The
problem owner trusts the group and the group's solution. |
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All
participants prefer that there be a solution rather than no solution.
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The
group has some experience in reaching consensus. |
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The
process is managed by a facilitator who is skilled, committed, and
neutral. |
| When
these four conditions are met and some facilitation guidelines are
followed, consensus, in a time equal to or less than compromise or
other more commonly used methods, can reliably produce optimal results. |
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1. For example,
the total time required to produce a breakthrough in solving a problem
is typically 16-20 hours of workshop time. Frontier Associates'
Strategic Planning Workshop, which creates the entire future of
an organization, including a vision, mission, values, strategic
goals, strategies for accomplishing the goals, 1-year goals, and
a structure for ensuring the plan gets implemented, takes no more
than 2-3 days. In both workshops the number of participants typically
ranges from 20-50, and consensus on dozens of topics is regularly
achieved within these timeframes.
2. Since owners are frequently part of the group, they have veto
power and thus their agreement is required to achieve a solution.
However, an owner should avoid being a lone holdout.
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Article
version 1
© 2003 Frontier Associates, Inc.
Permission is granted to reprint and distribute this article provided
that the copyright and source information are included. |
