Consensus within a group is one of the most utilised and yet misunderstood and misapplied components of the principles of teamwork. In many situations, the belief is that most, if not everything, within a team must be decided by consensus. In my experience, two problems are already associated with this notion.

1. Not everything needs to be decided by consensus.

2. You better define what ‘consensus’ is before giving it the power to have the final say.

Let’s start with my first point:

And as you will soon find out, I will not sit on the fence with this one. Not everything within the team should be decided by consensus, and for that matter, the whole team should not make every decision. Not even close!

Each team, regardless of its purpose, lacks the necessary skill, experience, understanding, insight, and so on, to make every decision. Every team has a boss, leader, mentor, or someone ultimately responsible for the team’s direction, purpose, productivity, and performance. More often than not, there will be—and should be—times when that leader serves as the judge, jury, and executioner in the decision-making process.

Second Point:

What is the team’s combined understanding and definition of consensus? Does it mean we all have to agree? Does it mean the majority rules? Does it mean that without 100% support, the decision is quashed?

The definition and then the understanding of that definition are critical to the effective use of decision-making by consensus.

From my perspective, consensus is a situation in which everyone within the group has had the opportunity to hear, discuss, and understand the decision. 

It does not mean that everyone has to agree with the decision.

But here is the key to consensus-based TEAM decision-making: Once everyone has had the opportunity to hear, discuss, offer alternatives, and understand what is being proposed, and the vote has been cast, even though they might not agree with the decision or final outcome, everyone supports the decision as if they had made it themselves.

This is a big proviso!

It is a crucial element for a successful team and serves as the foundation upon which consensus decision-making should be formed or permitted to exist.

However, before you reach the vote and before a decision is even near being made, there are a few steps that need to be considered:

1. Understand

One of the biggest mistakes I continue to see is that people don’t always understand what they are deciding on. Ensure that everyone knows specifically and exactly what they are being asked to decide. Make sure the parameters for the decision are neither too narrow nor too wide. 

2. Time and clarity

Without wasting time, without procrastinating, and without putting off the inevitable, take a moment to discuss, challenge the current thinking, and explore alternatives. The best decision isn’t always the quickest one, nor is it always the one that takes the longest to reach. The best decision is the one that arises from a foundation of extensive research, robust discussion, and a well-considered set of circumstances and understanding.

3. Understand the reason for questioning 

Often, people will want to ask questions. Sometimes, these questions are posed to challenge a decision, but more often than not, they are asked simply because someone doesn’t fully understand. It’s crucial that you recognise and understand the difference between the two.

4. Make the decision easier

Don’t complicate the decision-making process by presenting too many alternatives or by having a frame of reference that is too broad or lofty. Strike a balance between disregarding relevance and having choices that are too wide.

5. Keep what you discard

Open, robust discussion can generate all sorts of ideas, perspectives, experiences, and alternatives. Some of them might not be useful for this decision, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be useful for other reasons or situations. Keep good notes from the discussions; you never know when they might become relevant and useful later.

6. The end is the beginning

Recognise that once a decision is made, it marks the beginning, not the end. Assign responsibility for the decision. Establish timelines and key milestones. Discuss individual and collective responsibility, and devise a process for accountability. By doing all of this, not only is the decision taken, but also the reason behind it will come to fruition. 

And as you do, watch for all the right reasons and in all the right ways for this team…

The Journey Continues!