a consensus occurs when all team members can support a particular course of action.

by Mrs. Maritza Corkery 4 min read

Consensus is achieved when everyone on the team has had ample opportunity to have his or her ideas considered and can fully support the team's decision. Consensus decisions mean that the entire team has come to agreement on a course of action, even if individuals might have a different preference.

A consensus occurs when all team members can support a particular course of action. initial meeting. Uncertainty avoidance is more important in the United States than it is in Japan or Italy.

Full Answer

How is consensus achieved in a team?

Consensus is achieved when everyone on the team has had ample opportunity to have his or her ideas considered and can fully support the team's decision. Consensus decisions mean that the entire team has come to agreement on a course of action, even if individuals might have a different preference.

What is consensus and why does it matter?

Consensus is needed in each of these steps for collaboration to be completely effective. The goals with this group serve the purpose of establishing a mission unity. This brings the team on board for consensus to take place. The goals remind everyone this is bigger than one individual.

What is consensus in negotiation?

Consensus entails the process of reaching the agreement, and includes the conclusion from said process. A consensus process includes appraising conflicting ideas, contradictory statements, and dissimilar views.

What is an example of a consensus decision?

Consensus decisions have a very high level of team involvement and can lead to strong, well-supported decisions. ( More on consensus follows .) Example: Coming to consensus about the success criteria that a team will use to evaluate its progress on a particular project.

Which of the following is a key ethical responsibility of all team members?

Which of the following is a key ethical responsibility of all team members? put the good of the team ahead of personal gain, avoid advocating positions that might benefit personally. respect others integrity and emotional needs.

Which of the following is not good advice for communicating clearly in other cultures?

Which of the following is not good advice for communicating clearly in other cultures? Stay away from specific examples.

Why should you prepare an agenda even for informal meetings?

(E) It will convince participants of the need for a meeting. It will help focus the attention of all participants.

How can you communicate effectively with culturally diverse persons?

Here are our top ten tips for effective cross-cultural communication:Maintain etiquette. Many cultures have specific etiquette around the way they communicate. ... Avoid slang. ... Speak slowly. ... Keep it simple. ... Practice active listening. ... Take turns to talk. ... Write things down. ... Avoid closed questions.More items...

What is multiculturalism in communication?

​ The Multicultural Communication concentration focuses on the dynamics of communication across cultures. It explores not only what happens when people of two different cultures meet, but also what happens when people from a variety of cultures and ethnicities come together in one organization, community or country.

What does informal meeting mean?

Define Informal Meeting – An informal meeting is a meeting which is far less heavily planned and regulated than a formal business meeting, and so lacks many of the defining features of a formal business meeting, such as minutes, a chairperson and a set agenda.

What is formal meeting and informal meeting?

The difference between formal meetings and informal meetings starts before the meeting itself. Formal meetings are organised to a high degree. They are pre-scheduled - sometimes up to a year ahead! The agenda is set in high detail, including space for specific votes and resolutions.

What is in a meeting agenda?

What is a meeting agenda? A meeting agenda consists of a list of topics, talking points, action items, and activities you're looking to discuss during the meeting.

What does it mean when you come to a group consensus?

When you come to a group consensus, your climate for employees feels quite cooperative. Everyone’s ideas were heard, and you came to a decision that all team members could support. This interactive process can bring about feelings of goodwill.

What is consensus decision making?

Consensus decision-making can cause a group to agree to the lowest common denominator—a solution or decision that satisfies the team members' need to agree—but is definitely not optimal for the business. Additionally, in business, not every factor, department, person or decision in an organization is equally important.

Why is rationalizing important?

Rationalizing prevents members from reconsidering their beliefs and causes them to ignore warning signs.

What is the consensus decision to cut manufacturing costs and not do employee layoffs?

The consensus decision is to cut manufacturing costs and not do employee layoffs, but the result is a shoddy product that eventually causes the company to lose market share. Ultimately, all the employees are worse off.

What happens when you bring all team members on board?

If you can bring all team members on board, you’ll have developed a decision that everyone likes, respects, and supports. That’s the theory—but it often falls flat. While all team members “agree” to support the consensus decision, the decision may not, in fact, be the optimal decision for the team or the business.

What is a 100 percent agreement?

With 100 percent agreement, you can move forward with confidence, and you don’t have to worry about another employee working to undermine your efforts.

Is consensus needed in business?

Overall, in business, a complete and total consensus isn’t necessary. You can reach decisions, and the entire senior team can promote the message, without requiring every employee to be happy with the decision. Leadership involves risk-taking, and sometimes that means taking action or providing direction that not all employees love.

What is consensus building?

Consensus building is a simple concept, producing a team agreement at the conclusion. Here are the major steps involved in consensus building. Brainstorm possible topics, issues or problems associated with your Six Sigma project. Make sure you follow proper brainstorming rules so that team creativity isn’t limited.

Why is consensus building important?

It’s called consensus building, and it is needed to help the team determine the relative importance of topics, issues or problems. Consensus is a technique that allows everyone on the team to equally play an active role in determining the group’s final decision.

What is the fall back process for a team if agreement cannot be reached?

If consensus among the team members cannot be reached (that’s surprising!), a voting process should be utilized. In addition, it is useful to inform the team that consensus is the primary decision process, with voting being the fall-back process if agreement cannot be reached.

What is consensus in a team?

Consensus is achieved when everyone on the team has had ample opportunity to have his or her ideas considered and can fully support the team's decision. Consensus decisions mean that the entire team has come to agreement on a course of action, even if individuals might have a different preference.

Why do teams need consensus based decision making?

Teams using a consensus-based decision-making model will need to develop good meeting practices to make sure that every individual has an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. The ability to define the decision topic clearly, and the ability to build agreements and sensitivity to the team's process will all help successful ...

Why do teams use consensus decision making models?

Because effective teams work towards the fullest participation of each member, teams often use some version of a consensus decision-making model. When used appropriately, this model of decision-making can maximize the quality of a team's decisions. (See more on consensus decisions below .) There are a number of possible models for decision-making;

Why is consensus decision making important?

This decision-making model may be the most effective way to implement consensus decision-making because it pre-sets a course of action to be taken if the team is unable to make a decision within an appropriate amount of time. Of course the time allocated for a particular decision will depend on the decision's complexity, ...

Why is it important to understand that the final decision does not compromise their values?

An assessment that the final decision has the best chance for successful implementation because so many members of the team support it. Reaching consensus can take time, although consensus-based decision-making gets easier with practice.

Why is it important that the team pay attention to group process?

It is important that the team pay attention to group process so that no team member changes his or her mind because they fear repercussions for disagreement, or they are somehow "bullied" by the team ( through hostile remarks or "friendly teasing") into changing their views.

Why is it important to know how decisions are made?

Knowing how a particular decision will be made can also help a team plan their meeting agendas more effectively and lead to more collaborative team process . Most importantly, understanding how decisions will be made helps to build support for the final decision and active commitment to that decision's implementation.

What is consensus process?

Consensus entails the process of reaching the agreement, and includes the conclusion from said process. A consensus process includes appraising conflicting ideas, contradictory statements, and dissimilar views. The conclusion ends in a satisfactory agreement, although the understanding may be a reconciliation of sorts.

What is the meaning of consensus?

Consensus is give-and-take in information sharing. It's the ability to discuss differences calmly and come to some form of an agreement. By discussing differences in opinion, new ideas are free to surface. Consensus entails the process of reaching the agreement, and includes the conclusion from said process.

Why is consensus important?

Consensus improves the decision-making process and is extremely useful in a group setting, or for critical planning sessions. Knowing how to fashion a consensus can make the difference between a successful collaboration group and one known for its talent, but was disappointing in its execution. By utilizing consensus decision making, ...

What is a judicious team?

This group usually consists of team members with deep roots in their organizational interests who feel compelled to fight for their concerns. The Judicious group usually is formed within large organizations with a diverse mission or with a wide array of products directed at different markets. But this group also can be formed within a small organization when it comes time to set up a budget for the next fiscal year so that every department's interests are taken into consideration. The team's reason for existence generally is to allocate resources, directives, and roles within an organization to ensure the organization maintains its superiority in its given field of expertise. Judicious teams components or steps are:

Why do teams exist?

The team's reason for existence generally is to allocate resources, directives, and roles within an organization to ensure the organization maintains its superiority in its given field of expertise. Judicious teams components or steps are: To strengthen its identity. Control internal polity or organized internal body.

What are the issues that must be overcome to gain a consensus?

Issues that must be overcome to gain a consensus include: Individual interests – soapbox issues. Criticism . Bureaucratic politics. Negativity for the sake of an argument. Pride – egos. Hurdles for implementation. Perceptions of resources, abilities, or other constraints. Lack of clarification of the issue.

Can everyone support the outcome?

Everyone can support the outcome, but not everyone is in complete agreement. What they did agree upon is that the group can live with their decision. With those thoughts of what a consensus is, look at what a consensus is not: Authoritarian or dictatorial. Perfect.

Where Can Consensus Building Be used?

  • It can be used anytime a team needs to choose a course of action from a list of possible actions. So, for instance, you may need the team to decided which solution should be pursued from a list of brainstormed options. Or you might want your quality council to select which of three projects should be undertaken first. Obviously, a Quality function ...
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How Consensus Building Works

  • Consensus building is a simple concept, producing a team agreement at the conclusion. Here are the major steps involved in consensus building. 1. Brainstorm possible topics, issues or problems associated with your Six Sigma project. Make sure you follow proper brainstorming rulesso that team creativity isn’t limited. 2. Briefly discuss all brainstormed options. Limit discussions to a co…
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A Simple Voting Process When Building Consensus Does Not Work

  • Voting is used when a team just can’t make it to consensus. Having brainstormed, affinitized and come to agreement on the options available, you then begin the fall-back process of voting. 1. Count the total number of options available. 2. Divide the total number by 3. This is your “voting amount” (e.g. If 15 options are available, your voting amount is 5). 3. Assign everyone on the tea…
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Advantages

  • Collaboration practically does not exist without consensus, and consensus happens with collaboration. Consensus is give-and-take in information sharing. It's the ability to discuss differences calmly and come to some form of an agreement. By discussing differences in opinion, new ideas are free to surface.
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Benefits

  • Consensus improves the decision-making process and is extremely useful in a group setting, or for critical planning sessions. Knowing how to fashion a consensus can make the difference between a successful collaboration group and one known for its talent, but was disappointing in its execution. By utilizing consensus decision making, the organization will benefit from fully utili…
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Formation

  • Basically, there are three types of groups leadership will form to collaborate on a project. When the group of people are placed together to collaborate, even though they are highly skilled in their field of expertise, they should be aware of their make-up, so that reaching a consensus is viable. The three types of groups are: Highly Visionary, Judicious, and the Conquering At All Costs grou…
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Characteristics

  • The Highly Visionary group usually is constructed to find a top-notch solution to a complex problem, with minimal risk of failure. The individuals within this group are tough and seasoned professionals who are able to withstand pressure in fact they thrive in this type of environment. The characteristics within this group are:
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Purpose

  • This type of team is assembled for organizations looking to expand, and are considering spending hundreds of millions to buy another organization, or to enter new territories. This type of a group could be utilized to try and save a failing organization on the verge of closing its doors, or could be formed to come up with ways to bring in new revenue and customers. Whatever the reason, this …
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Assessment

  • Situation assessment brings added value to the decisions within the process. Dissimilar or conflicting viewpoints give a broader understanding to the group of the situation or issue. Having these varied viewpoints allow the group to better assess their processes and weigh the pros and cons to their decisions. For this assessment to be fully utilized, the group members must not si…
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Goals

  • The Highly Visionary team seeks out diverse viewpoints and generally realizes their importance. The group will goad others, until they speak their viewpoint. They will play the role of devil's advocate to encourage a team member to expand their viewpoint's definition. Their commitment to this situation assessment is unparalleled in comparison.
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Example

  • The expansion of the knowledge base not only includes obtaining the much-needed information, so the team can build solid steps to achieve its goals, but also mentally organizing the process, so all the correct information is acquired. Let's say the group is formed to check on the validity of the company expanding into a new territory. They decide that checking on the economics, populatio…
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Format

  • Setting realistic time tables could be anywhere from 24 hours to 20 years. This is determined by the needs of the assessment and if it is a crisis management team or a team constructed for long-term expansion.
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Philosophy

  • By their nature, consensus decisions are value-charged. The decisions are born from conflict-ridden situations, where there truly isn't an easy answer. That is why it is important for the group to have rules in place to resolve said conflicts as they emerge in reaching a consensus. Weighing the pros and cons is more than an objective analysis of an issue. It is more than looking at an or…
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Causes

  • Gray areas occur because there wasn't enough diverse \"gray matter,\" or opposing thoughts, within the group. For example: an organization is looking to expand its marketing strategy for its bookkeeping software. Salespeople have the viewpoint of this being awesome because now they have X number of new customers to contact. Production sees this as a potential test of their pro…
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Components

  • Judicious teams tend to be abnormal groups. This group usually consists of team members with deep roots in their organizational interests who feel compelled to fight for their concerns. The Judicious group usually is formed within large organizations with a diverse mission or with a wide array of products directed at different markets. But this group also can be formed within a small …
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Definition

  • Before any consensus ever will be reached within this diverse group, the team must first see themselves as an interconnected group. Individuals who do not see themselves as a part of the whole will have zero commitment to the group and their skills, knowledge, opinions, issues, will be of no value, and will hinder a consensus being reached. A group's identity is measured by the foll…
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Management

  • Controlling polity is going to be difficult within this group, but it must take place for decision making to happen. An individual's interest can consume the group's energy and eat away at productivity if allowed to control all activities. The group's leader must understand that hiding agendas and information and slight exaggerations to mislead are a part of polity. Some of the te…
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Criticisms

  • Consensus building is a tedious process and can, at times, seem inept, sloppy, and even disorganized. But an organization cannot stay competitive in today's market without putting its best foot forward, and this only happens through collaborative teams reaching consensus decisions. This is done through a strong team identity, controlling polity, and encouraging debat…
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Significance

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