ClaryooConsensus decision making means finding a proposal everyone in the group can support, rather than letting the majority outvote the rest. It takes longer than a vote. It also makes decisions that stick, because nobody leaves the room planning to quietly undo them.
Seeds for Change, a UK co-operative that trains community groups and campaigns, teaches a simple six-step version of the process. It works for nonprofit boards, community groups, project teams and any group that has to keep working together after the decision.
The six steps
| Stage | What happens | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduce the issue | Explain what needs deciding and share the facts | Make sure everyone is talking about the same thing |
| 2. Say what you want | Each person shares their needs, hopes and concerns | Do this before anyone proposes a solution |
| 3. Explore ideas | Broad discussion, pros and cons, invite disagreement | It can feel slow and frustrating. Keep going |
| 4. Form a proposal | Bring the areas of agreement together into one proposal | Write it down where everyone can see it |
| 5. Amend it | Change the proposal to deal with remaining concerns | Small amendments often win over a holdout |
| 6. Test for agreement | State the proposal clearly and ask each person where they stand | Silence doesn't mean someone agrees |
Four ways to respond
At step 6, ask everyone to choose one of these. Writing them on a slide helps.
| Response | Means |
|---|---|
| Block | I fundamentally disagree with the core of this and don't want it to happen. |
| Stand aside | I can't support this and won't help implement it, but I won't stop the group. |
| Reservations | I have concerns, but I'll go along with it. |
| Agree | I support it and I'm willing to help make it happen. |
You have consensus when there are no blocks, not too many stand-asides or reservations, and people are clearly showing they agree. If not, deal with the reasons: sometimes an amendment does it, and sometimes you need to go back to step 3.
Consensus compared with other ways to decide
Communication coach Alexander Lyon walks through seven ways groups decide, based on Beebe and Masterson's textbook on small groups. A short version:
| Method | When it works | The risk |
|---|---|---|
| An expert in the group decides | A technical question one person knows best | The rest disengage if there's no real discussion first |
| Outside expert advises | Nobody in the group has the knowledge | The group hands over its judgment |
| Average individual ratings | Narrowing a long list early | A bad way to make the final call |
| Random choice | It genuinely doesn't matter | Fine for lunch, not for strategy |
| Majority vote | Speed matters more than buy-in | The minority stays unhappy, and alliances form |
| A vocal minority decides | Never on purpose | The most resentment of all |
| Consensus | The group has to live with it together | Slow, and groupthink if people don't feel safe to disagree |
His advice, which applies whatever method you use: say how the decision will be made before you start.
When consensus isn't working
- If it keeps stalling, agree a fallback in advance, such as a two-thirds majority after two rounds.
- Watch for false consensus: people agreeing to keep the peace. Make disagreement explicitly welcome, and make it possible to say so privately.
- A quick fist to five can stand in for step 6 when the group is small and trusts each other.
Run it with Claryoo
For step 6, run an anonymous live poll with the four responses as options: Block, Stand aside, Reservations, Agree. People answer in the meeting chat or on their phones in a room. A block shows up without anyone having to say it in front of everyone first, and you can then ask whoever blocked to explain, if they're willing. The final decision and who owes what go into your summary.
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More to watch
- How to do consensus decision making, Seeds for Change (3 min): the six stages and the four responses.
- Group Decision Making Techniques, Alexander Lyon (11 min): the seven decision methods and when each one fits.
- How can groups make good decisions?, Mariano Sigman and Dan Ariely at TED (9 min): what research says about deciding in groups.
Use it in a ready session
Free PowerPoint templates with the slides, timings and speaker notes written. Consensus decision making, step by step fits in each one.
Want a co-host in your next session?
Claryoo joins your Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call, runs polls people answer in the chat, and writes up what was decided.
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