Consensus Decision Making

Consensus is mutual agreement among team members that all legitimate concerns of individuals have been addressed by the group and everyone agrees to support the decision. It is important to remember that a consensus decision does not mean that everyone agrees. It does mean that all members have had an opportunity to express their opinions and feel that they have been listened to by the group.

There is no one right way to make decisions. The best style of decision making is determined by the situation. The best managers and teams know when and how to make decisions based on an understanding of the environment, the people and the priorities. Your team will want to reach a consensus on the who, how, and when of decision making.

In a school, the difficulty and strain is often greatest on the veteran principal who came into his or her position during a different era. The image of the effective principal has evolved from one who is all-knowing, tough, and single-minded, to one who can motivate and challenge his or her staff to be creative and competent, and who can participate in team decision making. This transition is a difficult one for many principals to make.

Turning decisions over to teams initially can be confusing and threatening. Principals may feel they alone should make all the decisions because they are ultimately responsible for results. Also, it is natural for principals to want to use the experience and skills they have developed over the years to make decisions.

The transition to a team-based school and the acceptance of team decision making will take time. So, too, will the development of the team's decision making skills, and the trust that principals are willing to place in teams.

Not all decisions are appropriate for teams. Some decisions are best made by the individual alone, sometimes with input from others and sometimes without. One of the marks of a successful principal or team is competence at determining which decisions fall into which category.

Effective decision making is not a mysterious process. Decisions can be made by a variety of methods which take into consideration such issues as time constraints and information availability. Another consideration is the question of who is expected to execute the decision.

Defining Consensus

Steps to Reaching Consensus

Consensus Indicator

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