Consensus Requires

• Everyone can understand the decision and explain why it is best
• Everyone can live with the decision

• A unanimous vote
• Everyone getting what they want
• Everyone finally coming around to the "right" opinion

• Time
• Active participation of all team members
• Skills in communication, listening, conflict resolution, and facilitation
• Creative thinking and open-mindedness

• Misunderstanding about consensus can prevent teams from obtaining its benefits.
• If members confuse consensus with compromise, a creative solution is unlikely.
• Also, if group members think consensus means "don’t rock the boat," groupthink can result.

Excerpted from Scholtes, Peter et al. The Team Handbook, 2^nd ed. Madison, Wisconsin: Oriel Incorporated, 2001.