Supporting Strong Decision Making – Consensus Skills

Why strengthen your consensus skills? Better communication! Especially when you want stronger decisions. Here’s the sneaky part: consensus doesn’t mean that everyone agrees the same amount, all the time.

Consensus resources

  • what do we mean by consensus? the flow
  • when consensus works
  • when it doesn’t
  • tool for better meetings: is it for information, discussion, or decision?
  • how to use a gradient of agreement / disagreement to gather information instead of yes/no/abstain voting
  • updated in 2025: a video about a gradient of agreement

Consensus 101: why? how? and when shouldn’t we?

facilitation tool about consensus by drawing change and rhizome network UK

consensus: when it works

facilitation tool about consensus by drawing change and rhizome network UK

For every meeting: is it for information, discussion or decision?

On your agendas, make better meetings by indicating if we are:

  1. sharing information (or making a proposal)
  2. having a discussion
  3. or making a decision
drawing change resource for better meetings - is it for information, discussion or decision?

Gradients: a shortcut for stronger decision-making

Participatory decision making skills take more time. But even moving to a question like “who likes this proposal — out of five?” is a great start. It can change the way people give feedback or answers.

And online, holding up (or typing) one to five fingers to the screen for a quick visual check in is easy.

It’s not a vote, but it quickly gathers data to show where a group is at.

Here’s a more complex version, with more of a gradient, best for groups using consensus.

But even moving to a question like “who likes this proposal — out of five?” is a great start. It can change the way people give feedback or answers. And online, holding up (or typing) one to five fingers to the screen for a quick visual check in is easy.

More consensus strengthening tools from a recent 1-day workshop for a housing cooperative

  • rounds
  • pair and share
  • spectrogram
  • setting group guidelines together
  • dot voting
  • small group work
  • marshmellow game and debrief
  • visualizations / silent reflection
  • working with gradients of agreement
  • the process for consensus – 7 steps, done with masking tape on the floor so people could stand on the different parts
  • Four Corners exercise about roles we each like to play in groups, by Craig Freshley
  • Our outcomes by the end of the day included:
    List of shared values – with some prioritization; draft dreams of the co-housing, and a better understanding of what the group needs to have good communication together.

For more resources, visit the online library of Tree Bressen.