Consultation or Consensus

C O N S U LTAT I O N O R C O N S E N S U S ? F R A N C I S E . M A D O J E M U

– S I M O N S I N E K

““There is no decision that we can make that doesn’t come with some sort of balance or

sacrifice.”

4 D E C I S I O N M A K I N G M E T H O D S

• What are four common ways of making decisions?

• How do you choose the most effective decision making approach?

4 D E C I S I O N M A K I N G M E T H O D S

• In Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler write about the four most common decision making methods and how to choose the most effective approach.

4 M E T H O D S O F D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• According to Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler, there’s four common ways of making decisions:

• 1. Command – decisions are made with no involvement.

• 2. Consult – invite input from others.

• 3. Vote – discuss options and then call for a vote.

• 4. Consensus – talk until everyone agrees to one decision.

1 . C O M M A N D S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• According to Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, command is when there’s no involvement:

• “Let’s start with decisions that are made with no involvement whatsoever. This happens in one of two ways.

• Either outside forces place demands on us (demands that leave us no wiggle room),

1 . C O M M A N D S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• According to Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, command is when there’s no involvement:

• or we turn decisions over to others and then follow their lead.

• We don’t care enough to be involved – let someone else do the work.”

2 . C O N S U LT S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• According to Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, consult is when you ask for input:

• “Consulting is a process whereby decision makers invite others to influence them before they make their choice.

• You can consult with experts, a representative population, or even everyone who wants to offer an opinion.

2 . C O N S U LT S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• Consulting can be an efficient way of gaining ideas and support without bogging down the decision making process.

• At least not too much. Wise leaders, parents, and even couples frequently make decisions in this way.

• They gather ideas, evaluate options, make a choice, and then inform the broader population.”

3 . V O T E S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, suggest only using a vote when team members agree to support whatever decision is made:

• “Voting is best suited to situations where efficiency is the highest value – and you’re selecting from a number of good options.

3 . V O T E S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• Members of the team realize they may not get their first choice, but frankly they don’t want to waste time talking the issue to death.

• They may discuss options for a while and then call for a vote.

• When facing several decent options, voting is a great time saver but should never be used when team members don’t agree to support whatever decision is made.

• In these cases, consensus is required.”

4 . C O N S E N S U S S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G• Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler,

suggest using consensus when there’s high stakes or you need everyone to fully support the final decision:

• This method can be both a great blessing and a frustrating curse.

• Consensus means that you talk until everyone honestly agrees to one decision.

4 . C O N S E N S U S S T Y L E D E C I S I O N M A K I N G

• This method can produce tremendous unity and high-quality decisions.

• If misapplied, it can also be a horrible waste of time. It should only be used with (1) high-stakes and complex issues or (2) issues where everyone absolutely must support the final choice.

T H E T Y P E S A G A I N

• 1. Command – decisions are made with no involvement.

• 2. Consult – invite input from others.

• 3. Vote – discuss options and then call for a vote.

• 4. Consensus – talk until everyone agrees to one decision.

A R E T H E Y S C R I P T U R A L O R K I N G D O M

•Command, consult, vote and consensus in the bible but Command is too simple

C O N S U LTAT I O N

• Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV)

• 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall;

• But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

C O N S U LTAT I O N

• Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)

• 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

V O T I N G

• Deuteronomy 1:9-18 9

• At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. 10 The LORD your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky. 11 May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised! 12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?

V O T I N G

• Deuteronomy 1:9-18 9

• 13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.” 14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” 15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, appointed them to have authority over you – as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.

V O T I N G

• Deuteronomy 1:9-18

• 16 And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. 17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it. 18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.

V O T I N G

• Deuteronomy 1:13 (NKJV)

• 13 Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.’

A C T S 1 5 : 2 2 - 2 9 ( N K J V ) T H E J E R U S A L E M D E C R E E

• 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.


• 23 They wrote this, letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—


• 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.


• 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.

H O W T O C H O O S E W H I C H D E C I S I O N M E T H O D T O U S E

• Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, outline how to choose which decision making method to use:

• 1. Who cares?

• Determine who genuinely wants to be involved in the decision along with those who will be affected.

• These are your candidates for involvement.

• Don’t involve people who don’t care.


• 2. Who knows?

• Identify who has the expertise you need to make the best decision.

• Encourage these people to take part.

• Try not to involve people who contribute to new information.


• 3. Who must agree?

• Think of those whose cooperation you might need in the form of authority of influence in any decisions you might make.

• It’s better to involve these people than to surprise them and then suffer their open resistance.


• 4. How many people is it worth involving?

• Your goal should be to involve the fewest number of people while still considering the quality of the decision along with the support that people will give it.

• Ask: “Do we have enough people to make a good choice?

• Will others have to be involved to gain their commitment?”

Consultation or Consensus

Education

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