When a group is responsible for not only making a decision but also putting that decision into action, leaders may want to strive for decision by consensus. Achieving consensus on decisions means that all members support a given course of action. For example, your class group may be picking a service-learning project to complete as part of a course requirement. Rather than risk fragmenting the group by voting, a consensus decision secures all group members’ commitment to the chosen project. Even group members who have concerns about the decision will still support it (Johnson & Johnson, 2008). In most cases, groups that decide by consensus report greater member satisfaction with the decision than groups relying on majority rule (Sager & Gastil, 2006). This happens because the discussion encourages input from all group members and helps build cohesiveness in a team.

To promote decision by consensus, leaders must encourage open discussion. It takes considerable time to get everyone to agree on a course of action, but the resulting group cohesiveness is well worth it. To help set group members’ expectations, leaders should clearly explain that decisions will be made by consensus (Sager & Gastil, 1999). Team members, for their part, must strive to actively listen to all ideas as they are proposed. Leaders should also make sure that team members don’t feel pressured to simply go along with the group. Saying something like “If anyone here feels uncomfortable with the decision we’re moving toward, please speak up and let us know your concerns. We want everyone’s input here,” will help minimize that outcome.

Each decision-making approach has its pros and cons and is best used under specific circumstances. Regardless of which approach is used, it’s important for the leader to clarify the approach for the group. Otherwise, leaders’ actions can sometimes seem arbitrary and unpredictable, which can erode group morale and satisfaction.