Consensus Building

Introduction to Consensus Building

Consensus building is a collaborative decision-making process in which participants work together to reach agreements that are acceptable to all members of a group. Unlike decision-making approaches based on majority voting or authority, consensus building emphasises dialogue, shared understanding, and collective ownership of outcomes (Innes & Booher, 2010). The goal is not to achieve unanimous enthusiasm, but rather to develop solutions that everyone can support or at least live with.

This approach is particularly important in complex and diverse settings, where multiple perspectives, interests, and forms of expertise must be considered. Through open communication, active listening, and mutual respect, consensus building helps reduce conflict, build trust, and enhance the legitimacy and durability of decisions (Susskind, McKearnan, & Thomas-Larmer, 1999). As a result, it is widely applied in fields such as education, organisational leadership, community development, and public policy, where long-term commitment and cooperation are essential for meaningful change.

ChatGPT (2025)

The Consensus Building Process

STEP 1

Add your contributions to the topic.

Wait for other members to add their contribution.

Refresh the list of contributions.

STEP 2

Review all the contributions.

Select the items you think are pertinent.

Submit your choices.

Refresh the list of selected contributions.

STEP 3

Review all the contributions.

Select two items you think are the most pertinent.

Refresh the list.

END

The most popular items will be displayed.

References

Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in (3rd ed.). Penguin Books.

Innes, J. E., & Booher, D. E. (2010). Planning with complexity: An introduction to collaborative rationality for public policy. Routledge.

Susskind, L., McKearnan, S., & Thomas-Larmer, J. (1999). The consensus building handbook: A comprehensive guide to reaching agreement. Sage Publications.

The issue to be resolved

Step 1

Add your contributions to the topic. Use the link below to add your contribution.

Your Contributions

You can add as many contributions as you like. To view all the contributions, tap or click below.

Add contribution

Step 2

Wait until all the members have posted their contributions. Review the contributions below and select all the contributions that you think are pertinent to the issue (tab or click the items), and then submit your selection. You can only submit your choices once.

The Contributions

Select the pertinent items:

Submit

Step 3

Wait until all the members have selected their contributions. To view all the contributions, tap or click below. Thereafter, review the selected contributions below and select two of the contributions that you think are most pertinent to the issue (tab or click the items), and then submit your selection. You can only submit your choices once.

The Contributions

Select the only two pertinent items:

Submit