There are three ways to make group decisions:
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Majority rule: Whoever gets the most votes wins. (Ten say yes, nine say no. Yes wins.) |
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Super majority: Two-thirds of members must vote yes. |
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Consensus: No voting. Everyone must agree to go forward. (Even the few who don’t like the decision must consent to go forward with it, seeing that it’s clearly what the group wants to do.) |
The first decision is how to make decisions.
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Advantages of Each Method |
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Group Activity |
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Advantages of Each Method
Each of these three methods can work very well and help the group make good decisions. Each has some advantages and some disadvantages. Consider each one and then, as a group, decide how you will operate together. It may also be good to bring in someone who can help you learn how to make good decisions, regardless of the method you choose.
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Majority rule is the most familiar method in our culture. The benefit of using this method is that everyone already understands how it works. You don’t have to use Robert’s Rules. If you do use Robert’s Rules, don’t be legalistic. Don’t use them to squelch people who don’t know all the proper rules. Use them to help the group get to where it wants to go.
The drawback of majority rule is that the group can be pretty divided on a decision that goes forward. If the vote is 10-9 to make Sherry president, you can have a lot of members saying, “They decided to make Sherry the president, but lots of us were—and still are—really against it.” |
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Super majority uses the same process as majority rule but, when it comes to voting, you need more “yes” votes to make a decision. The benefit of super majority over simple majority is that members are more united on decisions. Two thirds of the group must agree on something, so it’s a more cohesive way to make decisions. |
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Consensus is tricky and slow. You don’t vote. You talk and, at some point, you ask: “Do we have a consensus here?” The benefit is that everyone owns the decision. No one can say, “They did it but I was against it.” Therefore, the consensus process builds a strong group. The disadvantages are that consensus takes a lot of skill from a good facilitator and from members who want to do it well.
Consensus takes a high maturity level among members. It’s different from unanimous decisions. When 17 are for something and two against, that’s usually called a consensus. Those two against must still say (with the others), “Yes, we have a consensus.” Their reason for blocking would have to be a matter of conscience, not simply “I really want to do something different.” |
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Group Activity
Does everyone in your group know how decisions are made? Host a discussion to consider how you currently make decisions. Compare and contrast your way with other decision-making methods. Role-playing different methods is a good way to help people see how different methods may lead to different decisions.
If your group chooses to role-play, try this: Pretend your group has $1,000 to spend. Role-play the decision process using three different methods for making decisions.
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Resource
ACT does not have resources on this topic. Let us know if you find useful resources to share with others.
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