Consensus is fast becoming one of business’ most popular-but most widely mis-understood decision-making models. By involving people in the decisions that impact their work, companies develop a passionate team of workers, one that is committed to a future they’ve helped shape. This useful guide leads managers, consultants, and facilitators through the consensus-building process. It shows how to avoid common pitfalls like false agreement and the “illusio… More >>
Consensus Through Conversation: How to Achieve High-Commitment Decisions
Tags: Achieve, Consensus, consensus building, Conversation, decision making models, decisions, facilitators, HighCommitment, passionate team, pitfalls, product description, shape, Through
#1 by M. Mohoric on April 12, 2010 - 10:09 pm
Larry Dressler has produced a mighty punch in a small package. I’ve used his Consensus through Conversation with college students wanting strategies to make inclusive decisions in a public arena, to work teams wanting to suspend judgment while viewing conflict as creativity. Don’t be fooled by thinking this is an old topic that you already know. Larry’s brilliance helps us illuminate the critical conversations that lead to major breakthroughs in thought and action.
Marge Mohoric, Ph.D.
The Evergreen State College
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by Diane B. Robbins on April 12, 2010 - 10:10 pm
This book offers both a thoughtful and pragmatic approach to consensus decision making. Dressler is particularly adept at inviting leaders to explore their goals, values, and beliefs with regard to a given issue while then guiding them through a clear methodology. He is careful to describe consensus decision making as one of many choices, not a one size fits all approach. The brevity of the book, his depth of knowledge, and the icons he uses (key point, tool, case examples, and sounds like) all add up to a clear and crisp reading experience–not unlike a great wine.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by John P. Courville on April 12, 2010 - 11:21 pm
After reading the first several pages regarding what consensus is and a few means as to how to achieve it, I thought there was no way this will ever work, particularly with all the different personalities involved in many decision making processes. However, as you get further into the book, Dressler gives you some of the tips and tools as to how to achieve an agreement everyone can live with, even if some do not get entirely what they want. It is a fine balancing act sorting out personal needs, wants and agendas, and what is truly good for the organization or project being discussed. While there is no guarantee in a 100% success rate in facilitation, this book can help give you the ideas to help get you close, if not all the way there.
Rating: 4 / 5
#4 by Marcos C. Heinzkill on April 13, 2010 - 1:08 am
This is a thin ( only 77pages) and practical handbook on consensus. It is a very good introduction to what consensus is. As a professional facilitator myself, I find this a useful tool in planning my meetings, remembering the resistances to consensus that both my clients and I might have along the process, and the common misunderstandings regarding this participative decision making process. Very useful for both experienced failitators and beginners.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by K.A.T. on April 13, 2010 - 3:55 am
As a trained facilitator, I found this book to be clear, concise, while providing realistic examples.
Rating: 5 / 5