Quick Ideas 12 to 14 More often than not, consensus will require the Assignment participants to negotiate an Consider consensus acceptable solution that decisions you have been in- requires trade-offs. Not ev- volved in making in the past. eryone will get what he or How have they been better she wants. What you are or worse than others? looking for is a final product that everyone can live with, which actually achieves your goal. The result is a reasonable decision that everyone in the group can accept. Epilogue Consensus decisions are difficult to manage and obtain, but often provide the best results through time. Your task is to manage the process effectively and efficiently. Is Consensus Decision Making Right for Your Situation? Of course, deciding when consensus decision making is appropriate is the key to using this mechanism best. Consensus decision making is best used when there is a clearly identifiable group or team to make the decision. The boundaries of the group need to be clear, such as a normal work team with a clearly established membership and common goals and objectives, or a management team that routinely meets to collaborate--not an ad hoc group of people just brought together, which just ends up being consultation. 14 29