Leadership Institute

Reaching Agreement

Available Learning Formats: Classroom, Web-Based

Order No. IMEX127

The velocity of work, the diversity of ideas and people, and the rapid flow of information make it increasingly difficult to get groups to agree and commit to action.

This course focuses on the dynamics of group agreement and the importance of having everyone’s commitment. It teaches seven techniques for making clear, high-quality decisions that have the buy-in and commitment of every group member.

Do You Face Any of These Issues?

  • Are groups unable to make effective decisions that all members will support?
  • Do leaders know how to involve all group members in the decision-making process?
  • Are decisions made by edict or minority rule rather than group consensus?
  • Do leaders fail to document and communicate group decisions to people who might be affected by them?

Objectives

Helps leaders:

  • Drive business results through consensus building.
  • Ensure that all group members contribute to the decision-making process.
  • Select and apply the best consensus-building techniques for the situation.
  • Increase their work groups’ commitment to group decisions.

Primary Competency

  • Decision Making

Secondary Competencies

  • Contributing to Team Success
  • Gaining Commitment
  • Meeting Participation

Course Overview

  • The Challenge of Reaching Agreement: Learners complete a survey to assess how their group reaches agreement. (Optional). A video depicts a group doing a poor job of reaching agreement. Leaders discuss how ineffective processes impact group members and the quality of their decisions. The facilitator explains how using consensus-building techniques and ground rules can help a group be more effective at reaching agreement. Leaders link organizational objectives with the decisions their group(s) make. Participants are introduced to seven techniques for building consensus.
  • Agreement Techniques: In this unit, learners view video segments that introduce the seven consensus-building techniques. Following each segment, participants work in teams to apply these techniques to prepared group decisions. Learners discuss when to “let go” of a position.
  • Applying the Techniques: Working in teams, participants identify which techniques would be most effective to use to reach agreement in each of three situations. Learners practice applying the consensus building techniques in prepared situations (optional) or to their team’s actual workplace situation (optional for intact teams only). Learners identify which technique(s) to use for an upcoming workplace group decision. The facilitator overviews three roles a leader plays when making decisions by consensus—initiator, facilitator, and communicator. Participants develop an action plan for fulfilling these three roles in the workplace.

Video Segment Summaries

  • A segment shows some common challenges a cross-functional group faces in reaching agreement.
  • The Montagues and Capulets have agreed that Romeo and Juliet may marry. They use three consensus-building techniques to move toward agreement on where the wedding will be held.
  • Pirates use two consensus-building techniques to agree on which ship to seize and to move toward agreement on which action to take after they get the ship.
  • The Montagues and Capulets and the pirates come to consensus on their respective decisions.

Details

  • Target Audience: Informal and frontline through mid-level leaders.
  • Course Length: 3 hours, 30 minutes. Course can be lengthened with optional activities.
  • Facilitator Certification: DDI-certified facilitator required.
  • Prerequisites: Essentials of Leadership.
  • Series: Suitable for all environments.
  • Group Size: 8 to 16 people.
  • Prework: No.

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