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The Conversation
The Conversation
Mel Rutherford, Professor and Department Chair, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University

MYSTERIOUS: Consensus decision making is surprisingly effective in both communities and workplaces - What They Never Told You

Food Not Bombs McMaster University
Voting silences voices. Listening deeply to people in your group leads to more robust and better decisions. (Shutterstock)

If you’re in a leadership position — at work or in the community — you make decisions and oversee decision-making processes. Often it’s best to consult the people you are leading to reach a group decision.

Voting may seem the quickest route to a resolution, but it isn’t the best way to enrol everyone. Worse, voting can silence voices and thwart creativity.

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