converge · Decision Making, Meeting Management · 10–30 min · 3-60 people · low energy

Gradients of Agreement

Instead of yes or no, people place themselves on a scale for a proposal. The eight-point version runs from whole-hearted endorsement, through 'I can live with it', abstain, 'more discussion needed' and 'I don't like it but won't hold up the group', to serious disagreement and veto. The spread shows whether support is enthusiastic, lukewarm or split, and who needs to be heard before going ahead.

When to use Gradients of Agreement

Use when you need to know how strongly a group backs a decision, not just whether a majority would vote yes.

What it solves

A show of hands says yes, and a month later half the people who raised them are not doing anything to make it happen.

How to run Gradients of Agreement, step by step

  1. Agree beforehand what level of support you need. High-stakes decisions need enthusiasm; small ones can live with lukewarm (3 min).
  2. Read the proposal and show the scale (2 min).
  3. Everyone shows their point at the same time, with fingers, numbered cards or a poll (2 min).
  4. Look at the distribution together. Ask people at the edges and anyone at 'more discussion needed' what they would need (10 min).
  5. Amend and poll again, or decide that the support is enough to proceed (5-10 min).

Materials needed

  • The scale written large on a flip chart or slide
  • Numbered cards, or a polling tool

Facilitator tips

  • Simultaneous reveal matters. If people see others first, they drift towards the middle.
  • The point is the conversation the spread starts, not the number.
  • Use a shorter scale when the group is new to it.

Common pitfalls

  • Averaging the scores, which hides a split between enthusiasts and opponents.
  • Not deciding up front what level of support is enough, then arguing about it afterwards.

Variations

  • Four-point version: love it, like it, live with it, loathe it.

Running it online or hybrid

Run it as a poll, anonymous if needed, and show the full distribution rather than an average.

What it produces

A visible spread of support for the proposal and a list of the reservations to address.

Origin

Developed in 1987 by Sam Kaner, Duane Berger and the staff of Community At Work, and published in the Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making. — source

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