SCHOOL

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CONSENSUS
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BUILDING AND
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NEGOTIATION:
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THROUGH THE LENS OF
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AN ADMINISTRATOR
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MR. JEFFREY D. SUNGA, PHD-EM1 E
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PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES: At the end of the discussion, the reporter G
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encourages 100% of his classmates in this O

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course to be able to: L

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• Describe the concept of consensus, consensus theory, N

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and negotiation, T
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• Determine the basic principles of consensus theory in T
the context of education, R
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• Analyze the process of consensus-building and N
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negotiation and its feasibility to apply this process in S

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their school or institution,
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• Reflect on the steps in achieving school consensus and S
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negotiation by internalizing its applicability in the U
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school context, S

• Appreciate the importance of building school I

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consensus towards solving emerging issues, problems, E

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or changes in today's school setting. U
C
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

What is Consensus?
• Democratic form of decision-making
that works best in small groups
(Diceman 2009).
• It is  general agreement  or unanimity.
(Merriam-Webster, 2020)
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

What is Consensus Theory?

Consensus theory is the belief that members of a
society or culture have the same values and
norms, creating a social consensus.
Who created Consensus Theory
• Emile Durkheim is the forefront of this thinking.
• He is the one of the first to explore this shared value
system and its role in the evolution of society.
Notable Individuals:
• Talcott Parsons, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and
Antonio Gramsci
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

The Basic Principle of Consensus

Theory
Consensus theory is a social theory that
holds a particular political or economic
system is a fair system, and that social
change should take place within the social
institutions provided by it. 
Consensus theory contrasts sharply with
conflict theory, which holds that social
change is only achieved through conflict.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

What is Consensus Theory in Education?

• Consensus theory is concerned with the maintenance or
continuation of social order in society, in relation to
accepted norms, values, rules and regulations as widely
accepted or collectively by the society or within a
particular society itself.
• Process: creative and cooperative discussion of ideas
and opinions.
• Goal: find the best solution that everyone can live with.
• Equal opportunity to participate and it promotes the
growth of school community and build trust to its
stakeholders.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

NEGOTIATION
• Negotiation is a method by which people settle
differences. It is a process by which compromise or
agreement is reached while avoiding argument.
• •In any disagreement, individuals understandably aim
to achieve the best possible outcome for their position
(or perhaps an organization they represent).
• However, the principles of fairness, seeking mutual
benefit and maintaining a relationship are the keys to
a successful outcome.
• The point of negotiation is to try to reach agreements
without causing future barriers to communications.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS
BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION
THE PROCESS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
STAGES:
1. PREPARATION
2. DISCUSSION
3. CLARIFICATION OF GOALS
4. NEGOTIATE TOWARDS A WIN-WIN
OUTCOME
5. AGREEMENT
6. IMPLEMENTATION OF A COURSE OF
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING AND

NEGOTIATION

PREPARATION STAGE

•When and where will the meeting take place?

•Who will attend?
•This stage involves ensuring all the pertinent facts
of the situation are known in order to clarify your
own position.
•Undertaking preparation before discussing the
disagreement will help to avoid further conflict
and unnecessarily wasting time during the
meeting.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING AND

NEGOTIATION

DISCUSSION STAGE
• During this stage, individuals or
members of each side put forward the
case as they see it, i.E. Their
understanding of the situation.
• Key skills during this stage are
questioning, listening and clarifying.
• Important to listen, -- saying too much
and listening too little.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING AND

NEGOTIATION

CLARIFYING GOALS
•Goals, interests and viewpoints of both
sides of the disagreement need to be
clarified.
•Prioritize – why?
•Through this clarification it is often
possible to identify or establish
common ground.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING AND

NEGOTIATION

NEGOTIATE TOWARDS A WIN-WIN OUTCOME

•This stage focuses on what is termed A win-win
outcome where both sides feel they have gained
something positive through the process of negotiation
and both sides feel their point of view has been taken
into consideration.
•A win-win outcome, although not always possible,
should be the ultimate goal.
•Alternative strategies and compromises need to be
considered.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING AND

NEGOTIATION

AGREEMENT
•Agreement can be achieved once understanding of
both sides’ viewpoints and interests have been
considered.
•It is essential to keep an open mind in order to
achieve a solution. Any agreement needs to be
made perfectly clear so that both sides know what
has been decided.
•If the process of negotiation breaks down and
agreement cannot be reached, then re-scheduling
another meeting. What’s the benefit of this action?
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

PROCESS OF CONSENSUS BUILDING

AND NEGOTIATION

IMPLEMENTING A COURSE OF
ACTION
•From the agreement, a course of
action has to be implemented to carry
through the decision.
•Informal negotiation
•There are times when there is a need
to negotiate more informally. What
situations might this be beneficial?
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

STEPS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

CONSENSUS AND NEGOTIATION

PROMOTE STUDENT-CENTERED
CONVERSATION
Seeking consensus can often become an adult-centered
proposition. In many cases, meetings that involve
adults working toward consensus are dictated by the
adult desire to preserve what they value.
Whatever the reason—if it is not strictly what is best for
students and what supports the mission and vision of
the school, it is simply not the right reason. In contrast,
providing focus as to the global purpose and the ‘why’
for each meeting promotes student-centered
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

STEPS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

CONSENSUS AND NEGOTIATION

TEACH COLLABORATION
• Collaboration is a learned skill—many educators need
a refresher course in order to master it.
• A collaborative culture exudes trust, willingness to
engage or participate, and the willingness to listen to
ideas counter to yours without taking them personally.
• This is extraordinarily difficult, since teaching is so
personal. In order to promote a collaborative culture
and to keep interactions professional, it is often
necessary to create meeting norms.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

STEPS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

CONSENSUS AND NEGOTIATION

CREATE MEETING NORMS

•Norms are designed to influence behavior and
allow for greater results. It is important,
however, that the list of norms does not
become so exhaustive that it stifles creativity.

•It is also of the utmost importance that if norms

are established, they are monitored and
observed.

•Norms for effective meetings need not be a

long, cumbersome list.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

STEPS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL CONSENSUS

AND NEGOTIATION

CREATE MEETING NORMS

List of norms to support student-centered, collaborative
meetings that will lead to a valuable consensus:
• Begin and end on time.
• State the purpose of the meeting and stick to that purpose.
• Every member present must participate at some point in each meeting.
• All commentary and suggestions are vetted by asking, "is this a
student-centered manner of moving forward?"
• Disagreements are professional, not personal, and are to remain that
way.
• If the meeting results in an action item, it is to be collaboratively agreed
to (via consensus) and supported with fidelity.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

STEPS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL

CONSENSUS AND NEGOTIATION

IF NECESSARY, MOLD CONSENSUS..

• Leadership must remain adaptive. As the
world around us (along with the educational
context) changes, it may become necessary
for the leader to not only facilitate a
collaborative and supportive culture that will
lead to positive decisions being made, but
also have many conversations, provide
contextual background, and occasionally
teach team members before entering into a
consensus-seeking conversation.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

SOME POINTS TO PONDER

As a school leader, it is
not enough to seek
consensus—you must
build a culture that
welcomes collaboration
and remains student-
centered.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

SOME POINTS TO PONDER

Occasionally, you also must

mold consensus. Moving
forward with collective
support of the school's
vision allows for far greater
and more impactful school
improvement efforts.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

SOME POINTS TO PONDER

Thus, gaining consensus

is extremely important for
a school leader—but
only when that
consensus was formed
after true collaboration
and with a focus on
students first.
SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

REFLECT ON THIS ONE....

SCHOOL CONSENSUS BUILDING AND NEGOTIATION: THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ADMINISTRATOR

REFERENCES:
Bellajao, L. (2015). Consensus and Conflict Theory. Retrieved at
https://www.slideshare.net/lovebellajao/introduction-to-the-social-dime
nsions-of-education-consensus-and-conflict-theory
Caposey, P.J. (2012). Achieving Consensus. Published at Education
World (2012).
Course Hero (2020). Negotiation and Consensus . Retrieved at
https://www.coursehero.com/profile/snadar1/
Diceman, J. (2009). Consensus Decision –Making Workshop. Retrieved
at https://slideshare.net.
Meriam- Webster (2020). Consensus Definition. Retrieved at
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consensus