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.
Use when you need to know how strongly a group backs a decision, not just whether a majority would vote yes.
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.
- 1
Step 1: Agree beforehand what level of support you need. High-stakes decisions need enthusiasm; small ones can live with lukewarm (3 min).
- 2
Step 2: Read the proposal and show the scale (2 min).
- 3
Step 3: Everyone shows their point at the same time, with fingers, numbered cards or a poll (2 min).
- 4
Step 4: Look at the distribution together. Ask people at the edges and anyone at 'more discussion needed' what they would need (10 min).
- 5
Step 5: Amend and poll again, or decide that the support is enough to proceed (5-10 min).
- 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.
- Four-point version: love it, like it, live with it, loathe it.