What is the Difference Between Consensus and Unanimity?

The main difference between consensus and unanimity lies in the level of agreement required for a decision to be made.

Consensus is a decision-making approach that seeks to secure the support of the whole group for the decision at hand. It is not synonymous with unanimity. Consensus means that no one disagrees, not that everyone agrees. A specific definition of consensus may be spelled out in a team's ground rules or operating procedures. One recommended definition is "Everyone can live with and will support this decision". Consensus is a process that aims to reach as much agreement as possible, but it does not necessarily require unanimous consent.

Unanimity, on the other hand, refers to the outcome of a vote showing all members are agreed. It is a more specific and stringent requirement than consensus. Unanimity means that everyone agrees, rather than just that no one disagrees.

In summary, consensus is a decision-making process that seeks the support of the whole group without necessarily requiring everyone to agree, while unanimity is a specific outcome where all members agree on the decision.

Comparative Table: Consensus vs Unanimity

Here is a table illustrating the differences between consensus and unanimity:

Consensus refers to a general agreement among a group of people, focusing on collaboration, cooperation, and team effort to reach a decision. It allows for some dissenting opinions and emphasizes the importance of sharing ideas with others.

On the other hand, unanimity requires complete agreement among all members of a group. There is no room for dissenting opinions, and everyone must agree upon a single decision. Unanimity implies that all decision-makers share the same viewpoint and are in favor of the chosen decision.