商务管理之 达成共识 Reaching Consensus
要所有的团队成员都对某项决策开绿灯，实现起来有些难度。总会有人在争议中固执己见（resistant）。即便是有这样或那样的困难，也有必要听取各方意见。最终达成共识对决策的实行十分有益（beneficial）。
讨论
当没有统一意见时就需要展开讨论。找出争论角度，通过对较为可能的（或相对统一的）意见进行修改（modify）完善，从而达到皆大欢喜的目的（keep everyone happy）。
⊙What does everybody think of……
大家对于……是怎么考虑的？
⊙What do you have against……
你是根据什么来反对……
⊙The reason I disagree is……
我不赞同的原因是……
⊙Don't you think it would be better to……
各位不认为……会更好吗？
⊙Let's hear you out on this issue.
让我们听你把话说完。
⊙Can you tell me why you believe the way you do?
你能否告诉我，为什么你认为你的办法行得通？
⊙Let's take a vote.
让我们来进行表决。
⊙Can you tell me more about why you don't agree?
你能否更详细地告诉我为什么你不同意？
⊙Is there anything we can change about this option to make it more acceptable to you?
对于这一选择，我们可以做什么调整好让你觉得更适用吗？
共识的形式
达成共识不是说非得每个人都完全同意（completely agree），但是要保证让大部分人都接受。让每个人都参与到共识的讨论和理解中，并尽量说明为何最终的选择最适宜。在讨论之初就应当表明所谓的共识是与会者一致赞同（on the same page），还是在一两个人反对（dissenters）的情况下仍获得通过。
⊙We don't have to see eye to eye on this, we just need to agree on a direction to go.
在这个问题上我们没有必要形成绝对一致的意见，我们只需要确认意见的大致方向。
⊙Do we all agree that we need to compromise?
我们是否都赞同我们（必要时）需要妥协？
⊙So, if we can get at least 9 out of 10 to go for the idea, then we're set.
那如果我们中有9个人都同意这个想法，那就拍板。
⊙We need 100%agreement on this issue, am I right?
我们需要100%的意见一致，是这样吗？
共识的内容
组织者应对问题交代得（identify the problem）越详细越好，并提供解决问题的几个选择和方案（various options or solutions）。在深入讨论之前，可以通过表决的形式了解与会者的大致倾向（where you stand），从而引出辩论的正反方。
⊙We're meeting today to come up with a solution to cut the budget.We've got two possible solutions to discuss right off the bat.The first one is downsizing with employee layoffs.The second is to cut spending by eliminating existing benefits.Both are hard measures.Let's see a quick count of who's leaning toward the first option.
我们今天开会的目的是为削减预算找出解决方案。我们有两个可能的方案供大家讨论。第一个是通过裁员来削减，另一个是削减现有福利从而减少开销。两个方案都比较棘手。我们来迅速统计一下有谁赞成第一种选择。
⊙We can either spend the bulk of our production time on working out details in the design project, or go for something a bit more general but save time and money.Both options have advantages and drawbacks.How many of you feel we have reason to invest time and money on the first option?
我们既可以花大量时间在项目设计的细节上，也可以选择更省钱、省时但普通一些的。两个选择各有利弊。你们谁认为我们应在第一种方案上投入时间和财力？
达成共识的时间
继续调整修改，不断表决，直到每个（或绝大部分）与会者都表示赞同。
⊙Anybody has a chance to share their thoughts?Good, let's take another vote.是否大家还要借此机会来分享一些自己的想法？好的，让我们再次表决。
⊙Let's take time to hear Frank out.Okay, Frank, tell us why you disagree.让我们听Frank把意见表达完。好的，Frank，告诉我们为什么你不同意。
⊙Let's talk about Option One more in detail.Does anyone want to share why they think it's a good idea?
让我们再深入讨论一下第一个选择。谁愿意分享一下为什么支持这一想法？
⊙Okay, Margaret, can you explain to us why you support the second option?好的，Margaret，你能否解释一下你为什么支持第二个选择？
决定
一旦达成共识，立即形成决议，避免节外生枝（prevent further problems）。
⊙Okay, now that we're finally all in agreement, I will get in touch with the human resource department to implement these changes starting next week.好的，现在我们终于达成了统一意见，我会马上联络人力资源部，从下周起执行这些变动。
⊙Thanks everyone for working so hard to make a decision on this issue.感谢各位为达成这个决定所做的辛苦工作。
⊙Let's get the results of our discussion today in writing and put it into action as soon as possible.
让我们把今天讨论的成果形成书面文件，并尽快着手执行。
总结
共识是整体利益的平衡点。只有个体利益相对满足时，所形成的决策才长久有效，人们才会心悦诚服地执行。达成共识的过程是从分歧走向统一的过程，只有靠协调、变通和耐心才能实现。总之要皆大欢喜，其乐融融，大家就应当各有取舍，共同努力。
Words 单词表
acceptable可接受的，合格的
benefits福利，利益，效益
bulk大批，大量
current当前的
downsizing削减，精简
drawback弊端
eliminate消除，排除
existing现有的，现存的
generic一般的，通用的
layoff解雇，裁员
morale士气
overtime超时的，加班的
solution方法，解决方案
vote投票，选举
workforce劳动力，职工
Phrases 短语表
100%agreement完全同意
50-50 even对半开
change（one's）mind改变（某人的）想法
come up with找到（答案）
cut a budget削减预算
cut spending削减支出
feel free（to do sth）无拘束，随意某事
get a pink slip被解雇
have a chance有机会
have a point 说得有道理，所言极是
lean toward（an option）偏向，倾向
hear sb out听某人把话说完
lower rung employees下层/底层雇员
meet a deadline满足期限
pay out付出
right off the bat立即，马上
see eye to eye on this对此意见统一
share（one's）thoughts分享（某人的）想法
take a（quick）count（迅速）统计
work out details解决细节
实景对话1
A：We're meeting today to come up with a solution to cut the budget. We've got two possible solutions to discuss right off the bat.The first one is downsizing with employee layoffs.The second is to cut spending by eliminating existing benefits.What does everyone think about employee layoffs?
B：Well, first of all, how many layoffs are we talking about?The reason I disagree is because if too many people get pink slips, morale and production will go way down.
C：Jim has a point there. In order to meet our financial goals, we are talking about laying off as much as 20%of our current workforce.
A：Larry, can you tell me more about why you don't agree?
C：It's not going to do much good to eliminate employees. If we have less people to do the same amount of work, the remaining employees will have to work overtime to finish the work.Our company will have to pay out in overtime fees what it was trying to save in lay offs.
A：Has everybody had a chance to share their thoughts?So do we all agree that the first option isn't going to work for us?Let's take a vote. If you support Option One, please raise your hand.Okay.Option Two?Looks like Mary you're the only one who agree on the second option.Is there anything we can change about this option to make it more acceptable to you?
D：Well, I think if we were to focus more on cutting excess benefits from senior level employees without disrupting the basic and necessary benefits from lower rung employees, it could be better.
A：我们今天开会的目的是为削减预算找出解决方案。我们有两个可能的方案供讨论。第一个是通过裁员来削减。另一个是削减现有福利从而减少开销。对于裁员大家都怎么想？
B：首先，我们所说的裁员是裁多少人？我不同意是因为下岗的人太多，士气和产量都会随之下滑。
C：Jim言之有理，为了达到财务目标，我们要裁掉20%的员工。
A：Larry，你能否说说你为什么不同意吗？
C：解雇员工没有多大的好处。如果我们让更少的人做同等量的工作，剩下的这些人为了完工就得加班，那公司就得用裁员节省下来的钱支付加班费。
A：每个人都同意他们的想法吗？那我们都认为第一种选择对我们不适用吗？让我们表决一下。同意第一种选择的请举手。好的，第二个选择呢？好像Marry是唯一同意第二种选择的人。我们可以做什么调整，好让你觉得更可行吗？
D：我觉得如果我们能够集中减少高级雇员的超额福利，而不影响底层雇员的基本和必需福利，也许更合适些。
实景对话2
A：We can either spend the bulk of our production time on working out details in the design project, or go for something a bit more generic but save time and money. Both options have advantages and drawbacks.How many of you feel we have reason to invest time and money in the first option?Okay, Margaret, I noticed you didn't vote for the first option.Can you explain to us why you support the second one?
B：I don't think we have the time to spend on developing a fancy custom design. We're working under deadline here, so to meet the requirements of the client, we have to give them something generic.
C：I disagree！
A：Okay. Let's take time to hear Frank out.Frank, tell us why you don't agree. What do you have against the generic design?
C：It's because our clients have such specific requirements that we have to invest in a custom design. I don't think they'd be happy with anything that wasn't very unique.We don't want to disappoint our clients.Don't you think it would be better to focus on making the client happy than meeting a deadline?
A：So let's talk about Option One more in detail. Does anyone else want to share why they think it's a good idea?
D：Well, I think these two options aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
I think we can do a reasonably good job with a custom design without overshooting the deadline.
A：我们既可以花大量时间在项目设计的细节上，也可以选择更省钱、省时但普通一些的。两个选择各有利弊。Margaret，我留意到对于第一种选择你投反对票，你能否解释一下？
B：我认为我们没有时间来研发一个不切实际的设计方案。我们的工作是有时间限制的，这样才能满足客户的要求，所以我们只能提供相对普通的方案。
C：我反对！
A：好的，让我们听听Frank的意见。Frank，告诉我们为什么你不同意。你根据什么反对提供普通的设计方案？
C：在设计上投入更多精力，这是客户的特别要求。我想对于不是非常独特的东西他们是不会满意的。我们不想让客户失望。各位不觉得让客户满意比遵守时限更值得我们关注吗？
A：让我们再深入讨论一下第一种选择。谁愿意分享他认为比较好的想法？
D：嗯，我觉得这两种选择并不互相排斥。我认为我们可以在不拖期的前提下，在特别设计上付出更多努力。
