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The Power of a Single Page in Building Consensus

Recently, we were involved in the process of selecting a vendor for a product development project. On the surface, it seemed like a simple question: which company should we choose? But as the discussion went on, a subtle sense of discomfort emerged.
 

What stood out most was the different perspectives people had toward the vendors and the technology.
 

Some were optimistic, some were skeptical, and others wanted to keep their distance because of past experiences. Because everyone was speaking from a different set of assumptions, the discussion never quite came together.

So we prepared a single sheet that clearly captured the key points. It visualized the selection criteria, concerns, and next steps, and made the “foundation” of the discussion visible. Strangely enough, the quality of the conversation began to change.

What this experience made us realize again was how difficult building consensus can be—and how powerful it is to put things on paper. Even when people use the same words, the images they have in their minds can be surprisingly different. And when stakeholders differ in their roles, responsibilities, and sense of risk, those gaps become even wider.

Discussions that rely only on spoken words easily turn into “air battles.” The conversation moves on without clearly showing who has agreed to what, or what still remains unresolved. But once the issues are written down, lined up, and made visible, it becomes clear where people are misaligned and where agreement is possible.
 

This experience reminded us just how important consensus-building really is. 

In workplaces and organizations, the role of visualization is wide-ranging. It helps us listen to opinions, make them clear, and organize our thinking. Charts, comparison tables, diagrams, and illustrations are all ways to make that happen.

People often say that a good PowerPoint slide is one you could talk about for hours. A single slide can reveal differences in understanding, direction, and possible paths forward. Visualization is not just about guiding everyone to the same conclusion. It is just as valuable for clarifying where people do not agree. 

Of course, it is difficult to make anything perfectly complete. Even materials created with a clear purpose can lead to new insights and new directions through discussion.

That is not a bad thing. Even conditional agreements or provisional arrangements can be meaningful.

Some pages are designed to handle very specific discussions, while others are more versatile and general-purpose. There are tables meant to explain the current situation, and diagrams meant to shape the way we think. Color-coding, categorization, and deciding how many items to include—all of these matter.

To be honest, sometimes we want to take the easy way out. But that is exactly why we have to ask ourselves what we really want to communicate. That is where our skill truly shows.

The real issues are not only about “yes or no.” The many insights and inspirations that come from visualized materials are what drive the next step. It may be just a slide, but it can have great power.
 

Avoiding “air battles,” showing ideas through images, and moving discussions forward—this is the very value PM Global has always stood for.

For managers and teams, there is no need to rush to the “right” answer. In teaching, communicating, delegating, and deciding, visualization for building consensus can be a powerful ally. 

Are the discussions around you made visible? A single page might be what helps you take the next step.