What does consensus facilitation aim to achieve?

Consensus facilitation primarily aims to build agreement among stakeholders on decisions. This process involves guiding groups of people through discussions and negotiations to reach a collective agreement that reflects the interests and concerns of all parties involved. The facilitator plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels heard, which ultimately leads to more effective and sustainable outcomes. This method encourages collaboration and mutual understanding rather than simply tallying votes or pushing for a majority decision. It's an approach that values the input of all stakeholders, leading to more robust and widely accepted agreements.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the goals of consensus facilitation. Individual decision-making and unilateral decisions focus on the preferences of a single person or a majority, lacking the collaborative element essential to consensus. Encouraging conflict is counterproductive to the concept of consensus, which is built on cooperation and shared understanding rather than discord.