[Workshop Report] Leadership Core Program (Session 4): Practicing Consensus Building

■Overview: This activity encouraged us to reflect on our emotions and recent experiences, and then share them within the group to build self-awareness and readiness for deeper conversations.
■Details: We looked back on our relationships with family, friends, and lab colleagues, and recalled recent personal “Highs” (moments of motivation or joy) and “Lows” (moments of sadness or discouragement). Each participant then chose one story to share, followed by open-ended questions from others. This process helped foster empathy and deeper mutual understanding.

■Overview: We visualized the trends in our research fields over the past 20 years and explained them in a way even beginners could understand.
■Details: Each participant first created a timeline on paper summarizing their research interests and major developments in the field. Then, in small groups, we presented our summaries and discussed surprising similarities across fields and the future directions of each area. This was a great opportunity to re-evaluate our own research objectively and discover unexpected common ground.

■Overview: In pairs, we shared personal experiences in research or learning where we felt enjoyment or inspiration, and then reconstructed the story through the other person’s perspective.
■Details: Each speaker described an “awe moment,” and the listener summarized the story and provided feedback. This allowed us to check whether our messages were effectively conveyed and understood, and deepened our awareness of communication from both the speaker’s and listener’s roles.

■Overview: We selected and ranked the top 7 skills (out of 13) that ToTAL should prioritize in its curriculum, using consensus-building methods.
■Details: Each member first created an individual ranking with reasons. Then, the group spent over 40 minutes discussing and negotiating a shared ranking—without voting. All members worked toward consensus, aiming for an outcome that everyone could accept—even if it differed from their initial opinion—because they understood the reasoning behind it. Through this process, I realized the value of listening to minority opinions, as they often enrich the conversation. It also became clear that consensus depends not only on logical reasoning but also on sensitivity to group dynamics, emotions, and mutual respect. The experience showed me how inclusive dialogue can lead to better decisions and stronger team cohesion.