Sharpening the Saw on Team Decision Making

Decision making is a game for one or more players, and like most games, the rules are slightly different if more than one person is involved. When you’re going solo, the decision making process might be quicker, because there is no one else to bring on board, or cast doubt on your thought process, yet when done right, the collective approach to decision making can produce a richer outcome through the use of the group brain.

However in most senior teams there is often conflict – either overt or covert – over the resources and processes that are being modified or decided on. So good process around decision making is important to mitigate this conflict and to enable collective commitment and accountability to the final outcome agreed.

When teams can't decide

Recently however, I’ve worked with a number of senior teams where the group decision making process hasn’t actually been that effective. The decision has got lost in the discussion – the group has a good dialogue around the issues, even a passionate debate about what needs to be done, people have aired their point of view and yet, frankly, the conversation has gone round in circles resulting in very little progress. Does that ring any bells?

So as a quick sense check on where you might be cutting corners, here are a few reminders to help you check you are getting the best out of team decision making.

1. Get the right people round the table

It’s always worth thinking in advance about who actually needs to be involved in the decision. In an environment where a group of people come together to reach a decision, each person should have something to contribute, and be ready to add their opinion into the mix. People can add value in different ways, not just in subject matter knowledge and expertise, but also in the way they can question and challenge the group’s assumptions and thinking. Bringing people in from outside of the team from time to time can be helpful for this reason.

2. Be clear on the desired outcomes for the discussion

Sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how often this isn’t always the case. Whilst we can all value a good exploratory discussion, and relish the opportunity to add our perspective to proceedings, a discussion needs a purpose if it’s to arrive at an outcome. That purpose can vary quite considerably; from presenting a recommendation to soliciting the group’s input on the way forward; from gathering a collective perspective that will help inform a decision or to making the decision itself.

In a world where every second counts, hours and hours are often wasted talking around an issue rather than doing the work to progress it. One senior team member made an interesting observation after one such session. “It appears we really excel at problem description but it seems we’re actually not very good at moving the discussion on to problem resolution.”

So, before the discussion takes place, whomever is leading on the discussion should provide clarity on the purpose of the discussion, and what the desired outcomes are for the team to achieve in the time available.

3. Make sure the team stay on track

Once you’ve got the sharp focus you require, hold people accountable for staying on track. It often helps giving someone the task of ensuring that all conversations are aligned with and not in spite of the purpose. Another part of the group decision making process is about facilitating agreement by identifying common ground reached whilst continuing to harvest the value of differences.

4. Keep an eye on team behaviours

The behaviours that are on display will either help or hinder the decision making process, and the teams that are most successful in this area have clear codes of conduct in place, whether formal, or unwritten, but acknowledged. This enables even those who aren’t necessarily subject matter experts to show up productively. For me, the four C’s will help in this area - challenge, clarify, contribute, and confirm. Individuals should be able to challenge what has been said, without being aggressive. They should seek clarity to ensure that all are on the same page. Everyone should contribute, without taking over, and to ensure that conclusions have been reached and actions taken, they should confirm. Let’s focus on the second C.

5. Clarify what specific actions need to be taken and by whom

Again, pretty obvious stuff. Collective actions are great in theory, but in reality it often means that individuals rely on others to be the ones to carry them out. If there is a ‘one size fits all’ action, then clarify (there’s that word again) what it will look like for each individual when the action is applied. A discussion without a decision is a chat. A decision without an action is a footstep in the sand, waiting to be removed without trace by the next incoming tide.

So there’s five points for you to consider as you embark on the Decision Making game – and if you can’t decide which one to apply first, maybe you need to roll the dice. Let’s just hope you don’t land on a six!