Description

Image Credit: Mike Raver via www.flickr.com

Effective decision-making is a critical factor in determining high-performing people and functional teams. When designing and implementing any changemaking endeavour you will likely work with a project team or group who are helping to bring your ideas to life, interacting with community stakeholders, or reporting to investors or funders who see the potential in your idea. In sum – you are not alone – there is a community of people working for, benefitting from or supporting your project.

As with any group, there may be different personalities, values and skills sets working together in one space.  Differences in perspective, viewpoints and positions is inevitable. Consider the scenario below and how you might apply the following decision-making processes to arrive at the best possible outcome.

• You have created a team to organize a community event. Your team is comprised of people from various neighbourhoods in your community along with two different partner organizations. You are sitting in a team meeting, working on the mission statement for your event. Both organizational representatives want to take the event in a different direction – nobody seems to agree. Your team doesn’t have time to conduct another meeting, and you must decide on your mission statement by the end of the day. How will you try and help your team make a decision?

Here are 3 decision-making processes that you can choose from and implement toward your team’s success.

Consensus-based decision making is a process used by groups seeking to generate widespread levels of participation and agreement. There are variations among different groups regarding the degree of agreement necessary to finalize a group decision. For more information: http://www.cbuilding.org/

STEP 1: Discuss

STEP 2: Identify emerging proposals

STEP 3: Identify any unsatisfied concerns

STEP 4: Collaboratively modify the proposal

STEP 5: Assess the degree of support

STEP 6: Finalize the decision OR circle back to Step 1 or 3

 

Majority Rule is a decision making process that selects one of two alternatives, based on the one that has a majority of votes (either 51% or 2/3 majority). The straight forward yes/no mechanism is normally by a show of hands. For more information: www.robertsrules.org

STEP 1: Discuss options

STEP 2: Make a motion or proposal to choose one option

STEP 3: Amendments to the motion or proposal on the table

STEP 4: Vote on amendments first – in reverse order by a show of hands

STEP 5: Tally votes for and against

STEP 6:  If amendments fail, vote on the original proposal

STEP 7: Tally votes for and against. Finalize decision.

Deep Democracy teaches you how to: enhance individual and team effectiveness, improve the quality and inclusiveness of decision-making, and get people to say what they need to say. It has been used as a method for conflict resolution and mediation, organizational change and development, community development, leadership training and facilitation of group processes. For more information: http://deep-democracy.net/

 

STEP 1: Gather all views. Allow everyone to have his/her say.

STEP 2: Make it safe to say "no". Often there is a minority view. It isn’t surfacing because our tendency is to “agree” or “concede”. But the “no” is always there – in every group process. So we have to make it safe to say “no”. We have to create an opportunity and a space for the “no” or the different views to be heard.

STEP 3: Spread the "no". Then we have to spread the “no”. The “no” represents a role not a person. We all have to share that otherwise there is this sense of “me” versus “them” which creates a negative dynamic.

STEP 4: Vote. Then we vote by raising our hands – so that we take ownership of our views and ideas. We count up the votes like we would in a majority democracy. The majority view forms the foundation of the decision. But this is where Deep Democracy differs.

STEP 5: What will it take to come along? Minority views add to the wisdom of every decision. So we ask, “What will it take for you to come along?” and individuals have the opportunity to add their wisdom to the decision. Then we summarize – “The decision is… with the added wisdom that…” Who votes in favour of this?

 

 

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Task

1. Review the scenario and decision-making processes in the activity.

2. Choose a process to apply to address the scenario above and reflect on it.

3. In your next team or group meeting, consider using one of the decision-making processes to help the group pursue a direction and reach the best possible outcome.

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Learning Objectives

Through this activity, you will explore 3 different decision-making processes that could benefit you as a leader of a team or initiative.  Featured skills and competencies include: being strategic, being resourceful, relationship building, oral communication skills, and dealing with change.

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