Consensus Decision-Making

For all members to understand the decision, the group must take time to hear and understand several viewpoints.  Committing to a decision means that each person will join the group in accepting ownership for the decision, defend it to others, and help with the implementation.  Consensus decision-making works well for High Performance teams when they need to make joint team decisions.  Remember that authority rule, command, consultative and even voting are sometimes appropriate for other kinds of decisions.  The double benefit of consensus is that you get better decisions as well as better buy-in of decisions. 
 
Group Decision-Making Model       

• Define Decision to be Made: What needs to be decided?  Why?
• Set Criteria: What are considerations?  What must be achieved?  Constraints?
• Seek Alternatives: Brainstorm ideas.  Discuss options.  Which will work?
• Select Best Alternative: What are trade-offs? Do we have resources? Which is best?
• Develop Action Plans: What will be done?  Who will execute? How will you apply it to the situation?  When will it be accomplished?
• Evaluate Decision Effectiveness: What are the evaluation criteria? Was the decision effective?

Until next time...






Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/