One of the most frustrating parts of a poorly run meeting is when you need a decision from the group… and it just doesn’t happen.
All the information appears to be out on the table … and yet the discussion goes on and on and on … and you end up tabling the item for
next time. Worse yet, open conflict breaks out between your participants.
In most cases, this breakdown can be avoided! You just need to agree on how you will make decisions BEFORE the meeting starts.
Unless you take the 5 minutes needed to “Decide how you will Decide”, most groups will fail to move forward unless there is unanimous agreement. And unanimity is a very difficult position to achieve.
We recommend you use CONSENSUS as your preferred method of making decisions.
Here is a Consensus definition I suggest you try when you are
leading a meeting.
CONSENSUS = “I can live with this action/decision and support it.”
Equally important is to define what consensus does not mean.
Consensus does not mean we all think this is the BEST or ONLY
solution, just one you will “live with and support”.
With this definition as a template, you will be able bring the group to agreement on how they will make decisons as the meeting progresses. And Consensus is much easier to achieve than a unanimous approval.
Many teams even post these two definitions on the wall in every meeting as an aide to timely decision making.
Here’s how it works…
When you come to a decision point in the meeting, ask these two questions…
- How many of you can Live with and Support this decision?
- Anybody Not?
In most cases you will find you have reached Consensus. In those rare cases when one or two participants hold out … ask this question…
What would it take for you to live with and support this decision?
Most of the time, you will be able to get the group to full Consensus with a minor tweak to the original decision.
Try it out… define Consensus at the start of your next meeting
and see the difference it makes in the work flow of your team.
{ 0 comments… add one now }