One way to make your employees feel like part of a team is to encourage group participation in the making of important decisions, says Rosemary Smyth, founder of Rosemary Smyth and Associates in Victoria.
For example, a practice that includes a senior advisor, a junior advisor, a marketing specialist and an administrative assistant should have a plan regarding the way team members can work together to achieve the most effective results in decision-making. Everyone on the team will want to feel both heard and understood, Smyth says.
Here are five steps for making decisions as a team:
1. Determine how decisions will be made
Set the stage for team decision-making by first deciding who should be involved, and when. For example, if your marketing specialist wants to launch a new social-media campaign, perhaps only the senior advisor and marketing person need to be involved in deciding on a strategy.
You’ll also need to clear up expectations by explaining whether decisions are determined by consensus or majority rule or if a single person — for example, the senior advisor — can veto a decision.
2. Define your process
Identify all of the options available before reaching any conclusions, Smyth says. If you ‘re planning to host a fall seminar series and need to choose a venue, list criteria such as the required capacity of the room, what type of topic to cover and whether the location is accessible by transit.
After you’ve made a list of your criteria, Smyth says, you can narrow your focus down to three venues and list the pros and cons for each.
3. Encourage discussion
If your team members express opposing viewpoints on a particular decision, it’s important to give everyone an opportunity to voice their concerns.
“It’s about asking questions rather than arguing,” Smyth says.
For example, if the team disagrees on a venue for an event, reframe your argument by asking, “Tell me more about why you disliked this venue the last time?”
4. Make your decision
Make the call on your decision, whether it’s by consensus or voting, as established at the beginning of the process. This step should be straightforward, but you should try to ensure everyone is comfortable about the conclusion.
“Once it’s made, it’s made,” Smyth says. “Don’t leave room for people to change their minds.”
You can also incorporate a quick discussion on lessons learned in the process, Smyth adds. This step may be a positive experience, in which team members highlight how reframing the discussion proved helpful. Or it can be an opportunity for team members to express frustration if they thought the process moved too quickly.
5. Take action
Clarify who is going to fulfill each duty, and by what deadline, Smyth says. If you’re hosting an event, for example, everyone on the team should know who is sending out invitations, booking the venue, and finding a caterer.
This is the second part in a two-part series on an effective decision-making process.