How to Make Smart Decisions on Teams

By Kristine Kern

We know decision-making can cause real pain for teams, resulting in confusion, politics, and poor execution.  We sometimes hear it from clients as a call “to clarify decision making” or “decide who is the decider.” There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but there are proven techniques for teams to make intelligent decisions quickly. So, let’s dive in on how we can get better at deciding.

Understanding who is making a decision is essential – and often not obvious – so figuring that out can be a vast unlock both in terms of time spent and the quality of the conversation. There should be one decider. The decider seeks input to ensure she gets the best possible solution. This is not consensus; think of it as getting the best ideas on the table. Consensus is a short way of saying, “We have a very long decision-making process that may not end well.”

It’s also important for the decider to share the why of their decision with the team, paying particular attention to the objections that colleagues feel strongly. This helps team members feel like they have been heard and increases buy-in. This can allow team members to disagree and commit. Beware the “agree to disagree,” however. Agree to disagree can be an invitation for passive-aggressive behavior.  

Teams who invest in building trust and alignment can often implement a few simple decision-making guardrails (Team Norms) to improve decision-making effectiveness. And they may not need anything more structured. However, some teams we work with like a rule-based system like a RAPID, RACI, or DARE framework. For teams who do well with even more structure, consider the process of Integrative decision-making. It has the benefit of getting the best ideas on the table in addition to a clear set of guidelines on the process. 

Here are a couple other things to keep an eye on (and some suggestions): 

• Team size matters. The more people you have on a team, the more time you will spend on decision-making. 
• CONSIDER: Have you set up the team so that you get input from relevant stakeholders? If not, do you have a communications structure that allows you to get that input in a timely way?
• Unclear purpose and direction can obfuscate smart business choices, making clear decisions hard to achieve. 
• CONSIDER: Has the leadership team set a clear strategy that allows team members to consider decisions in light of the business purpose and goals? 
• Decisions bubble up to the executive team when they can and should be solved by front-line teams.
• CONSIDER: Do operational teams have the information and buy-in to make decisions? Are there communication structures in place that make these decisions widely known in a timely way?
• A lack of trust or cohesiveness on teams results in team members clinging to decision-making as a source of power or authority.
• CONSIDER: Do team members respectfully challenge decisions before colleagues make them? Do team members support decisions after they’re made by colleagues even if they “didn’t go their way”? Are team members willing to admit when decisions of theirs didn’t go well?

Decision-making by teams and in organizations is critically important. Good decision-making aims to get as many views as possible to make informed decisions with speed. Not all decisions will be “correct” (there is no such guarantee), but you’ll make them quickly and be able to pivot at the first signs of trouble. And that’s good business.

“Great companies are built on a foundation of respect. Great leaders respect their people, and therefore they trust them.…They respect their people, and therefore they give them freedom to act and make decisions.” – Jim Collins

#teameffectiveness #decisionmaking