Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Group decision making

Making decisions in a group can be one of the hardest tasks, especially when it is a relatively trivial decision, like where to eat lunch.  The problem exists in that there are too many options and too many opinions.

My solution to this problem is to immediately make a decision.  The rule that follows is that if you don't like my choice, then you can veto it, but you have to provide a new decision.  

It's hard to know how you feel about a decision that hasn't been made.  By making the first decision, even if it is a bad one, and forcing an alternative solution, you prime the creative problem solving pump.  Our judgement of the first decision becomes the framework for a new suggestion.

This allows everyone a chance to be heard and have a hand in the decision, but more importantly, it keeps the conversation going.  You can't say no without providing an alternative.

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