Collaborative Decision-Making: Expand Your Group's Potential

I've been thrilled to be deep-diving into the fascinating world of collaborative decision-making over the past few weeks through client work. Whether you're a not-for-profit team leader, a member of a community, or someone who wants to be more effective in a group setting, this blog is for you!

How can groups come together to make better decisions?

What does it take to harness the collective intelligence, creativity, and expertise of group members?

These are concepts Glen Orche explores in her book Getting Our Act Together, and I'm a HUGE fan! I had the absolute honour of studying under Glen in 2011 when I did an Advanced Diploma in Facilitation with Groupwork Institute.

Glen's wisdom on harnessing the power of groups cracked open my world and instilled a strong foundation around the skills of facilitation that I had been feeling my way through for many years prior. I remember leaving one particular training weekend and being struck with the insight that true facilitation could indeed be the secret to world peace! The magic that happens when people feel heard, validated and safe in groups is truly transformational and quite simply, it makes for better decisions.

I've summarised some key areas for reflection and implementation to help with new ways of approaching collaborative decision-making in your group settings.

What is Collaborative Decision-making?

Collaborative decision-making brings together diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas to make better choices and reach more informed conclusions. It's about taking advantage of the fact that collectively, we are so much wiser than alone.

1. Diversity is the Key: Diverse groups are more likely to generate innovative solutions and make well-rounded decisions. When people with different backgrounds, skills, and viewpoints come together, the potential for creative problem-solving skyrockets. Each member brings a unique piece to the puzzle, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue.

2. Active Listening and Communication: Effective communication is at the heart of collaborative decision-making. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and respectful conversations. When individuals feel heard and valued, they are more likely to contribute their insights and work towards a common goal.

3. Consensus vs. Majority: Groups can make decisions through consensus or majority vote. Consensus ensures that everyone is on board with the final choice, promoting unity and shared responsibility. Sometimes, a majority vote is seen to be more practical when time is of the essence, but votes create winners and losers and while it may take a little longer, the process of collaborative decision-making is significantly more beneficial when it comes to community capacity building outcomes.

4. Shared Responsibility: In collaborative decision-making, every member shares responsibility for the outcome, whether a success or a failure. This sense of shared responsibility can drive individuals to invest more in the decision-making process and the resulting actions. When the group achieves as a result of the decision, all individuals get to carry some of the credit, and this is the glue that will bind the group long term.

5. Alignment with Goals: Ensure that the group's decisions align with the organisation's or team's overarching goals and values. A decision can be considered successful when it not only addresses the immediate issue but also advances the long-term vision.

The Collaborative Decision-Making Process

Now, let's dive into a practical collaborative decision-making process:

1. Identify the Problem: Start by clearly defining the issue or challenge the group needs to address. This shared understanding is crucial for effective decision-making. If it is framed as a solution being brought up, clearly identify what there is need for the solution; what is the problem. Dig deeper, until you get to the core.

2. Clarify and Collect Information: What is the group trying to achieve? What's at the heart of the issue? Gather all relevant information, data, and perspectives. Encourage group members to provide their insights on the issue.

3. Open Discussions: How do members feel about the issue? Brainstorm possible solutions or options. This is the creative phase, where diverse viewpoints can shine and ideas are pooled together and synthesized.

4. Evaluate Options: Examine each option's pros and cons. What are the potential risks and benefits? This step helps in making informed choices. What do members agree and disagree on? Ensure that people are clear about the solution or proposal being put forward. State them explicitly. Look for head nods, or body language to help you gauge what is going on beneath what is being said and the general feelings about each proposal. Keep it succinct and moving forward, this is the stage that has a tendency to roll on for too long if not facilitated well, keep paticipants on topic and summerise to help people digest the information.

5. Testing for agreement: Funnel the conversation down, state the proposal on the table and test for agreement. If agreement reached the decision is made.  As a facilitator, ensure you are making eye contact to gauge the feelings of the group beyond whats being said. Look for people who seem uncomfortable, even if they are saying yes, there might be more to work through. If no agreement is reached, move back to discussion. Focus on doubts and disagreements and seek compromises or new ideas. Then move to test for agreement again. If getting stuck after a few rounds of this, a pause and remind the group of the problem and process. In a collaborative decision making process, not everyone has to be happy, but we do have to be comfortable to live with the decision made. The best outcome for a single person is not necessarily the best outcome for a collective group and all members have a responsibility to participate collaboratively in making a decision that is in the best interest of the group. This will often help to shift perspectives and create more space for adjusting and moving to agreement.

6. Decision Made: Record decision and decide on next steps. Once you are implementing, remember to regularly assess how the decision is performing and adjust as needed. After implementing the decision, it's crucial to reflect on the process and outcomes. What worked well, and what could be improved for future decisions?

Remember, diversity, effective communication, shared responsibility, and alignment with goals are the cornerstones of successful collaborative decision-making. Some people might get impatient with the process, but it's our diversity that helps us to make good decisions. Voices of dissent might be frustrating to some participants, but many times we see proposals developed further and for the better as a result of creating a safe space for people to disagree and input their wisdom, knowing it will be considered by the group.

Collaborative decision-making can be a powerful tool for any group, and It is not always the easiest path to take and rarely the latest, but the benefits will pay off in the end. This is the heart of community capacity building (that's right, it's not just a buzzword!)

By harnessing the collective intelligence and creativity of its members, your group can make more informed and innovative decisions for the better forever!!

Does your group need the expertise of an independent facilitator to support you to foster innovation, enhance communication, make decisions, plan for the future and drive results? Don't hesitate – take the first step towards collaborative success. Contact Kim today to make a booking! For more facilitation options, click here.