Team Decision Making-Part Two

Six common methods of team decision making exist.  They are:  lack of response, authority rule, minority rule, majority rule, consensus, and unanimous consent.  One method is NOT always better than another.  Each method is useful at the appropriate time.  Each method affects the way the group will work together (the storming and norming phases).  It is important that the leader guide the team members to choose a decision-making method which appropriately fits the amount of time available, the history of the group, the nature of the task, and the work climate.

Lack of response is the most common method.  Someone suggests an idea, but before someone else comments on it, another person suggests something different. Authority rule functions under command decisions.  This method is efficient, but often results in lack of ownership from the team.  Decision by minority rule is something everyone has experienced.  A few members dominate the discussion and force decisions. Decision by majority rule involves voting.  This may be used to break a deadlock, but a high percentage of decisions made this way end up not being implemented.  A decision put into action by a 6-4 vote, is most likely doomed. Use of consensus to make decisions is very effective. Time is taken to ensure everyone understands the goals and decision.  Even if some members don’t share the majority view, they clearly understand it and have agreed to support it.  The final method is decision by unanimous consent.  True unanimous consent means that every team member truly agrees on the decision as being the best they could develop.  To achieve this takes an incredible amount of time.

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Team Decision Making-Part One

Excellent team decisions are based on communication, respect, and group dynamic skills.  Teams that are high performing know that collaboration leads to better decisions and the ability to solve problems more effectively. But put people together for the first few times, and difficulties will arise.  There are generally acknowledged stages of team development.  B. W. Tuckman identified these four as being:  forming, storming, norming, and performing.

In the forming stage, people are learning about each other.  Rules of the team may be laid out, and the goal to be achieved is clarified.  In the storming phase, activity abounds.  People are vying for “lead” of the team.  While it may look like chaos from the outside, this phase is very important to the team’s future functioning. The norming phase demonstrates that rules have been plied, then defined and agreed upon.  Assignments have been made according to people’s strengths.  In the final phase, performing, the team moves forward.   The goal of the team is achieved, with members acknowledging that it took a group effort.

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Leading So Others Will Follow-Part Two

Leadership is influence.  It is the ability to guide people to where you want them to go….your vision.  It is the ability to motivate them to take risks and go to that vision with you.  And, as Stephen R. Covey said, “it is the ability to communicate people’s worth and potential so clearly, that they are inspired to see it in themselves”.  These all make up a leader who has followers.  A leader who is doing more than just taking a walk!  A leader who has empowered followers.

To empower people, a leader should teach them, develop them, give them responsibility, and trust them.  This will help move you to level four and level five leadership, as defined by Maxwell.  You will have committed followers.

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Leading So Others Will Follow

“Leadership”.  There can be a lot of talk about “leadership”.  But, can we really define it?  Do we know it when we see it, or experience it?  Sometimes, people pause before answering these questions.  But, if I asked you “what is poor leadership” and “would we know it when we see it, or experience it”….most people would be able to respond right away.  And, most people would be able to list numerous examples.  Sad, isn't it? To be a leader, you have to have followers.  If you can’t get people to follow you and be truly committed to you, then you really aren't leading.  If you lead and no one follows, you are just taking a walk!

John Maxwell posits five levels of leadership:  position, permission, production, people, and pinnacle. The lowest rung is position.  People follow you because they have to.  This person has a title.  The next is permission.  People follow you because they want to.  They've decided you may have something to offer, or you might know what you are doing, but they aren't truly committed to you yet.  The third level is production.  People follow you based on what you've done for the organization.  You can get results.  But, again…..not a level of true commitment.   If another person comes along who can produce as you can, suddenly people turn into lemmings.  Maxwell’s fourth level is people.   At this stage, people follow you because of what you've done for them.  This is when we see commitment.   People at this stage will follow you…whether it is to a new mission, a new direction for the company, or to another job at a different company.  The fifth level is pinnacle.  At this level, people follow you for who you are and what you represent.  They see beyond the data and realize you are a person who can be trusted and has authentic intent.

To learn more about how to practice this understanding, contact Results Group, LLC at www.ResultsGroupLLC.com or 515-330-2866.

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