#7: How to make better decisions in meetings
Have you ever been in a meeting in which only the HIPPO (highest paid person’s opinion) mattered and the rest of the team didn’t have a say in the decision-making? Or have you ever been in a meeting in which you agreed to something and thought afterwards that you actually disagree but you just didn’t have the opportunity to raise your voice? In contrary to these situations, research shows that when employees speak up to share their ideas but also concerns, companies perform better. The goal is to create open spaces to speak up and include everyone in the room without overcomplicating the decision-making process. Consent-based decision-making helps you in doing this.
Consent-based decision-making is a great practice when the outcome isn’t clearly defined yet. Further, there should be space to test and try. It’s an inclusive practice creating equity in a team and it helps to establish psychological safety within a team. One might think that it’s not possible to make everyone agree to a decision, so here’s a quick definition of consent vs consensus. Consensus is defined as “agreement or accord”, whereas consent is defined as “no significant objection”. Amazon uses fast decision-making with having established a practice of “disagree and commit”. Forbes states about Amazon’s process that “this approach fosters open discussions and healthy disagreements while favoring the need for speed over the comfort of consensus”. Let’s dive into consent-based decision-making now step-by-step:
Define a facilitator
Define a facilitator in the group who will guide through the process. Ideally this is not the same person as the one who makes the proposal. This process can sometimes feel unfamiliar and maybe even uncomfortable when done for the first time, but as a lot of things in life, it might take some time to get used to it. As a facilitator, makes sure to therefore clearly explain all the steps and why they are needed to guide the team through the process.
Share the context
The person which will make the proposal gets some space to share the context of the proposal. Giving context without any interruptions or questions is key, the team will have time to ask questions later. The person presenting should focus on the background of the challenge or opportunity, what the data behind is or what problem should be solved with it.
Proposal of solution
After speaking about the context, the proposer should define a clear proposal to address the described challenge or opportunity. It is important to clearly defining it so that everyone in the room is on the same page. Start with “I propose that…”.
Questions
The team now has the opportunity to ask clarifying questions. This space is purely dedicated to questions, not reactions (which sounds easier than it actually is). The facilitator should emphasise that this is not a space for reactions yet. As a facilitator you can use Rounds, letting one by one speak to ask questions. If there are no questions, folks can pass their turn.
Reactions
Once all questions are asked, the facilitator asks the team to share their reactions. The aim is to make the proposal better and to make it safe to try. The proposer listens and takes in all the comments. For the proposer, it’s the time to listen now and to take in all the reactions without defending the proposal.
Edit of proposal
After having heard the ideas and input of the team, the proposer has now the opportunity to edit the proposal. The proposer can edit based on what is necessary but doesn’t need to consider all the ideas presented. Then, the proposer shares the final proposal.
Consent
Before consenting, ask the group if it is safe to try. Keep in mind, this process emphasises on quick decisions or on decisions which might not be fully mapped out yet. A quick round of thumbs up or down (or a quick round of yes or no) can do the job here. One at a time, give your reaction. If yes, then consent. If no, ask if there is any data which doesn’t make this proposal safe to try. If yes, then help the proposer and dissenter to make this proposal safe.
This step-by-step process helps you to make better decisions in your next meeting, including all voices in the room. As always, please shoot me a note if you have any feedback, thoughts, suggestions or cat content.