Who Should Be in the Room for This Decision?
A while back I (Debbie) was working with a group of people ostensibly addressing one particular thing they hoped to change in their environment. We’d had a few good individual conversations and a small group meeting where folks had presented their positions, had the chance to ask questions and respond to others’ queries … in essence, we were all beginning to get the lay of the land related to that one thing.
It’s tempting at that point for someone like me to jump into naming the remaining questions or issues to talk more about, with an eye to eventually moving towards naming possible solutions and getting to problem-solving. Depending on my role, that impulse could be good … but might also be problematic (does this group want that linear a process, have they had the necessary time to explore perspectives on the situation, is problem-solving (versus say relationship-building) what the group wants or needs now?). As facilitators, we need to be attuned to issues like group goals and cultures.
But in this case, that impulse might have also led me to suggest a discussion on a topic that, while mentioned during the initial meetings and seemingly relevant, was either something that couldn’t be addressed or couldn’t be addressed by those present. So, sure, we could have used up several hours on that topic and maybe found it interesting or seen other relationship benefits … but at the end of that invested time, we’d have no decision, no sense of progress, and the potential for increased frustration and distrust of meetings and all this “unproductive talk.” And meanwhile, the topic that really did need to be addressed by those present, the thing they could make decisions about related to the original issue, potentially languishes in the corner.
So three key questions to keep in mind:
What’s the outcome we want from this discussion, right here and now? (and if that’s not a decision, then what are we trying to do? Our group process needs to reflect that purpose.)
If the desired outcome is a decision, what exactly needs to be decided now? (and who gets to make the call about when a decision is made and whether this really is a decision needed now?)
Based on what needs to be decided, who actually makes that decision? (and if those present don’t make the decision, what is their role (giving input, receiving information, or …?) and how will those who do need to be involved in the decision come together for that purpose?)
All too often, the process of group decision-making is unclear or inconsistently dealt with, which can lead to wasted time and resources, frustration and feelings of not being respected or included, and avoidance or a narrow organizational focus on the minimum decisions needed to satisfy outside funders or stakeholders.
But we can do better … the investment of a few hours to develop clarity on our real, on-the-ground, group decision-making practices and policies pay off big-time. We don’t have to know all the answers or get “perfect” policies in place - our practices and what we say about them emerges and changes over time. Even a little bit of work can help strengthen group cultures and build more welcoming teams.
We welcome your decision-making and governances stories and comments - please email us at hello@goodcollaborations.org!