Date: 4/19/2016

Title: TEAM DECISION MAKING – Part 2

By Bryan Arzani

There is an excellent team decision-making model, made up of six steps. Those steps are: 1) define the decision to be made; 2) set criteria; 3) seek alternatives; 4) select the best alternative; 5) develop action plans; and 6) evaluate the decision’s effectiveness.

The first step is extremely important and often overlooked. What, exactly, do we need to do? Teams can often go hurriedly in the direction of “let’s get better” without really knowing what they need to improve. After a team has defined the decision, they need to set criteria. This answers the question “how will we know when we get there?”

The third and fourth steps involve brainstorming and acceptance. This is where no idea is tossed out before it’s examined. Sticky notes were created when an original plan went awry. The jump shot was perfected when players determined they had an advantage shooting the ball after leaving the ground. Teams helped perfect these “new” ideas and supported efforts, knowing that this decision would make them a better team.

The fifth step involves developing specific plans to bring forth the alternative chosen. The team determines who will do what, based on strengths and knowledge.

The sixth step can also be overlooked. Teams can get so excited about their solution that they forget to evaluate its effectiveness in stages. The ultimate team effectiveness is not just in the final product, but in the process…especially when team members can pinpoint exactly where something went wrong. And, it will. This step allows for fixing only part of the process and does away with the concept of “throwing out the baby with the bath water”. This mindset strengthens the team.

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