3 Major Talking Points: 1 How To Decide 2 Four Methods of Decision Making & Four Important Questions to Ask 3 Decision Making Blunders & Solutions
Segment One: How To Decide Methods of Decision Making: Having more meaning from all parties doesn't ensure that it's agreed on what you're going to do with all the information.
-2 Reasons people fail at converting ideas into action: 1) Unclear expectations about how decisions will be made 2) Poor performance acting on decisions they make.
-Pg 162 "Dialogue is not decision making" - 2 of the riskiest times during Crucial Conversation is beginning where you enter possible unsafe environment and need to maintain safety in dialogue, and end of the Crucial Conversation where decision needing to be made may create "violated expectations."
-2 Problems that often arise after dialogue 1) people may not understand how decisions will be determined or 2) no decision gets made
-Decide to Decide -Pg 163 "Don't allow people to assume dialogue is decision making. Dialogue is the process for getting relevant meaning into shared pool." - Process involves everyone but does not mean everyone is in the process of decision making.
-Avoid violated Expectations: Divide dialogue from decision making - Make clear how decisions are made, who's involved and why
-When There is Clear Authority: If You're in Leadership, you decide what mehod - When Line of Authority Un clear - Pg 164 "Use your best dialogue skills to get meaning...Jointly decide who to decide."
Segment Two: The 4 Methods of Decision Making: Command, Consult, Vote, Conesnsus
-Command- Decisions made with no other involvement either due to outside circumstances with no choice, or we turn our decisions to another person and let them do the work. - Many employees may assume bosses just making choices not realizing they're simply passing on a demand. - Pg 165 "With command decisions, it's not our job to decicde what to do. It's our job to decide how to make it work."
-Consult- Process where others are invited to influence decision makers before fina a choice is made. Ideas are gathered from experts, or others who take sincere interest, choice made, then rest informed - Can be an effective way to get support without slowing down decision making
-Vote- Great time saver but not to be used when team doesn't agree to support whatever decision is made. - Effective when others who may not get their choice are still ok with outcome
-Consensus- Talk until everyone honestly agrees to one decision - Only to be used with complex or risky issues where everyone must support the final choice.
-4 Important Questions to ask before you Choose "Decision Method": 1 Who Cares, 2 Who Knows, 3 Who Must Agree, 4 How Many People Involved?
-1 Who Cares?: Don't involve individuals who don't care-only those with sincere interest.
-2 Who Knows:? Find experts in group and encourage them-avoid old news or information that doesn't add meaning to disucssion.
-3 Who Must Agree?: Make sure all important or relevant people ie. supervisors are aware with their cooperation.
-4 How Many People is it Worth Involving?: Goal is to have least amount while making sure quality is still there -Pg 167 "Do we have enough people to make a good choice? Will others have to be involved to gain their commitment?"
-YOU Personally: Exercise with team or couples- Make list of decisions that were made in the past and discuss how each decision is made - then ask how each decison should be made using the 4 questions - after discussion, decide from there about future descion making.
Segment Three: Decision Making Blunders & Solutions:
-Appropriate Use of Command- Pg 168 "For years, employees have complained that their bosses are 'Too Bossy.' They hand out orders like Halloween candy." telling people what to do and restricting them. - "Today's Generation of employees (and children) expects to be involved in more decisions than their grandparents ever faced...Empowerment Movement...Younger people...want to think...decide...they're willing to take on more responsiblity." -With Command Decisions, consider: Don't pass oders like candy -Ask what elements may be flexible (May not be able to control Standard but can decide how to work- find where you have some freedom and alllow others to choose) -Explain Why (Explain reason when giving an order -Knowing "why" helps make the "what" easier)
-Do's & Dont's of Consulation- Before people contribute, make sure they understand that even though you're consulting with them, does not mean there will be a consensus.
-When to Use Consultations? -When many are affected, information able to be gathered quickly, people care about the decision, there are many options some controversial.
-Find ways to get in contact with many different people not just your friends.
-Don't pretend- do not ask others' input when your mind is already decided on something ignoring their efforts to contribute
-Announce what you're doing and let others know who else you're talking to about this decision making process so others can talk if they'd like to
-Report your Decision Pg 170 " When others are kind enough to share their opinion...they deserve to know what you decide and why...Don't keep it a secret. Better to hear it directly from you."
-Holding A Good Vote- Weigh the consequences -Only vote when the losers do not care about the results that much. With children, make sure they know what they risk losing before the vote. -Know When To: If the issue at hand not too imperative and people want to save time. -Don't cop out with a vote -Pg 171 "Never to replace patient analysis and healthy dialogue."
-Surviving the Joys Of Consensus- Everyone is affected cares and there are several options - Consensus is needed for this Crucial Conversation
-Pg 171 Not an easy process - usually handled poorly when faced with: everyone meets with open honest discussion of input, coming up with a variety of choices and ideas joinlty making final decision that each person supports.
-Dont force consensus onto everything - Pg 171 Abraham Maslow "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." Consensus used as a hammer and people tend to apply it to decisions that don't require that tool.
-Don't try to convince others they will get their choice - Requires give and take - compromise followed with a goal to support. - Don't play the martyr
-Don't Take Turns- Make decisions based on which proposal best meets needs of the group
-No POST Decision Lobbying: Withholding reservations or information until after agreement, Pg 173 "inefficient and disloyal If you have an issue, bring it up in front of the group. Leave unhealthy alliance, dirty deeds, and secret discussions to people who are on reality game shows..."
-Don't Say "I told you so," once you've agreed to something as a group - support the idea -not when it fails but even more so when it fails -Show Character- When it doesn't work, own up together
-Advice for the Time-Bound Decision: times when others' input is needed but not enough time with a decision that needs to be made - "Fallback Decision Making Plan"
-Announce Pg 173-174 "We have a critcal decision to make ... by 10...I proppose that we use consensus to decide...if by 9:45 no consensus then it will become a consult decision. I will use your input and I will decide."
-Make assignments-Putting Decisions into Action Final Steps
-It's time to take action... you'll have to make assignments and to avoid common mistakes Consider: Who? Does What? By When? How will you follow up?
-Who? Pg 174 " Everybody's business is nobody's business." -Without actual assignment most likely nothing will come from work put into making decision -No "we" when assigning jobs -Assign name to each responsibility
-Does What? Spell out specifically the deliverables you are wanting. Pg 175 "The fuzzier the expectations the higher the likelihood of disappointment. Pg 176 "Better to spend time upfront clarifying exactly what you want rather waste resources and hurt feelings on the back end " - To Help Claify use Contrast: with what you do or don't want with intent.
-By When? Often left out : Assignments with deadlines stimulate actions and Pg 176 "goals without deadlines aren't goals, they're merely directions."
-How will you Follow Up? - Pg 176 Always agree on how often and by what method you'll follow up. Phone call, text etc with confirmation of completion or tracking milesones in progress.
-Document your Work Pg 177 "One Dull Pencil is worth six sharp minds." -Don't leave your findings to memory. Write details of conclusions, decisions and assignments, who does what and when - Revisit notes - hold people accountable - use STATE from chapter 7 if jobs not completed- Accountablilty increasees motivation and culture of integrity
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