Team Decision Making Tips That Never Get Old

When you need team consensus and commitment to tackle an issue, involve your team in the decision making process.

Sergey Dudiy, Ph.D. posted the Top Nine Tips for Better Teamwork and Team Building in 2005, eight years ago. Quality advice can definitely stand the test of time!

Team decision making can be tricky, but it’s key for each team member to feel his or her ownership in the final decision regarding an issue that needs everyone’s support. The more your team members feel this way, the more likely they are to agree with and commit to the decided line of action. This can also help you make a better decision by reducing bias and facing public scrutiny.

However, when you bring other people into the decision making process, you need to approach decisions differently. Team decision making does take preparation and time. You will face challenges that may include:

  • Diverse Team Membershipmaking a team decision
  • Lack of Policy Guidance
  • Low Team Authority
  • Internal Politics
  • Organizational Inertia
  • Lack of Integration
  • Gaps and Ambiguities

Keep in mind that when one or two people have the necessary expertise to make the decision, it doesn’t make sense to involve the whole team, especially when you’ve built a lot of trust within your organization. Also, group cohesion and consensus can subconsciously become more important to people than reaching the right decision in some situations. These factors encourage leaders to make decisions that require enthusiastic commitment without team input, which may derail the success of your organization. To determine which approach is appropriate, ask yourself:

  1. Does the decision have an impact on your long term vision? 
  2. Are you assessing a critical situation?
  3. Do you need support from multiple team members to execute a decision?
  4. Are you  looking to increase understanding and support among your team members?
  5. Should self-interests be incorporated into the decision?
  6. Do you need to persuaded, rather than coerce team members?
  7. Is it important to minimize backroom politics?
  8. Do you need to balance risk?
  9. Are you looking for an innovative solution?

If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, consider team decision making strategies.

effective team decision making

Before you organize full team participation, make sure that it’s appropriate, and that you have the necessary time and resources for it. When you have determined that consensus and commitment are vital, follow these additional tips for effective team decision making:

  • Small groups may better undertake urgent tasks.
  • Larger groups also require more formal structures to co-ordinate responsibilities so as to avoid duplicating efforts.
  • Teams are often more effective when they have a mix of people who take on a preferred role. (e.g. The “ideas” person v.s. someone analytically.

Do you have any additional tips for team decision making?

Samantha McDuffee

Team Contributor

Subscribe

Sign up for tips on crafting the perfect team.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Podcast

around the world podcast logo

Get ideas, inspiration and best practices from across the globe.

apple podcast logo spotify podcast logo

Be a Guest Blogger

Do you have any useful tips, tricks, guides, or valuable insights about company culture?

Learn more  

Sign up for tips on crafting the perfect team.

Less drama? Greater productivity and job satisfaction? Yes, you really can make an impact, and TeamBonding is here to help. Subscribe to our blog for useful tips, tricks and insights.

More great content based on your likes.

5 Ideas for Motivational Team Building Activities for Employees in 2024

For decades now, there has been an acute issue plaguing HR workers and managers around motivational team building activities for employees. An unmotivated employee or team can lead to decreased productivity and morale, higher turnover, and a lack of cohesion throughout the organization. There are many theories on how to best motivate employees. Some think that monetary incentives are the only way to truly motivate employees, while others believe motivation can be found through a better work culture or by cultivating motivational activities for employees. Before we can truly understand how to motivate work teams and employees and our favorite motivational activities for employees, we must first understand the different types of workplace motivators.

Read More  

6 Ways to Make Your Virtual Holiday Party Less Awkward

We’ve all been there. You are at the company holiday party, and something embarrassing happens that makes everyone feel uncomfortable and uneasy. While you might think that virtual events would be exempt from such circumstances, the reality is that Zoom events have had their fair share of awkward moments.

Read More  

TeamBonding’s Ultimate Guide To Gifts For Coworkers

Tis the season for spreading joy, building camaraderie, and expressing gratitude to the amazing coworkers who make every workday brighter. Worried what to gift coworkers? This corporate gift guide is curated to help you find the perfect gift ideas for coworkers that not only foster team building but also bring holiday cheer to your workplace. From thoughtful Christmas gifts for coworkers to team building treasures, let’s explore a collection of presents that will leave a lasting impression.

Read More  

How Companies Can Give Back During the Holidays in 2023

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes the opportunity to help those in need and give back to the community. This is also a great opportunity for you to show your gratitude to those who have dedicated so much of their time and effort to furthering the success of your organization in the past year. And coming up with holiday charity ideas for the office is not as hard as it seems.

Read More  

Questions? Need a quote?

Complete this form to get started or call 877-472-2725.

Loading Icon

Create Your Free Account

Get exclusive access to new programs from the TeamBonding Lab, save your favorite ideas, and track your upcoming events.
Already have an account? Login

Please wait...

Sign-in

Don't yet have an account?
Create a Free Account

Forgot Your Password? Password Reset