Is there a better way to make decisions…in the fog of the pandemic?

by | Leadership skills, Managment, Miscellaneous

Like many of my friends and associates, I’ve been in a kind of fog over the last many months.
The pandemic has precluded us from getting out, meeting with old and new friends, and feeling part of the world around us. Even an act as simple as riding on public transit allowed us to engage in the world, and it’s now been stripped away. And this is a type of interaction which can never be fully satisfied by Zoom calls or Beer Friday’s on Webex.
We’re having to make decisions in more isolation, in an absence of a ‘group lift’. That’s the feeling you get when you’re trying to move a heavy log from a hiking path and a group of you lift together, as one, to get it out of the way.
Many of the decisions we’re making today are being done without that group lift, yet they were fundamental to how we used to create a consensus.
So, here’s a decision making methodology from McKinsey. It’s an interesting model to get more than just a small group to provide input. Employees get to understand some of the bigger challenges that you face and they feel more part of the business. A sensation that’s fraying in Work From Home.
Here’s how to do it:
  1. Encourage different viewpoints (see the diagram above). Rather than huddling the sample people behind closed doors in group think. Involve more stakeholders with different views.
  2. At the table should be one or two decision makers, multiple experts, and one or two ’empty seats’ for other relevant stakeholders who can rotate in as they have points to share. Various stakeholders can observe the meeting which can build understanding without having to make an extra communication step.
  3. Clarify the decision needed to be made.
  4. Identify who should have a voice (including stakeholders and experts) and who will implement decisions.
  5. Create a forum for rapid debate to take place.
  6. Be clear that everyone has a voice (but not a vote).
By involving more people in your decision making process, you’ll have a more engaged and engaging population, and maybe they won’t be so quick to answer the next call from a recruiter..