Overcoming Commitment Pitfalls: Harnessing the Strength of Authentic Consensus
In the realm of team decision-making, the importance of open communication and collaboration cannot be overstated. One effective method for fostering these qualities is the Risks & Issues Workshop.
During a Risks & Issues Workshop, team members are invited to share concerns through brainstorming or small group discussions. Risks are grouped into themes and prioritized based on impact and likelihood. Strategies to address each risk or issue are created during this workshop. This open space for concerns is framed as an important job for a good team member, eliminating pressure to conform.
However, sometimes, agreement might be false, a phenomenon known as Agreement Without Desire or the Abilene Paradox. This can show up in teams as pushing through a bad plan even when all signs indicate that things are not going well. To avoid this, leaders can gauge team members' true feelings about a decision by touching base with them individually before a group discussion, a practice known as Private Polling.
Another decision trap to be aware of is Silent Buy-out, where an individual leader assumes their team agrees with them without double-checking. This can lead to groupthink, a collective behavior based on group dynamics, as was evident in the doomed Bay of Pigs invasion.
To combat groupthink, leaders can encourage open discussions and allow for dissenting opinions. In the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the leadership figure noted for excelling by encouraging team members to openly discuss disagreements and raise objections before major decisions was not explicitly named in the provided search results. However, the context suggests Adlai Stevenson II, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN at the time, was involved in the event but was kept out of full briefing and details, which limited his ability to effectively lead such discussions.
A useful tool for quick communication of team members' level of agreement with a decision is the Fist to Five Exercise. This provides a visual representation of the team's consensus, helping to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Lastly, it's important to remember that groups who don't want to "rock the boat" are prone to falling into agreement without desire. This human preference to continue on a less efficient path rather than backtrack and take a shortcut, even when doubling back would save time, is known as Doubling Back Aversion. After reviewing private polling results with the group, leaders can discuss the reasons behind any divergence and work towards a better decision.
By implementing these strategies, teams can foster transparency, collaboration, and open communication, leading to more effective decision-making and successful outcomes.
