Hello. My name is……. and today we will explore the steps to effective group decision making. Hopefully, this knowledge will provide a foundation for improving group performance. Before I outline the group decision making process, I would like to set the stage with an overview of the critical role of effective decision making in group settings. I am sure that nearly all of you have been part of groups at some point in your lives. You will agree with me that it is almost impossible to persuade all members of a group to pull in the same direction. When they possess the skills needed to make decisions as a group, members can pursue the same goals and address any conflicts that arise. I am confident that by the end of this video, you will have learnt and perhaps acquired the competencies that you need to become effective decision makers.
Consensus-building is one of the key elements of effective group decision making (Hartnett, 2011). Most groups fail to achieve their objectives because different members pursue different agendas. When they do not strive to achieve shared goals, groups cannot make any meaningful progress. In order to be effective in decision making, groups should encourage participation and ensure that the voices of all members are heard (Hartnett, 2011). The purpose of this video is to challenge you and other viewers to understand that groups can only work when the input and effort of all members are recognized. I hope that as you participate in group decision making, you will abandon hardline stances and embrace dialogue so as to build consensus.
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If they are to be effective in decision making, group members need to recognize the impact that such values as trust have on group dynamics. Effective decision making requires high levels of trust and cooperation (Silver, 2013). Group members need assurances from their colleagues that all decisions that are made are in the service of common good. No member should push for selfish agendas that hurt the interests of other members. It is easier to build consensus when all members are committed to safeguard the best interests of the entire group. At this point, I would like to urge all of you to uphold trust in all group relationships. You must recognize that unless there is trust, conflicts and deep divisions will hamper the effectiveness of the group.
Earlier in this video, I noted that consensus building and participation are among the key building blocks of effective group decision making. I feel the need to point out that groups often face challenges as they attempt to make decisions that all members find acceptable. Different members have different ideas and perspectives about how the group should operate. So as to prevent frustrations and conflicts, I advise that groups should develop a framework for achieving consensus. It is important for all the perspectives of the members to be considered and the group to apply an agreed-upon framework to determine the perspective to adopt (Larson, 2017). For example, the group members could adopt a pro-con approach through which they evaluate the strengths and appropriates of the positions and perspectives of the different members. This approach can help the group to find solutions that all members endorse.
As I conclude, I would like to reiterate the points that I have made. Groups remain one of the main drivers of organizational success. It is therefore important for the groups to adopt approaches that allow for effective decision making. The groups need to persuade their members to dedicate their efforts to achieving consensus and developing solutions which serve the needs of all members. When I set out to create this video, my primary hope was that I will help you to become better group members. I am confident that I have fulfilled this desire and I am grateful for your time.
References
Hartnett, T. (2011). Consensus-oriented decision-making: the CODM model for facilitating groups to widespread agreement. New Society Publishers.
Larson, E. (2017). 3 best practices for high performance decision-making teams. Forbes. Retrieved November 12, 2018 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriklarson/2017/03/23/3-best-practices-for-high-performance-decision-making-teams/#5e9e41bff971
Silver, S. (2013). Decision-making groups and teams: an information exchange perspective. London: Routledge.
