Most people have an opinion about these two words: deliberating and deciding. Some think that deliberating is a wonderful thing – time taken to gather data and opinions is important. Others feel like a decision needs to be made! Maybe you feel the tug between these as a leader. But it begs the question – How do you find the balance between deliberating and deciding?
Five Considerations
To determine the right balance between getting the data and getting started (i.e. deliberating and deciding), there are five factors to consider: time, information availability, decision impact, importance, and trust level. Here is what I mean:
- Time. How much time do you have to decide? If the situation is urgent, there may not be time to deliberate, or it might be seen as unneeded. If there is a fire in the building, someone needs to lead us to an escape route. Sometimes though, we put false urgency on decisions too. Ask yourself – How much time is available for this decision?
- Information availability. If you are ultimately responsible for the decision, and have all the information available to you, you can likely lean the balance toward deciding unilaterally. Even then, remember this: While you may have the facts, you might not have all the relevant perspectives of the players or stakeholders in the problem or decision. Ask yourself – Where does all the relevant information reside?
- Decision impact. If you want people to be committed to and apply the decision, remember this fact: The more that people will be impacted by the decision, the more value will be gained by including their input and ideas. Creating time for conversation and deliberation can pay huge dividends in commitment. Even if the final decision isn’t what someone would have personally selected, being a part of the decision-making process changes their engagement in the outcome. Ask yourself – How much do people care about and are they impacted by the decision?
- Importance. As a rule, the more important the decision, the more input and deliberation will be helpful and valued. You’ve been in the loooong conversation with a group of people about where to eat. Too much deliberation for what is ultimately not that important is tedious and leaves us hungry. But a family deciding on where to go on a family vacation is different, isn’t it? The more impact, change, and meaning the decision has, the more we should shift the balance toward deliberation. Ask yourself – In the big scheme of things, how important is this decision?
- Trust level. This is the most important and often overlooked of the factors. The higher the trust level among the team and with the decision maker (presumably you), the less these other factors matter. Have you ever been subject to a quick decision by someone you trust? Chances are, you were more willing to accept the decision. Because even if you have some reservations, you trust and believe in them. Contrast a time when the decision was made by someone you knew or trusted less. You would have wanted more input there to feel better about the decision, wouldn’t you? Ask yourself – How does trust among the team impact how we should make this decision?
The image at the top of this article is of a teeter-totter, a simple way to think about finding a balance between two things. What I have described is a five-dimensional balancing mechanism. In other words, you can’t simply answer one or two of the questions I’ve suggested and move on. You should quickly consider all five. When you do, you will make better – and more accepted – decisions, regardless of how quickly you decide or how long you deliberate.
Note that my suggestion isn’t about style or comfort, but about reaching decisions that will work and be supported by those who must implement them. Those criteria are more important than how you like to or have always decided.
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