In the dynamic waters of education, business, and entrepreneurship, the art of decision-making can be a complex yet rewarding journey. As a leader who firmly believes in the power of involve, influence, and transparency, I’ve discovered that shared decision-making is not just a strategy, but a pathway to collective success and innovation.
The Power of Shared Decision-Making
Shared decision-making is about harnessing the collective wisdom, experience, and perspectives of a diverse group. It’s a democratic approach that values each voice, ensuring decisions are well-rounded, inclusive, and more likely to be accepted and supported. But let’s be honest…we don’t want to waste time hemming and hawing over decisions. I found that I struggled with including voices in the decision but also getting the decision made quickly so we could action it. As always, I looked to the experts and then made it my own through a step by step process that was dedicated to simplifying to amplify.
Here is how I have use a step by step process when it comes to approaching shared decision making in an efficient, productive, and effective way:
Inspired Shared Decision-Making Steps
Step 1: Define the Decision Context
- Identify the Decision: Clearly state what needs to be decided.
- Set Objectives: Outline what you aim to achieve with this decision.
Step 2: Assemble the Right Team
- Choose Participants: Select a diverse group from your team who can provide valuable insights. For me, it always starts with my admin team and then I move to my leadership team who takes it to the rest of the staff through their teams.
- Clarify Roles: Ensure everyone understands their role in the decision-making process.
Step 3: Gather Information
- Research and Data Collection: Collect all relevant information, data, and research that will inform the decision.
- Seek External Insights: Consider industry trends, customer feedback, and expert opinions.
Step 4: Facilitate Open Discussion
- Brainstorming Session: Conduct a brainstorming session where all ideas are welcomed and considered.
- Encourage Participation: Make sure every team member has the opportunity to speak and contribute.
Step 5: Explore Options
- List Possible Solutions: Document all the potential solutions generated during the brainstorming. You may need to send a survey or gather ideas or feedback after the initial meeting.
- Evaluate Pros and Cons: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Step 6: Align with Business Goals or Core Values
- Check Alignment: Ensure that the options align with your overall business goals and values.
- Prioritize Options: Rank the solutions based on their effectiveness and alignment with business objectives.
Step 7: Decision Making
- Seek Consensus: Aim for a group consensus on the best course of action.
- Final Decision by Leader: If consensus is not possible, make a final decision as the leader, taking into account all the input received.
Step 8: Communicate the Decision
- Clear Communication: Announce the decision to all relevant stakeholders.
- Explain the Rationale: Share the reasoning behind the decision to ensure transparency and understanding.
Step 9: Implement the Decision
- Action Plan: Develop a clear action plan with specific steps, deadlines, and assigned responsibilities.
- Monitor Progress: Regularly check on the implementation progress.
Step 10: Review and Reflect
- Evaluate Outcomes: Assess the impact of the decision against the set objectives.
- Learn from Experience: Discuss what worked well and what could be improved for future decision-making.
Here is a specific example of how I used these steps recently to give you more clarity,
Recently, our school faced a crucial decision regarding the allocation of grant money. The process exemplified our commitment to shared decision-making. Initially, our administrative team analyzed testing data to identify potential areas of need. We then engaged in a brainstorming session, hypothesizing what our staff might suggest as viable solutions to spend the money on the greatest need. This preliminary analysis was crucial in framing our approach. Next, we brought our insights to the leadership team, sparking a rich discussion on various spending strategies. Interestingly, their ideas echoed many of our initial thoughts. The leadership team then replicated this process with their respective teams, encouraging a broad spectrum of input. This bottom-up approach not only ensured diverse perspectives but also fostered a sense of ownership across all staff levels. After collating the feedback, we identified the most popular and impactful solution. In a final meeting, we presented this decision back to the entire staff, emphasizing how their contributions directly influenced the outcome. This transparent and inclusive process not only led to a well-informed decision on how to best utilize the grant money but also reinforced our school’s culture of collaborative engagement and mutual respect.
Let me break this down for you even more. Applying this step-by-step approach to shared decision-making, let’s reframe how my school made the decision regarding the allocation of grant money:
Step 1: Define the Decision Context
- Identify the Decision: The need was to allocate grant money effectively.
- Set Objectives: The goal was to identify the areas of greatest need and potential impact in the school.
Step 2: Assemble the Right Team
- Choose Participants: The administrative team began the process, followed by the involvement of the leadership team and then the entire staff.
- Clarify Roles: Each group had a clear role – the admin team to initiate, the leadership team to expand, and the staff to provide broader input.
Step 3: Gather Information
- Research and Data Collection: The administrative and leadership team analyzed testing data to understand areas of need.
- Seek External Insights: Hypotheses were made about what staff might suggest, considering their daily experiences and insights.
Step 4: Facilitate Open Discussion
- Brainstorming Session: The admin team engaged in brainstorming, which was later replicated by the leadership team and the entire staff.
- Encourage Participation: Each level was encouraged to openly discuss and contribute ideas.
Step 5: Explore Options
- List Possible Solutions: From the brainstorming sessions, a list of potential uses for the grant money was compiled.
- Evaluate Pros and Cons: Each group evaluated the options, considering their feasibility and impact.
Step 6: Align with Business Goals
- Check Alignment: The solutions were checked against the school’s broader educational goals and the specific objectives of the grant. We made sure to align it with our core values of upgrade, integrity, and impact.
- Prioritize Options: The most impactful solutions were prioritized based on collective input.
Step 7: Decision Making
- Seek Consensus: The process aimed for a consensus at each stage, building towards a final decision.
- Final Decision by Leader: The administrative team, after considering all input, made the final decision.
Step 8: Communicate the Decision
- Clear Communication: The decision, along with its rationale, was communicated to the entire staff.
- Explain the Rationale: The process and the reasons for the final choice were transparently shared.
Step 9: Implement the Decision
- Action Plan: A plan for utilizing the grant money was developed and communicated.
- Monitor Progress: The implementation and its impact are to be monitored.
Step 10: Review and Reflect
- Evaluate Outcomes: The effectiveness of the decision will be assessed in due course.
- Learn from Experience: The process itself will be reviewed for future improvements.
By following this approach, our school not only made a well-informed decision but also fostered a culture of collaboration and mutual respect, ensuring that every voice was heard and valued in the decision-making process.
Key Elements of My Approach
- Inclusivity and Collaboration: Encourages diverse perspectives and team involvement.
- Data-Informed: Bases decisions on thorough research and data analysis.
- Transparency: Maintains open communication throughout the process.
- Alignment with Goals: Ensures decisions are in line with business objectives and values.
This template, can be adapted to fit various business contexts, ensuring a thorough, inclusive, and effective decision-making process. Now, you know I love to always have mentors who have gone before me, model their ways of shared decision making. I always learn from their examples and make them my own. Here are a few examples from three of my mentors:
Lessons from Renowned Leaders
- Amy Porterfield: Digital marketing expert Amy Porterfield emphasizes the importance of clear communication and setting expectations. She often involves her team in brainstorming sessions, ensuring everyone understands the ‘why’ behind decisions.
- Michael Hyatt: As a leadership mentor, Michael Hyatt advocates for a vision-driven approach. He believes in aligning decisions with the overarching vision of the organization, ensuring every choice pushes towards that end goal.
- Oprah Winfrey: Oprah’s decision-making is deeply rooted in her intuition and values. She listens to her team but ultimately trusts her gut, ensuring her decisions align with her personal and professional ethics.
Simplified Steps to Amplify Shared Decision-Making
- Identify the Decision to Be Made: Be clear about what needs to be decided.
- Gather a Diverse Group: Include individuals from various levels and backgrounds.
- Collect Information: Research and gather data to inform the decision.
- Brainstorm and Discuss: Encourage open dialogue and diverse viewpoints.
- Evaluate Options: Consider the pros and cons of each possibility.
- Reach Consensus: Aim for a decision that has broad support.
- Communicate Transparently: Share the decision and its rationale with all stakeholders.
- Implement and Monitor: Put the decision into action and track its progress.
Action Step
As you embark on your next decision-making process, I encourage you to embrace this shared approach. Start by identifying a decision you need to make. Gather your team, and remember to involve, influence, and be transparent throughout the process. Reflect on the insights from Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt, and Oprah, and see how their approaches can inspire your method.
Remember, the goal is not just to make decisions but to make them in a way that empowers and includes your team, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect. It also builds capacity and is so important for a leader to triage decisions, responsibilities, and tasks. Let’s make decisions that not only drive our organizations forward but also bring our teams closer together.
Your Next Step: Identify a decision you’ve been pondering and initiate the shared decision-making process today. Involve your team, seek diverse perspectives, and watch as this inclusive approach transforms not just the decisions you make, but the very culture of your leadership.
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