Difference between revisions of "Sustainable Business Learning Community Conversations, continued"

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(October 2, 2012 Topic: Decision-Making in a Group)
(October 2, 2012 Topic: Decision-Making in a Group)
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'''Today's topic:  Decision-making in a group'''
 
'''Today's topic:  Decision-making in a group'''
  
Often in business your objective is to get a group to come to a decision.  What does group decision-making look like to you?  How does that work?   
+
'''Often in business your objective is to get a group to come to a decision.  What does group decision-making look like to you?  How does that work?'''  
*Be honest about what you believe is helpful to the decision-making process.   
+
*Be '''honest''' about what you believe is helpful to the decision-making process.   
*If you're an entrepreneur coming into a community, establish clear parameters of what you want to do and how much participation you can really use from others (too much input and nothing will be decided upon).  Be authentic about what you ask for and people will gladly provide it.
+
*If you're an entrepreneur coming into a community, '''establish clear parameters''' of what you want to do and how much participation you can really use from others (too much input and nothing will be decided upon).  Be '''authentic''' about what you ask for and people will gladly provide it.
*People take ownership in the result if they see some of their input in it.
+
*People take '''ownership''' in the result if they see some of their input in it.
  
What do you do in an emerging group, or any group where the leadership roles, parameters and ideas aren't yet clear?  There may be pressure to include everyone in all decisions but this is not necessarily helpful.   
+
'''What do you do in an emerging group''', or any group where the leadership roles, parameters and ideas aren't yet clear?  There may be pressure to include everyone in all decisions but this is not necessarily helpful.   
* Divergent/Convergent Conversations:
+
* '''Divergent/Convergent Conversations''':
Some conversations can be divergent in order to create a shared pool of information and understanding.  Then you need to have a convergent conversation to funnel all of that information down into some plan of action.  You have to let people know what part of this process they are in: the divergent or convergent phase.
+
Some conversations can be divergent in order to create a shared pool of information and understanding.  Then there needs to be a convergent conversation to funnel all of that information down into some plan of action.  You have to let people know what part of this process they are in: the divergent or convergent phase.
* Strong leader: Group decision making in a tight knit group with its own culture is very different than in a new and emerging group.  Maybe you need a strong leader in the latter group in order to move forward, more so than in the former.   
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* '''Strong leader''': Group decision making in a tight knit group with its own culture is very different than in a new and emerging group.  Maybe you need a strong leader in the latter group in order to move forward, more so than in the former.   
* Practice making group decisions; develop a process.  The more you get to know one another and are able to develop the same vision, the easier decision-making will become.
+
* '''Practice making group decisions; develop a process'''.  The more you get to know one another and are able to develop the same vision, the easier decision-making will become.
* Establish ground rules: There can be very simple principles that can drive the decisions of a group, even for simple decisions.
+
* '''Establish ground rules:''' There can be very simple principles that can drive the decisions of a group, even for simple decisions.
* Allow people to write their ideas down in more sensitive situations so they can feel comfortable expressing themselves.
+
* Allow people to''' write their ideas''' down in more sensitive situations so they can feel comfortable expressing themselves.
 
    
 
    
 
Are you aware when someone is influencing a decision?  What is the real motivation behind open and transparent conversation? Are they really asking for your input, or are they just looking for validation for their own ideas?
 
Are you aware when someone is influencing a decision?  What is the real motivation behind open and transparent conversation? Are they really asking for your input, or are they just looking for validation for their own ideas?
  
There are some group cultures can work against decision-making.  In this city, there is a lot of mistrust because power has been abused, projects have fallen flat.  People then decide that there shouldn't be any leaders at all - non-convergent.  But those non-convergent groups often can't manage to agree on anything.  There is reluctance to assign leadership roles in this community because power has, in the past, landed in the wrong hands.
+
There are '''some group cultures can work against decision-making'''.  In this city, there is a lot of mistrust because power has been abused, projects have fallen flat.  People then decide that there shouldn't be any leaders at all - non-convergent.  But those non-convergent groups often can't manage to agree on anything.  There is reluctance to assign leadership roles in this community because power has, in the past, landed in the wrong hands.
  
It's all in the execution:  It sometimes happens that your group has finally come to a decision but then no action is ever taken.  There doesn't seem to be any accountability or responsibility.  Why not?   
+
'''It's all in the execution''':  It sometimes happens that your group has finally come to a decision but then no action is ever taken.  There doesn't seem to be any accountability or responsibility.  Why not?   
  
The Meeting People:  Some people just love to have meetings. They like to be part of a group that really doesn't do anything.    Meetings are often called that are simply for information sharing but don't lead to any particular action.  Is there value in that?  Maybe they can lead to some members following up with each other and getting some work done.  Perhaps this is just a group that shares an interest.  How useful are these kinds of meetings?  Would it be easier and more efficient to just to send out emails to inform?
+
'''The Meeting People''':  Some people just love to have meetings. They like to be part of a group that really doesn't do anything.    Meetings are often called that are simply for information sharing but don't lead to any particular action.  Is there value in that?  Maybe they can lead to some members following up with each other and getting some work done.  Perhaps this is just a group that shares an interest.  How useful are these kinds of meetings?  Would it be easier and more efficient to just to send out emails to inform?
  
Size of groups:  how big is too big, too small?   
+
'''Size of groups:  how big is too big, too small'''?   
 
* Decision fatigue: If you feel burdened too often, maybe a small group could help to alleviate some of that burden  
 
* Decision fatigue: If you feel burdened too often, maybe a small group could help to alleviate some of that burden  
 
* A group of 3-5 people can easily work together
 
* A group of 3-5 people can easily work together
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* Nested systems of decision-making:  (Jess)  smaller groups meet, then representatives from those smaller groups meet as a larger group.  Unions work that way.  This brings things to a more human scale - you can speak and be heard in a small group and know that you will be represented.
 
* Nested systems of decision-making:  (Jess)  smaller groups meet, then representatives from those smaller groups meet as a larger group.  Unions work that way.  This brings things to a more human scale - you can speak and be heard in a small group and know that you will be represented.
  
Topic for next week:  Tools for effective facilitation: How do you get a group that seems to be leaderless to develop a focus and become a functioning entity?   
+
'''Topic for next week:  Tools for effective facilitation''': How do you get a group that seems to be leaderless to develop a focus and become a functioning entity?   
  
 
Another topic:  Risk
 
Another topic:  Risk

Revision as of 14:46, 11 October 2012

October 2, 2012 Topic: Decision-Making in a Group

Comments from last week's discussion of Decision-Making:

Matt remarked on the idea that more choices leads to less satisfaction

Jess said that it is important to have a system to help you make smaller decisions in order to alleviate stress that comes from having too many decisions to make.

  • Delegate to friends/coworkers so you don't have to decide.
  • Have patience; ask yourself, "do I have to make the decision now? Whats the risk of not making the decision now"?

Hannah points out that body, mind and spirit are not separate, so some decisions are made intuitively rather than rationally.

Questions:

  • Are business decisions easier than personal life decisions? Often in a business you have a vision, but not so in your personal life.
  • Does sensitivity to your environment affect the decisions that you make? Tags in shirts, beauty of surroundings, glares, loud noises etc.
  • Are you sensitive to the opinions of others? Does this affect your decision making?

Intentional about making important decisions during certain, optimal times of the day. Your priority should be to get it right the first time; meeting a schedule comes second. If you don't get it right, then it doesn't matter if you met a deadline.


Getting a group to come to a decision can be challenging!

Today's topic: Decision-making in a group

Often in business your objective is to get a group to come to a decision. What does group decision-making look like to you? How does that work?

  • Be honest about what you believe is helpful to the decision-making process.
  • If you're an entrepreneur coming into a community, establish clear parameters of what you want to do and how much participation you can really use from others (too much input and nothing will be decided upon). Be authentic about what you ask for and people will gladly provide it.
  • People take ownership in the result if they see some of their input in it.

What do you do in an emerging group, or any group where the leadership roles, parameters and ideas aren't yet clear? There may be pressure to include everyone in all decisions but this is not necessarily helpful.

  • Divergent/Convergent Conversations:

Some conversations can be divergent in order to create a shared pool of information and understanding. Then there needs to be a convergent conversation to funnel all of that information down into some plan of action. You have to let people know what part of this process they are in: the divergent or convergent phase.

  • Strong leader: Group decision making in a tight knit group with its own culture is very different than in a new and emerging group. Maybe you need a strong leader in the latter group in order to move forward, more so than in the former.
  • Practice making group decisions; develop a process. The more you get to know one another and are able to develop the same vision, the easier decision-making will become.
  • Establish ground rules: There can be very simple principles that can drive the decisions of a group, even for simple decisions.
  • Allow people to write their ideas down in more sensitive situations so they can feel comfortable expressing themselves.

Are you aware when someone is influencing a decision? What is the real motivation behind open and transparent conversation? Are they really asking for your input, or are they just looking for validation for their own ideas?

There are some group cultures can work against decision-making. In this city, there is a lot of mistrust because power has been abused, projects have fallen flat. People then decide that there shouldn't be any leaders at all - non-convergent. But those non-convergent groups often can't manage to agree on anything. There is reluctance to assign leadership roles in this community because power has, in the past, landed in the wrong hands.

It's all in the execution: It sometimes happens that your group has finally come to a decision but then no action is ever taken. There doesn't seem to be any accountability or responsibility. Why not?

The Meeting People: Some people just love to have meetings. They like to be part of a group that really doesn't do anything. Meetings are often called that are simply for information sharing but don't lead to any particular action. Is there value in that? Maybe they can lead to some members following up with each other and getting some work done. Perhaps this is just a group that shares an interest. How useful are these kinds of meetings? Would it be easier and more efficient to just to send out emails to inform?

Size of groups: how big is too big, too small?

  • Decision fatigue: If you feel burdened too often, maybe a small group could help to alleviate some of that burden
  • A group of 3-5 people can easily work together
  • 7 people is about the maximum number you can have in a group in which everyone can participate
  • 12 people is a nice number for a good round table type conversation
  • Beyond about 15 people you have to have a leader or presenter
  • Nested systems of decision-making: (Jess) smaller groups meet, then representatives from those smaller groups meet as a larger group. Unions work that way. This brings things to a more human scale - you can speak and be heard in a small group and know that you will be represented.

Topic for next week: Tools for effective facilitation: How do you get a group that seems to be leaderless to develop a focus and become a functioning entity?

Another topic: Risk

September 27, 2012 Topic: Decision-Making

Comments on last week's discussion of Leadership:

  • Some people find themselves in a position of leadership without any aptitude for it, having landed there through no fault of their own.
  • There is a lot of focus on entrepreneurial training but very little on training for leadership skills these days. Supervisory and management skills in many areas of business are not taught as much as they ought to be.
  • Leadership is so much more complicated than many of us imagined. Human beings are very complex.
  • Some people are competent in a particular area but have no skill in teaching others.

Taking control in a business situation:

  • A client might say, "I want this thing done on this day for this price." If you say yes to this, they become the de facto leader. You are now on his project team and that becomes your world. Do you want to work with that person as leader? Are you comfortable with him being in that leadership role? Are you better off if you take control? Just because that person is paying for it, does that make him the leader? Will you relinquish your leadership role to him?
  • Pick two of three: One suggestion is to let the client pick two of the following three parameters: Time/cost/product. You have control of the third parameter; that way you keep control of the project.

A good leader is someone who supports you. Therefore, it can be helpful to communicate to the leader the best way to lead you: This is what I'm good at, this is what I'm not good at, this is what I need from you in order to complete this work. Be clear and specific - most people will thank you for it.

Sometimes the person who is thrust into a leadership role isn't really a natural leader and then those working for him begin to take some over some areas of leadership. They lead from behind, in a way.

Jess (Food Lab): When working with new staff, Jess asks them to come up with a list of what they need from her and she has found this very helpful.

Find out what are the best qualities in each person, and then arrange work tasks around that in order to get the best result and the best work out of each person.


How do we make decisions?

Topic for today: Decision-Making

We are all faced with a variety of decisions every day. You can only accomplish so many tasks and make so many decisions in a single day. So how much time can you really devote to decision-making? How much does it tax you emotionally to keep making decisions?

The Paradox of Choice: This is the idea that in western society we have an abundance of choices which, instead of freeing us, paralyzes us, and causes us to become more dissatisfied rather than happier. The more choices you have, the less satisfied you are with the choice you finally make.

Do you prefer just doing a task that doesn't require a lot of thought or do you prefer thinking about things? Does thinking about too many things cause you worry and anxiety?

How does modern technology affect our ability to make good decisions?

  • Mike takes regular breaks w/o computer/phones. He is in the habit of having down time, whether he thinks he needs it or not.
  • The amount of time we spend not looking at a computer, phone, or TV has gone down drastically in recent years. We have very little uninterrupted quiet time to allow our brain to slow down, process, think, relax.

Take stress out of decision making:

  1. Make sure the business has a strong shared vision. Make sure people can make their own decisions, based on the shared vision. When vision is strong, decision is easy, everything flows into the vision of your business. Clear vision = clear decision.
  2. Set up decision matrices, a series of smaller decisions that can help lead you to that larger decision.

Working on your business should be intentional, spend time on it each week.

Benefit of closing doors (metaphorically speaking) helps you to clear space, to not get distracted by shiny things around you. Closing one door can open the door to other, better opportunities.

Thoughtful decision-making:

  1. Are you missing some information you can get access to? Some information that you need? What is that piece of information? Get it and decide.
  2. Would you know a good answer if you saw it? What's your perfect answer? Do you have one? How can you decide if you don't know what your answer is?
  3. Figure out what kinds of decisions you are not willing to make in 24 hours. Allow yourself the time to think, reflect, on your more sensitive issues.

Other things to think about:

  • You may not have all the information you'd like to have to make this decision, but you have all the information you're GOING to have. Make your decision based on the best information available to you.
  • Rely on your gut feelings: If you hesitate, don't do it.
  • Think about the risk involved and evaluate that risk. Don't spend mental energy on decisions with no or low risk, because it just doesn't matter. Spend time on decisions with higher risk.
  • You may have some values/principles that are more important than others. Think about the factors involved in a decision that are most important to you. Job may pay you lots of money, but you have to move your family and don't want to do that.
  • Inaction: what is lost from NOT making a decision? What is the cost of not deciding?
  • Surround yourself with community - groups make better decisions than individuals. Take your thoughts to the group - helps to view the complexity of the decision you're trying to make, makes it clearer for you. Don't make any significant decisions on your own.
  • Identify the big decisions. Create a system for dealing with trivial decisions. If you are left with fewer decisions to make, then the quality of your decisions will be improved.
  • Try to build up leadership capacity in your business so that it becomes habit for the people working with you. Habits are automatic decisions.
  • Whatever decision you make, it has to have integrity. Will your decision involve other people? How? Believing in yourself and your decision is important, even if you get a bad outcome. If you fail "forward", you will learn something from it.
  • When you decide to do something, execute it well. That can make all the difference. Perhaps your decision turned out wrong because you didn't execute it well.
  • Break larger decisions into smaller, more discrete manageable decisions that you can deal with right now. What's the smallest decision that I can make at this moment?
  • Define what your choices are in a decision and let clients know what their response choices are. For example, "yes", "no", and "I'll get back to you within 24 hours" may be acceptable response choices. "I'll think about it and get back with you eventually" is not a choice option.


Next week's topic: Decision-Making in a Group

See Also

Earlier Conversations:

Sustainable Business Learning Community Conversations, cont'd.

Sustainable Business - Learning Community Conversations

Sustainable Business Learning Community Conversations