Why Consensus Can Waste Time and Energy in Decision-Making
Early in my career, I invested a lot of effort into reaching group consensus, believing it was the best route to successful decisions. However, I soon realized this approach often led to wasted time and energy. Here’s why:
When tackling significant challenges—whether it’s enhancing products, choosing where to allocate resources, or improving quality—solutions often require changes in behavior from many individuals. A brilliant solution is ineffective if people don’t alter their behavior. And, people are unlikely to be motivated to change unless they feel involved in the decision-making process.
Imagine this: if your boss told you, “You need to change what you’re doing because I’ve decided so,” your initial reaction might be resistance. After all, it’s natural to question someone’s understanding of your job.
However, involving people in decisions is different from decision-making by committee. Involving individuals means allowing them to share their opinions. When people feel their views have been considered, they are more likely to support and accept a decision, even if they don’t completely agree with it.
Picture this: if your boss had sought your input before making a final decision, you might not fully agree with the outcome, but you would be more inclined to follow through. The goal isn’t to achieve consensus but to gain buy-in.
This is where workshops come into play. When executed properly, workshops create a space for everyone to voice their opinions, concerns, and disagreements. A well-run workshop ensures a clear decision is made, and even if consensus isn’t reached, everyone remains committed to the chosen solution, which helps achieve goals more effectively.
Make Faster, More Effective Decisions
Empower your team members to commit to your roadmap, take ownership of their roles, and produce higher-quality results. With extensive experience helping product teams deliver impactful outcomes, I specialize in guiding teams to make swift and effective decisions.
Reach out today to explore how we can craft a plan to enhance team buy-in and ownership!
